At last I have dates for my hip replacement.

Thank you for all your advice Graham. I thought I was pretty organised but i’m Not so sure now but I still have got a bit of time.

Going to stay with my son after surgery as I live on my own. I’d better check he is ready for me!!

You sound as if you are doing so well now. So pleased for you.

Best wishes

Linda

Glad you're staying with your son, it's always handy to have someone there when you start recovering.

Graham

XXX

Yes it really is a relief after all this time.

i’m sure I’ll be well looked after. 

I will be glad when it’s over, and hopefully get relief from this awful pain.

Best Wishes

From what I understand it is very different scheduling surgery in US compared to the UK.

I had my surgery Jan. 8 in Florida. Only delay I had for scheduling was due to Christmas/New Years holidays. (I had my first appointment in November.)

I, too, picked my surgeon and met with him a few times before surgery, never having difficulty getting appointment. Even after surgery, when I had issues with part of surgical wound not healing too quickly, I saw him once a week.

It is such a long drawn out process here if you decide to use the Nhs. The waiting times for othropeadics are very lengthy. No, I haven’t been able to choose my surgeon. I met a surgeon in May but it’s a different surgeon I am seeing at my pre op assessment. It will be one of the surgeons from the team who eventually will perform my surgery.

i have got to say I am so desperate to be out of pain i’d let anyone operate. I am sure it will all go well and I will receive excellent care.

Thanks for all your good wishes.

Linda

In U.K. you have the choice to go privately when you can choose your surgeon and the date you want your op no problem or you can use the NHS when you may or not be able to choose your surgeon, most surgeons also work privately, you can wait for months and they can turn you down if you are overweight or smoke. You have to apply for funding and they may decide that they are short of cash ...... If you have the cash you are OK. 

Yes that is exactly correct. Normally our NHS is quite efficient but there are several departments that are totally over whelmed and orthopaedics are one of these departments.

Going  privately cost upwards of £10,000 for one thr. 

 

Fortunately, my surgery cost me nothing out of pocket other than a few office visits co-pays.

Most important is a capable surgeon. I understand the pain from the before surgery and the relief after surgery.

The NHS does not cost anything but can take forever to actually get an operation. If you have insurance you can go privately which does not cost anything at the time but you have to pay the insurance charges. Of course you can go privately and just pay. 

It can be really difficult for some people to have to wait a long time. Of course, with insurance there is some premium involved that someone must pay. Not too many people can pay out of pocket. I looked at what the cost were for my surgery and additional costs. Very happy that I didn't have to pay that.

They must have a different system in scotland to wales lal. At the pre op I just saw a nurse who done the medical then saw the pre op nurse who took medical details and rang the surgeons secretary to arrange a date for surgery. Then there was joint school to explain the meterial used and arrange what equipment I would need for recovery. I saw the surgeon at validation as we both had to sign for the op and ask I could any questions.

Did you personally have to apply for funding ptolemy for you thr?

Yes I did, well my GP did, when the funding came though the receptionist phoned me and said get out the champagne! At my pre op we had a sort of talk on hip ops and they took bloods, blood pressure, weight, ECG, questionnaire etc. I saw my surgeon a month before the pre op after I got the funding and he agreed to put me on the waiting list, so I assume I could have been refused by the surgeon. I then did not see the surgeon until my op and that was only because I had a spinal and no sedation, otherwise I would have been out for the count. I did see him after the op mainly because he was visiting someone else and happened to go by my bed otherwise it is six months to see him.

About 3/4 hours after the op the surgeon came in the ward (he did 3 ops that day) asked me to wiggle my toes, said good, never seen him again.

Yes Jen, seems like Scotland and Wales have slightly different systems in place. Still I suppose we will have the same outcome.

best wishes

Linda

I think my surgeon did three ops the day I had mine too. I was last. Apparently you are better off having it later on as they warm up during the day! I had to turn up at 7.30am though. My surgeon just said hallo and did not mention my toes. I wonder why they ask to wiggle your toes.

I assumed it was to make sure you had feeling and everything was connected and working.

Like they do when they are checking paralysis??