For years, I had been living with hip pain that gradually started to change my life. Walking became slower, everyday tasks became harder and even the stairs became something I had to take one step at a time.
One of the hardest things to lose was cold water swimming. My husband would drive me down to the sea so I could see my friends going swimming, but I couldn’t join them.
“My husband drove me down to the sea so I could see my friends going swimming and I couldn’t join them. That was really heartbreaking.”
At home, I felt trapped. I was knitting and crocheting, but I just wanted to get out and do things again.
“I was like a caged tiger sitting there doing my knitting and crochet. I just wanted to get out.”
Then there was the moment when my grandchildren started borrowing my walking stick.
“When your grandchildren borrow your walking stick, you think – this isn’t good.”
My pain and mobility were getting worse, and I knew I needed to do something. I researched different options, including treatment abroad, before discovering Transform Medical and finding out I could have my surgery closer to home in Swansea.
After my hip replacement, recovery was gradual. I followed my recovery programme and slowly built up my strength and mobility.
One of the things I was most excited about was getting back to dancing. Around eight weeks after my operation, I went to my first dance event. Then I went away for a whole weekend of 1960s dancing.
“I was up on the dance floor most of the time. I wasn’t sitting down resting. I was dancing.”
Being able to dance again felt like getting a part of myself back.
At 13 weeks post-op, I was walking the seafront without any aids and had returned to the sea.
“I’m 13 weeks post-op now and getting about without any aids whatsoever. I’m walking the seafront, I’ve been back in the water, and I’m absolutely loving it.”
Getting back into the water was particularly special.
“It was fabulous. To be able to walk down to the sea, change myself and get back into the water again.”
The difference in my life has been huge. I can spend time with my grandchildren, see my friends, dance and swim again. I’m also looking forward to my holiday in Bali, where I’m hoping to enjoy activities such as paddleboarding and kayaking.
When I think about what it feels like to have that freedom back, there is really only one way I can describe it.
“It’s just living. That’s that movement. Getting out is just my life, really.”
And when I think about the difference between life before surgery and life now:
“From miserable and painful to great, fantastic. Enjoying life, really am.”
My advice to anyone living with hip pain is simple.
“Your quality of life is more important than anything else. You can’t take your money with you.”
My quality of life is more important than anything else.
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