And I Hate Melissa Too

I am looking for suggestions for a new knee doctor, and yes, they have to be in the United States and in my general vicinity. Even though I am not done with all the follow-up from this surgery I simply feel I need a new doctor with better ability to offer full disclosure without my having to guess or send multiple e-mails asking questions. They can even be at the same hospital - that would certainly make transferring files easier.

When I was having problems setting up the post-manipulation schedule Melissa wanted I asked if I could postpone the procedure to after the holidays. I was told no. It's my fault for not pushing harder. Had anyone ever mentioned that a possible side-effect of the manipulation would be a knee the size of a soccer ball and losing mobility, I would have insisted I not do this two days before Christmas.

I have cried more in the last 12 hours then I have since my mother died. Last night, in pain and fear when a cat climbed up my leg. This morning when Melissa basically told me that this was my fault for stopping at the supermarket across the street from my building for maybe 10 minutes on my way home from the hospital yesterday and basically made it clear it is Christmas Eve and why am I bothering her. And just now, when I realized there was there was no way to comply with Melissa's directions to get my knee better and go to Christmas dinner. I don't have any immediate family left, and now I don't get to spend the holiday with friends, but alone strapped to stupid machines. (Yes, the CPM has returned to my life and now an icing machine.)

I went to Physical Therapy today and they wouldn't even touch me I was so swollen. We tried to let gravity work again and still didn't get much past 10 degrees. Basically, I have lost serious mobility because Dr. Williams felt he knew best and no one bothered to share anything but the rosy outcome. It shouldn't be too much to ask somebody to give me full disclosure. Obviously Dr. Williams' is too important to follow-up with most of the post-operative care, that's why he has Melissa. (Yes, I'm being somewhat facetious, but then I don't know his reasoning.) But I shouldn't have to guess what the worst possible outcome or side effects might be (i.e. a non-working knee), nor should I have to consult another Orthopedist to even know what questions to ask.

So if you know an Orthopedist who works on knees and is capable sharing information with the patient I can have my files ready before the ball drops in Times Square.