In need of a knee replacement for over 2 years, P.E.I. woman says the wait is 'wrecking' her life

Lisa-Beth Glassman thought she'd be spending her retirement painting, cooking and enjoying life on her farm. Instead, she spends her days in terrible pain.

She is one of many people in Prince Edward Island who are waiting for knee replacement surgery. 

Glassman said the wait is very hard on her. 

"I'm at the end of my rope. I don't know what to do. I can't get any relief and I can't get any help," she said. 

According to Health P.E.I.'s website, 50 per cent of knee replacement patients are treated within 368 days, and 90 per cent within 715 days. Health P.E.I. was unable to provide an estimate of how many people are currently waiting for the surgery.

Glassman said even getting on the waitlist takes some time. It took her a year to get connected to an orthopedic surgeon, then another year to get an in-person appointment. A surgeon told told her she needed a knee replacement in June 2023, but she still does not have a date for her surgery. 

"They likely won't even be setting [a date] until somewhere between July and September of this year. I don't know when," Glassman said. "That [surgery] could be six to eight months after that…. I don't have much hope.

"Without knowing when this is going to end, it's really difficult to manage." 

The wait is not only taking a toll on Glassman physically; it's also affecting her mental health. She said not knowing when her suffering will end has been especially hard. 

"It's kind of wrecking my life. It's really hard, when you've got chronic pain, to think about anything else. Every movement hurts, sitting still hurts," she said.

"I feel like my life is kind of on hold and there's nothing, no hope dangling in the future… I have nothing to aim for."

Glassman takes a high dose of pain medication daily. She can no longer drive a car, and it's often very difficult for her to walk, so she spends a lot of time at home. 

"I'm a pretty tough cookie, but this is debilitating to the point of ridiculousness," she said.

"I've got other activities that I like to do and everything seems to be on hold and it's wreaking havoc with my mental health. I'm really depressed."