Hi Ed,
I am so sorry to hear about your wife. That is an unimaginable loss. My deepest condolences.
About pain, meds, and the roller coaster. I take the blood thinner plavix so ibuprofen and other NSAID pain relievers are off the list. Ice and the topical cream Valtoren are my go to items for pain.
I talked to mu surgeon today and also received another cortisone shot to help me through the next couple months. He once again reiterated that I am among the high functioning patients he sees, but on the other hand I am an ideal candidate for TKR because of my general health and conditioning. Since my functionality is slowly declining and I am in good health, I decided to schedule the surgery and looks as if they will fit me in the 16th of December.
My hope is that I will return to at least the same level of riding I do now: 5-6k per year with enough climbing included to make things interesting. It may not happen that way, but the goal is to have a broader range of functionality in my life post-surgery.
Thanks for all of the comments!