Mr Jeffntate, you remind me very much of me pre-surgery. I was TERRIFIED and spun my wheels until I was surrounded in smoke. Fat lot of good it did.
Should I go to a big university hospital like Emory in Atlanta or Vanderbilt in Nashville to get a top notch surgeon, or go to a fellowship trainined local surgeon that is only 5 miles from my home?
You are 100% correct, IMO, to concentrate on finding the correct surgeon for the job. You need a knee specialist who does several hundred knee replacements every year as a minimum. After that, again IMO, personal recommendation is best.
You could try asking the nurses, they know who’s the best. I went to my local hospital where the surgery was scheduled and walked around the orthopaedic ward looking lost; it went something like:
‘Can I help you?’ a nurse asked/challenged me.
‘Oh yes, I’m here for my knee soon, I just wanted to see what it’s like,’ I replied ‘Dr Jekyll is doing my surgery.’ Rising tone at the end, to prompt a reply, and trying to turn the nurse into a friend (worked at once, nurses are nice).
‘You’ll like him,’ she replied, but adding quickly ‘of course Mr Hyde and the other doctors are very good, but Dr Jekyll is our best.’
That last is the response I got (luck works in life, a very fine surgeon living less than a mile from my house and working in a hospital 200 yards away) but you might get something like 'Yes Dr Jekyll is very good.' in which case you prompt 'But what about Mr Hyde, I've heard fine reports about him too.'
You get the idea. I found nurses and other staff only too keen to help; and they are like the NCOs in the army, the backbone that holds it all up.
Its not the surgery I fear or the anesthesia, but the post op pain.
Yes it's bad, and I had both of mine done together. But remember: arthritis pain is bad, is permanent and will only get worse; post op pain can be bad, is temporary and will only get better.
If both of your knees are beyond hope (even if one will struggle on) I suggest getting them both done together. All over and done with, one recovery.