Jane Brody, who writes for the New York Times, has a column that runs on Tuesdays in the Science Times section. In 2005, at 63 years of age, she had both her knees replaced, and subsequently wrote about her experiences dealing with the pain, and the lack of pain medication provided by her doctors. I remember reading these articles at the time, and wondering how anyone as well-prepared, knowledgeable, and well connected as she must be within both the medical field and the newspaper/publishing industry, could have had the experience she did. How could she NOT have been able to find the relief she needed, and if someone in her position can't do it, how can any old (or young) ordinary person? Of course, that was 2005, and the entire process has come a long way since then, including pain relief.....I hope. All conversations and indications I have from the various doctors/seminars I have attended have indicated that the medical field now understands that the only way for a patient to be able to get the best outcome, is to be able to tolerate the pain during rehab, and the only way for that to happen is with the proper medications. At least, I hope this is the case. Here are the articles; they are worth reading.
A New Set of Knees Comes at a Price
When it Comes to Severe Pain, Doctors Still Have Much to Learn
Three Years Later: Knees Made for Dancing
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