Dreaming A Decision

I can remember when I was thirty-five complaining to my mother that my knees were beginning to hurt when I went up and down stairs. She was almost sixty and I knew her knees were getting bad. I had no appreciation for how badly they probably did hurt.

With our family history I've always known knee replacement wasn't going to be 'if' but 'when'. In October I had new x-rays taken and a consult with the local orthopedic surgeon - a doctor I've heard nothing but good things about. He agreed that I could delay surgery a little longer if I wanted. (I do.) He also suggested having a shot of cortisone in my knee - that that was something which most people got a lot of relief from. For some reason I wasn't ready to have a shot that day.

Since then, however, my knee pain has gotten steadily worse. Last week I was talking with a woman at the Y who is doing the same thing I am - delaying knee surgery as long as possible. She asked if I'd had any shots yet, then told me I should - she had one in April which really helped and she is still relatively pain free. Next I talked to my brother. He has had one knee replacement and is doing what he can to avoid the second, including having a shot several months ago. He, too, says he has been relatively pain free since.

So, I've really been considering having a shot. A couple nights ago I dreamed that I had taken my Mom to the doctor for cortisone shots in her knees. (Which I did do when she was still alive.) In the dream the shots helped her so much. She said, "Why don't you try one while we're here?" I did and immediately felt better.

Well, you know how I am about listening to what my dreams are trying to tell me - the appointment for my cortisone injection is next Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.