I am worried about him- surgery sounds terrible any way you look at it.
A few days ago, I spent an evening moping because I got a shit haircut. (I'm not sure why, but hairstylists in general kind of assume that "I want a haircut" means "I want to look like David Bowie and/or the eighties personified." This happens a lot, and it tends to put a damper on my otherwise obviously stunning appearance...)
Maybe I shouldn't mope about having a shit haircut, then, because at least I'm not getting my knee sawed in half.
Good luck, Nomad Turtle...