Day 167: Hip hip hooray

Today my hip is four years old. Can I get a "hip hip, hooray"?!

Yep, this time four years ago I was on the operating table, and at this point the registrar discovered what he later went on to describe to me as 'one of the worst hips he has ever seen'. Well, I've never been one to do things by half. To be honest, the competitor in me was a little disappointed that it wasn't the worst he'd ever seen.

My ceramic hip looks something like this.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am one bloody lucky girl to have had this surgery. Had it not been for the operation not only would I be in a world of pain right now but I would have inevitably ended up wheelchair bound and would not have achieved any of the things I've managed to achieve in the last four years. 

Before I arrived on the ward the day before my surgery, the staff on the ward genuinely thought there had been a typo on their patient list - i.e. that my date of birth was actually 1937 and not 1987... because no 20 year old could possibly be needing a hip replacement, right? I am actually rolling my eyes as I write this. If nursing staff don't realise that young people can get rheumatoid arthritis then it's no bloody wonder that the rest of the population don't realise it either. 

During my stay in hospital I made friends with two ladies named Vivian and Joan. I think their names give you a hint as to their age bracket but, age aside, we all bonded over our hip replacements and passing each other in the night with our zimmer frames on the way to and from the toilet. Joan in particular provided me with a lot of entertainment whilst I was on the ward... possibly not always intentionally:

Vivian: "I've had what you've had." (meaning a hip replacement, obviously)

Joan: "Constipation?"

With four years up now I have found myself starting to play a bit of a waiting game. For the average person who has a ceramic hip replacement like mine it is expected to last up to 10 years before it needs replacing again. However the average person who has a ceramic hip replacement is about 70, not 20 like I was. They're not as active as someone in their 20s, they're not training to be a doctor, and they almost certainly aren't running marathons or climbing mountains. So noone can really predict how long it's going to be before it will need replacing again. Maybe I'll be lucky and it'll last a whole 10 years, or maybe I'll need it done again next year. Either way, I'm extremely lucky that whenever the time comes, the surgery will be there to change my life all over again.

One more time now, HIP HIP, HOORAY.

Love,

Cat x