KNEEDY

I had minor knee surgery today - an arthroscopic debridement which I know sounds like a divorce for an old geezer but was investigative surgery for the meniscal tears I have in the ligaments of my knee.

I say that it was minor surgery but for me who has never had surgery before it was major. The nearest thing I've had before was a couple of colonoscopies which, although invasive (Richard wil attest to this) didn't require full anaesthesia. This was pretty interesting and they rightly take this seriously as the surgeon told me before the op that the cutting was a doddle - it's the anaesthesia you have to worry about. Charming. Maybe it's just a bit of professional sparring. The whole process took a couple of hours - half an hour of which was the surgery. I remember nothing of this which is just as well as I'm a bit of a wuss in this regard and hold my hand over my eyes in any gruesome bits on TV or in films and have never watched any hospital dramas - Dr Finlay's casebook being the closest to that.

"Och, ye're a big Jessie"

The Old Girl is staying up North all this week to care for me - bless her. I'll be OK but it'll be nice having someone to cook my dinner and wait on me hand and foot (not that I'll milk the situation - never!).