As a healthy and active 42 year old I was rather shocked in 2016 to be experiencing recurring hip and groin pain. I was someone who ran regularly and was attending four spinning classes a week whilst juggling all the demands of an active family life and soccer mum to two boys.
I visited my local physiotherapist and after a couple of months of treatment she suggested it might be worth getting an x-ray as there may be something wrong with my hip joint.
My mum had both her hips replaced in her 60’s but I was fairly confident, at my relatively young years, there would be nothing wrong with my hips and at the most I might need some keyhole surgery.
My physiotherapist recommended I see consultant orthopaedic surgeon Paul Gaston as she had carried out rehab physio on several of his patients and the results had been excellent.
At my consultation with Mr Gaston, I was rather shell shocked to be told that I needed a right total hip replacement and had osteoarthritis in both hips.
The hospital gave me a ‘care pack’ detailing everything that I needed to know about my surgery.
This was followed closely by pre-op tests, which were incredibly thorough. Everything was explained to me and
I was professionally cared for and put at ease. I also met the Occupational Health team and physiotherapy team who were lovely.
On the day of my surgery I was greeted by a wonderful group of nurses who detailed out what the next few
hours would look like. The anaesthetist and Mr Gaston both visited my room to explain everything.
Surgery, for me, was over in a flash and I was back in my room in no time.
My husband and kids came into visit an hour later and I started the road to recovery. My team of nurses, physiotherapists and OH staff were exceptional – they all took the time to explain what was happening and listen to any concerns I had. Mr Gaston visited regularly to check on my progress too.
I left the hospital to go home fur days after surgery and by 15 weeks post-surgery I was back doing three spinning classes a week. The hip feels amazing and it is hard to believe what has all happened.
