Thanks for the prayers and get well wishes guys. This is the second time the knee has given me trouble since December. In December, the problem was short lived, and I was able to go back to work within three days. This time, however, the pain is far more intense, so intense that any movement of the leg feels as if someone shoved an ice-pick in my knee and gave it a twist for good measure. Consequently, for the past five days I have been unable to walk without the aid of a cane, and today, graduated to a walker. I had to cancel several jobs, and the medication, hydro-morphine, makes it impossible to function in any capacity. Can't drive, can't do anything other than watch TV and endure the pain.

Back in December I went to an orthopedic surgeon who said the problem is a bone spur that is situated directly behind the tendon connection to my patella. He said that it may get better on its own, which it did for a while, and that surgery in that area was quite risky, and the outcome may not be very good at all. The risk associated with this is that if he were to inadvertently sever the tendon, there's no good way to reattach it to the bone.

I'm going for another opinion next Monday, and hopefully, find some resolution to the problem. The guy I'll be seeing specializes in this particular kind of surgical procedure and with luck, I'll be back in the saddle again with a week or so after correctional surgery. If not, well, I guess this old fart will have to think more seriously about retirement, which I DO NOT really want to do at this point in life.

Thanks again everyone,

Gary