Help on seeing a knee specialist quickly without insurance.

Butcherhayes

OK, firstly please don't get my title wrong. I am not trying to beat the system and get a free ride. I would like to explain my situation. I had a knee operation around 26 years ago, when I was 18. The operation was due to a condition called a floating patella. As far as I can remember, the muscle's on one side of my right knee was tightened and the other side was loosened .When my knee finally went and I had to have the surgery, I had also managed to knock most of the cartalidge off the back of the kneecap. I went through a long period of rehabilitation after this happened. Now fast forward to 8 years ago. My knee decided to swell up a lot, and I had pain in it. At the time I was working and could afford to see a specialist. So after a visit to my GP, I got an appointment to see a knee specialist in Galway clinic. I had an MRI scan and after talking to the specialist, he explained that my knee was deteriorating and that between 5 and 10 years I would need a replacement knee. So again we move forwards 7 years. So we are here today 6 months after my knee starts to hurt, not just a pain every now and then, but constant pain. If I walk as little as a mile, I cannot do anything for two days afterwards. I'm in pain at night laying in my bed, if I drive for more than 30 minutes my knee stiffens up and I'm limping for an hour. I've been to my GP a couple of times and have been told I could be waiting over 2 years to see a specialist. I am suffering so much now and as a 44 year old man that was always active, I played soccer twice a week up until last year.I find this very distressing. As I am now unemployed and as such I cannot afford to pay for private medical cover. I am desperate to see a specialist and I am guessing I will need a knee replacement. I also forgot to mention that my GP said if I was lucky, I would get an operation when I was 50 because they do not like to operate before then as the replacement only lasts around 15 years. So please could somebody give me some helpful advice. I know I'm not the only person waiting and as I already said I'm not trying to cheat the system in any way, but I am suffering so much and I was hoping somebody could maybe tell me if I am entitled to something or that I can get to see a specialist faster. I do not want to be suffering like this for the next 6 year's. Sorry for the long explanation, but maybe something in my case can be of help to me being able to get this sorted faster.