If you read my story back in August, you would know that I have been waiting 10 years (yes since early 2013 ) for a hip replacement and I am happy to let you all amazing readers know that I have finally gotten my surgery date.
On January 26, tomorrow week, I will have the procedure for a full left hip replacement. Originally the surgery date was December 1, but due to getting sick I had cancelled but I am very grateful for the quick turn around in getting a new date.
It was two weeks after that original story was published in the Advertiser that I got my appointment with my new consultant, so I wholeheartedly believe that I got the appointment because of it.
When I met my surgeon I handed him that Advertiser story and said if you want to know about me and what my life has been like without that much-needed surgery, just read it and to say he was shocked would be an understatement.
At that appointment, I voiced my thoughts on how my hip bone was getting worse and was essentially giving up. Despite trying every pain management you could think of which hasn’t helped, my best step forward is the hip replacement because the hip pain is starting to affect my sleep and it’s stopping me from living the life I want.
So this surgery is desperately needed and after giving me the pros and cons of surgery, my consultant finally agreed that this surgery is right for me to improve every aspect of my life.
The main reason I am having this surgery is to get rid of my pain, I may never walk but I wouldn’t mind that if it means I have no more pain. My whole life has revolved around the unbearable pain and that’s not fair on me.
I want to be able to live a fulfilled life and not be worrying about how my pain will impact the things I do so I hope you enjoy reading how I am genuinely feeling about surgery.
I will admit that when I got the surgery date, I couldn’t believe it, it had shocked me to my core because I had been waiting so long for it, and then I got excited, but then the nerves about the upcoming surgery started bubbling.
Since the last time I had major surgery was in 2014, I have grown a lot and so has technology which means it’s very easy to research certain things about surgery and I am more aware of how surgery can go.
But at the end of the day I wanted this surgery to happen so I’m going to push the thoughts aside and prepare the best way I can for this surgery which is to think about what I can do once I have properly recovered.
I am going to share a couple of goals I have for myself and even though these goals are small, they are realistic and achievable for me, so for the start of my recovery I would like to use my Zimmer frame to visit my grandmother without the pain I always end up with.
Eventually I would like to be able to walk short distances or even around my house unaided; please keep in mind that there is a great chance I won’t improve my mobility due to my scoliosis but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. I’ll dry my damn hardest and it’ll be a bonus if I can walk a little.
This will be the biggest change of my life and I can’t wait for all the exciting things I’ll be able to do after the recovery and to be able to accept more opportunities in the near future that I couldn’t do because of the hip pain.
The one thing I look forward to doing more of because of this surgery is disability activism, I promise to keep advocating to make Ireland more accessible and inclusive for disabled people so the next generation will never struggle to be part of this country like I have.
I hope to be back to regular activities (college, visiting family and friends, and back to projects I am currently working on ) and writing many more stories and accessibility reviews for you all in early March and if you want to be kept updated on my recovery process, please do follow me on Instagram (emmawardjournalist ) and Twitter/X (emmawardjourno ).
The last thing I want to say is if you could please keep me in your thoughts and prayers especially on January 26 and for the next couple weeks, it would be gratefully appreciated by all my family and me.
