FIL has severe mobility issues around an osteoarthritic knee. It's been steadily getting worse for 10 years and is now ridiculously bad. He has to walk almost doubled over, like a crab, and this is causing secondary back issues (including a broken vertebra). His mobility is absolutely terrible and he is in constant pain. He flat refuses to get a blue badge or a mobility scooter. His condition is having a dreadful effect on MIL's life, both practically and emotionally.
He is due to have a knee replacement done next week. Problem is that he's absolutely abjectly terrified of surgery. An op was scheduled a couple of years ago, and he pulled out at the last minute. He is a very controlling person, and we think the real fear is the general anaesthetic. We're currently a week away from the date of this one, and he's in a terrible state. I can only describe it as panic and near-shutdown. DH, BIL and I fear the same thing will happen again.
There is no history in the family of anything going wrong with an op. I can't emphasize enough how extreme his fear is - this isn't just a few jitters about surgery, but a full-on meltdown. He's an anxious/depressive person at the best of times, and never the bravest, but this really is sending him over the edge.
Does anyone have experience of this? What can we do??