The Hip - 1

I’d got it all worked out, rather like a lift card where you only have 10 floors to get your point across, I was conscious that 10 minutes was not a lot of time for a consultation with my GP.  Still, from trying to make an appointment, more than 2 weeks had elapsed, so I could not complain about lack of preparation time.  “The way I see it,” I would say confidently, “I intend to live well into my nineties, I don’t drink or smoke, I’m not overweight and try to exercise regularly but my hip has given up and I just cannot imagine a life living in this discomfort and with all its concomitant restrictions on activity and mobility.  I think I have reached a critical point.”  And this wasn’t out of the blue – I’d been before, in 2009, when I fell of my bike and my hip was diagnosed as arthritic then.  A course of vigorous physiotherapy had helped but it was only a matter of time before I was back again, this time in 2015.  Another x-ray and surprisingly my hip had not got better; actually, it was a lot worse.  Another course of physiotherapy but this time not so active.  Lots of forms to fill in and questions asked.  “Have you got access to the internet?  Try these exercises – you have to realise you won’t be able to do as much as you used to.”  It was a dispiriting waste of time and money and something of a relief when I was discharged with absolutely no change to my physical condition.  Mentally, I was fuming.  My consultation on 24 May 18 began promisingly.  My previous was, apparently, displayed on the GP’s desktop so there was no need to go over old ground.  I was about to launch my speech when I was completely subdued by highly effective counter-battery fire from the GP.  “Hip replacement isn’t necessarily the answer – it might not work, and you would be worse off, or you might die with the operation.  So, what we do nowadays is refer you to a consultant physiotherapist.”  My heart sank.  The GP continued, “this way, the best treatment for you can be decided ranging from pain relief, physiotherapy and surgery.” Despite disappointment at the, apparent, lack of progress to resolution, I quickly spotted what I perceived to be the advantage; this could be a one-stop-shop to see me through.  No danger of sloping responsibility shoulders and only one button to press if things go wrong.  It may sound a bit bureaucratic but in the light of recent medical IT headlines, this may be a good thing.  Anyway, I’m an optimist and, within the 4 weeks promised by my GP, 27 Jun 18, I have received an appointment with a musculoskeletal “Extended Scope Practitioner.”  I’ll let you know!