So after my 2nd Femoral Osteotomy I had a great number of pain free years in my early 20’s and started running and carried on playing hockey. I even took part in the Great North Run.
But when I got to the age of 27 the pain came back and I went back to hospital to see what they were going to do next. This had become a familiar part of my life by now and I knew what to expect. However what I didn’t expect was the consultant to say it was getting to time for a total hip replacement or THR. I was gutted at the time. I told him I didn’t want that and what were my options? He said there was not much left that they could do however one option was a Open Hip Debridement.
He went on to explain that it was a big procedure and they would basically dislocate the hip and reshape the bone. It would also be painful. I opted for that option there and then. There was no chance I wanted a THR at my age. A date was set for 3 weeks time and it was going to be done at the private Nuffield Hospital.
I felt very lucky, as the NHS had a backlog of hip operations then some patients were selected to go to the Private Hospital. When I went for surgery I did not expect the pain to be as bad as it was. I have never felt pain like it. I was on Morphine on a button and I quickly used it all! It was incredible. When I eventually was allowed home I really struggled and after a couple of days I was back in hospital as the pain was too much.
if anybody reading this is considering an Open Hip Debridement; don’t! It sucks. But that said after the pain I did get 5 years pain free on my own hip.
Then in 2015 I started struggling again with pain. A regular occurrence by now. I knew what was coming. I was back walking using Crutches and taking strong pain killers daily. Infact; I had bottles of Morphine I used to take and still function at work! Amazing really.
Anyhow it was now 2016 and time for the inevitable. It was the day England got beat by Wales in the Euros. I again found myself in the private wards somehow. Perhaps a bonus of being a repeat customer.
2 days later I was home and begun a 6 month recovery programme. I was pain free after I woke up. Literally nothing from my bones, the pain I had been living with on and off since childhood had gone. It had been cut out. Within 4 months I were walking with no sticks and able to walk the dog. It was a great feeling.
Then in 2018 I had the idea to do an Ironman, which brings me back to the task in hand…
Bipolar Ironman 