Ready, Steady ... Challenge?

That giant among surgeons Mr Sean O'Leary was all ready this morning to attempt to repeat his great success in stabilising the right knee (see story in December 2012).

This time the focus was on the left side. As you can see the process starts with an arrow drawn on the ankle below. And finishes with the bandage above - or more completely with another joyful and painfree crossing of Scotland with the TGO Challenge.

This time there was no oversleeping and the pictured leg was first on the list so Mr O'L was ready to follow the black arrow at 8:30 am. Pieces were removed or smoothed or trimmed and I was in recovery 20 or minutes later.

And eating breakfast by 10am.

There are pictures taken inside the joint during the procedure, but not yet shared with me. Look at the Dec 2012 story if you want links to sensible information about the knee arthroscopy.

NHS vs BUPA? Same surgeon. Same quality surgery.

Possibly more and better equipment in the NHS. There was more paperwork and more thorough safety checking with the NHS. The competence of the support staff with NHS seemed much higher, and they were much busier. The NHS promise to deliver a solution within 18 weeks, and it is about that length of time or a little more since I first contacted my GP.

The tea and the jam with the toast was better with BUPA.  Overall the previous job took about 8-10 weeks from starting with the GP, though Physiotherapy, to Consultant to Operation using BUPA.

By coincidence the October edition of TGO magazine appeared yesterday. And, although not announced on the front cover I felt sure the Challenge application form was inside.

Perfect reading and dreaming during my few hours recovery in hospital before discharge around 12:00.

Last year I missed out expecting the October edition to appear in October and the entry to be completed soon after the end of the month.

This year we have until 26 of October to get the entry in. So buy the magazine and start dreaming now! And don't miss the deadline for entry.