Andrew came to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital for a total hip replacement. Here's his story. 

After a sportingly active life, in 2017 at the age of 59 I developed frequent pains in my one leg and into my groin and backside.  An X-ray established I had severe Osteoarthritis in my one hip and minor Osteoarthritis in the other.  I was able to manage this by exercise and physiotherapy.

But by December 2021, the pains were becoming increasingly difficult to cope with.  Negotiating stairs had become difficult, and walking was limited to distances of 100 metres at the very most.  Frequently the distances were far less.  Driving had also become increasingly painful, and my sleep was regularly disturbed, several times each night, as I couldn’t get comfortable enough to relax.  I found the decline in my mobility to have a detrimental effect on my mindset.  I was concerned for the future and what sort of life quality I was heading towards.  My family also feared for our future as the situation would impact on them too.

I went back to my GP and an X-ray confirmed a serious deterioration in my one hip and so a referral for surgery was recommended.  A friend of mine, around that time, had had a similar operation and recommended the ROH based on a positive experience he had had there.  So I asked for a referral to the ROH even though the hospital was outside the geographical area of my own Health Authority.

As a result in June 2022 I had my first consultation with my surgeon, Mr Shakir Hussain.

At that meeting he explained to me what options were available.  He also asked me questions around my lifestyle.  I explained to him that my two main activities that I enjoyed were walking and kayaking, neither of which I could do any longer.  (For those who have never tried canoeing before, although it would seem to the onlooker that arm strength is critical, far more important is the hip flexibility to move the body weight around within the craft.)  Based on information from Mr Hussain I opted for a full hip replacement.  Mr Hussain then gave me a booklet entitled ‘Patient guide for hips’.  This became my bible.  I took on board everything contained in this detailed publication, starting with the pre operation exercises.  It helped me see my path forward to better health.  I felt empowered. At that first face to face contact I felt as if I had been taken into a new family with open arms.

My operation took place on 27^th June 2022.

I came round shortly after the operation on a ward with three other gents who had undergone similar procedures.  In the afternoon, physiotherapists got me out of bed to slowly walk up and down stairs as part of their assessment of me.  Mr Hussain himself also visited me to explain how pleased he was with the operation.  I found it all so very reassuring.

Even though I was there only for one night I felt that I was genuinely being well looked after.  All of the staff could not have been any more helpful.  The food was great too - not what I expected from a hospital kitchen.

I was released home the next day and the morning after that, a nurse from the ROCS (Royal Orthopaedic Community Scheme) team visited me at home to check that I was well and that I had everything I needed to continue my recovery.  She also reassured me over self injecting to prevent blood clots, which until then had filled me with horror.

I stuck resolutely to the exercises given to me by the physiotherapy team and also attended the ROH gym for eight sessions with guidance through a variety of additional exercises using their equipment.

I continued with my recovery for about six weeks before returning to the hospital for my planned review.  I met with Mr Hussain again, to discuss my post operative  X rays, and returned my crutches which I no longer needed – A real  watershed moment.

I continued with all of my hospital exercise routines until December 2022.  At that time I was back walking without pain.  By March 2023 I was back in my kayak, paddling at my local club.

I have in the last couple of weeks (November 2023) seen Mr Hussain again for my delayed 12 month post operation appointment and  X ray.  I am presently walking up to around five to six miles a day, most days, and am completely pain free.  I have recently completed a paddle on the River Severn of 9.5 plus km length, a distance I have never previously achieved.  Last Sunday, I enjoyed a challenging river paddle on the Derwent in Derbyshire, in the cold.

I am absolutely delighted with my own outcome and would recommend the hospital to anyone with similar issues.  The first class service I received began right from my very first contact with the secretaries, when they acknowledged safe receipt of my GP’s referral. 

Receiving the literature from Mr Hussain at that first appointment was wonderful. But what it doesn’t tell you is that, with a positive outcome, my mindset would improve enormously as my abilities, that had been restricted for so long, were restored.  That improvement of mindset was not just applicable to me, but it related to that of my wife and daughter too. 

I cannot thank Mr Hussain and everyone involved in my treatment enough.  I genuinely feel privileged to have chosen the ROH for my treatment.  I also cannot thank my wife and daughter enough for their love and daily support throughout.  All those mornings when I needed help to wash, dress, and change dressings are a distant but not forgotten time.

Looking ahead, my other hip seems to have improved it’s condition as a consequence of my vastly improved gait. I now feel more physically ‘balanced’.

As a family we are starting to form plans for travel and holidays next year, and for me I also seek to be a more active member of my canoeing club.  The future for us all looks far better than it has done for many years.