Steve Way – Total Hip Replacement
Video
The summer prior to the op was definitely my lowest point. Not being able to run around with the grandchildren to going on holiday with them, being able to lift them on to swings, play hide and seek and walk around the lakes, it’s just pure joy. I just wish I had had this done a lot lot sooner.
Steve before his hip replacement
“We went on this caravan holiday and this was the beginning of August, only four weeks away from the operation. And I’ll never forget because I had to sit down in a chair and watch everybody run around. And that hurt me so much.”
“I played my last game of football, I was 55 at Crystal Palace Stadium. Four years later, I did a bike ride down to Southampton from London in 5 hours. So, I was always in physio or osteopath environments. And they were always treating me for the hamstrings or back or whatever. But towards the later part of that decade, I was experiencing problems in the hip and they said a hip operation was looming.”
Being referred to KIMS Hospital
When Steve first started getting severe hip pain he was given steroid injections which initially worked to ease the pain. However, the third injection was not able to control the pain and Steve’s GP referred him for scans to investigate the cause. The scans showed that Steve’s hip joint had fused together.
After contacting his insurance company, Steve was referred to KIMS Hospital for an appointment with Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr James Smith.
“I saw James and he said straightaway that I needed a hip operation. Within 5 seconds of talking to James, he reassured me, he told me all about the procedure and what would be done, there was nothing there that frightened me. I came out of there full of confidence and to the point where I wanted to push on from that point forward.”
On the day of the operation, Steve was taken to his private en-suite bedroom and looked after by the clinical team. He was informed at every point about what was happening and what to expect. Following the procedure, Steve’s care continued with the inpatient physiotherapist visiting him early the next day.
“He said (the physio) try and take a few steps and I was up and down the corridor. I’d been given the chance of a new hip, it was a new lease of life and I was going to grab it with both hands. Within 24 hours I was up on crutches and walking.”
The road to recovery
Steve meticulously followed his personal rehabilitation plan put in place by the Physical Therapy team and after eight weeks of recovery, he was able to walk five miles a day with no pain.
“I continued with the exercises and increased my walking to the eight weeks I was doing. I think it was about five miles a day. And that was an amazing feeling because all of a sudden, I started to feel the strength of all the exercises that given me felt so much stronger in my body. And the added bonus was there was no pain.”
Steve returned to work during a particularly busy period with huge physical demands but he was able to sail through it. The first Christmas post-surgery was a special time for Steve and his family as he could play with his grandchildren and really enjoy the festive spirit. Finally, he was even able to kick a ball about in the garden with his Golden Retriever puppy using his football skills he thought might be lost forever.
“I could walk into the clubs and further no pain. I just wish I’d had this done a lot sooner. I’d gone back to work and I’d gone straight back in to what we call peak periods at work where we not only have to work a full working week, we have to work over time. Huge amount, more steps, huge amount, more physicality of work.”
“I sailed through Christmas. It was great fun because all of a sudden, I could play hide and seek with the grandchildren again and do all the running around that I get told off for. And then in January, Cathy surprised me with Retriever puppies that had just been born. She went, Well, what about this little chap? And that was it was love at first sight. And we brought him back home. I think the discipline then of we just having to take him out and we all would be out there playing football with him. And then I suddenly realised that all the little skills or little touches I had on a football I could do without any pain.”
“Well, the amount of aftercare the physio unit gave me was tremendous, so highly supportive, and they were first class.”
“The holiday I had in August last year prior to the OP, which was my definitely my lowest point, you know, not being that to run around, to go on holiday with the grandchildren. Anybody out there worried about the operation, If you’re having the procedure at KIMS, just go there and be prepared to run in and embrace the the experience.”