Meeting the nurse practioner

After I had decided that I would much rather have a chance at a full life without a double knee replacement, it was time to meet the nurse practitioner who would inject the life-giving stem cells

I consider myself friends with all the people at Integrated Medical NT.

Melissa put me in the front room and started the usual procedures – weight, blood pressure (it was up – I was guessing because of the excitement). A few minutes the nurse practioner knocked gently at the door and then came in.

She started with a few questions about my general health and then said she really liked my goals. It had been several weeks since I'd filled out the forms so I couldn't remember exactly what I'd written. I had said, "To be able to do the same things I could in my 20s and 30s."

I asked if that was a possibility. She smiled and said it certainly was.

Wow. Really?

We discussed the procedure. She asked frequently if she was being too basic and I always said no and the journalist in me had me asking lots of questions. She said she actually appreciated someone who wanted to know all of the details.

I told her I had had many injections in my knees. She nodded and said that it would be similar: They would clean the knee, use betadine and then spray it with a numbing agent before the injection. It would only take a few minutes each leg.

She said it would probably be easier because the needle is smaller than those used to inject cortisone. She also said I would have to wear braces for a month to hold my knee in the proper position. I won't have to sleep in them. I'd do it if I had to.

I'll have the injection on a Friday. They pick that day so you can plan to be relatively still for the weekend. Knowing me, they said to take it easy – really.

Next the injection. I'm SOOO excited.