Phillip

Age at interview: 62

Brief Outline:

Phillip had partial knee replacement surgery to his right knee in 2013 and, a year later in 2014, to his left knee. He found it hard to walk before the first operation, but can now do many activities he’d had to give up before the operations.

Background:

Phillip is retired. He is married and has 2 sons, aged 17 and 24. Ethnic background / nationality: White British.

More about me...

Phillip started having pain, especially in his right knee, when he was kneeling down and trying to stand up again. He was playing rugby and football, and was fitting laminated flooring so was on his knees a lot of the time. When he saw his GP, he was told that the pain was probably due to arthritis. It was three or four more years before Phillip went back to the doctor. By then, he could hardly walk and was referred to a specialist hospital in 2012. 

After a three-month wait, Phillip had a pre-op assessment at the specialist hospital. There he was told that both knees would have to be operated on eventually. Within two weeks he had his right knee operated on, in April 2013. He was discharged from hospital three days after surgery. The pain in his left knee was bearable at the time but Phillip wanted to have the second operation done as soon as possible after the first. The doctors, however, advised him to wait for six months before having another operation. 

Four weeks after his second pre-op assessment, Phillip had his left knee operated on, almost a year after the first one. He had to stay in hospital for four days because of an infection. Both operations went smoothly. Once the anaesthetic wore off, Phillip was in pain but was prescribed codeine and paracetamol, which helped. Three or four weeks after he had his left knee done, he had a minor complication with the stitches. Two stitches didn’t dissolve as they were supposed to and became septic. Phillip had to take antibiotics for two weeks.

At the time of interview, six weeks after his second knee operation, Phillip was no longer taking painkillers. He could resume daily activities that he hadn’t been able to do for many years, such as walking the dogs, playing golf and playing with his grandson. Phillip said that the surgery had made a big difference to his life and that he felt like a ‘new man’.

Phillip watched the TEPI videos before both knee operations. He stopped smoking after the first one, and can now walk well enough to enjoy time with his grandson again.

So again was it the same thing with this knee? You had to go for the pre-op and then --

Yes, the same, yes.

When did you watch the videos the second time round?

The same as when she went to check all the movement and what bone I’d got. She said, “Well, I’ll show you the...” She said, “You saw the video the first time?” I said, “Yes.” She said, “Do you want to watch it?” I said, “Yes, please, yes. Just refresh my memory.” So she put it on and out she went to get herself a cup of tea, bless her. And come back and that was it. Then she had to take your blood and urine sample and get your weight checked and... Because in between that, you know, other things happened. Since my first knee, I give up smoking now for over a year. So I give, feel 100 per cent better. Because I couldn’t get out of bed to have a cigarette and I thought, “I’ve gone two or three weeks. I don’t want one.” So I’ve knocked that on the head now, thank God.

So it sounds like you’ve made a lot of health changes?

Oh, yes, yes, a lot of changes actually, yes. Retired and given up smoking. So . . .

And now you’re more mobile to do things as well?

It is, yeah. I mean we’ve just, we took my grandson away the other week. And I still can’t move that well with this one. But to actually just walk with him along the beach is a, is a pleasure which had been taken away from me.

The doctor explained to Phillip why he needed surgery, which he’s had to both knees. Medical staff made him feel at ease. He recovered quickly.

So you went for the pre-op. What happened there?

They, well, they sit you on the bed and try and move your leg. The phy-, the doctor said that, “You, there’s so much floating bone in there. We don’t know whether we’re going to have to give you a full knee or a half knee.” Which, I’ve heard that the full knee’s worse, but the half knee is, I’ve had two half knees. So a lot of it was really get me to walk. And she said, “Oh.” She said, “You’re very, very bandy.” And that’s, she said, “Oh, we’d best get it done. Get it done straight away.” And then, and she showed me the video of the actual Oxford knee, what was going to do to me, then the rehabilitation. And once I knew what was, still very apprehensive. That’s the first time I’ve had a real, well, I call it a major operation. But they made me feel at ease. Really good, really lovely people.

The first time, did you, were you shown a video the first time as well? Or only the second?

No, the first and second time, yes, yes.

Did they give you any leaflets to take away?

Yes, they give me leaflets to read on all the operation and then the physio afterwards and how long. I mean they said that every person’s an individual. But she said, “Considering you were a sportsman, we hope that you will probably recover in a quick, quicker time.” Which was quite amazing really, how quickly I did get about actually.

Before surgery Phillip couldn’t walk the dogs, play golf or kick the ball with his grandson. Surgery is painful but the ‘transformation is unbelievable’.

Can you tell me the difference between before you had the, your knees done and now?

Oh, now I’ve been, I mean it’s only been, what, six weeks. I’m out there taking the dogs for a walk, kicking a football lightly with my grandson. Started my golf again, only slowly, but not too much. Because I haven’t been able to play golf for three or four years or walk the dogs or even kick the ball with my grandson. So . . .

So was that painful?

Yes, yes. And the transformation is unbelievable, unbelievable.

So first you had the right knee done?

Yes, correct, yes, yes.

Is there anything else you would say to somebody who’s thinking about having --

Don’t wait. Have it done. Anything, hip, knees, anything. I would, if I was anybody. Like I was advised by my wife to go and get it done. I should have done. But being pig-headed, I didn’t, but yeah. Yes, if anybody has, mind people have asked me what it’s like. I’ve said, “Well, it’s not without pain. But looking at the longer picture, it’s going to give you more freedom of life.” You know, it’ll give you a healthier life, where you can actually move and actually walk, go shopping for two or three hours and not have to sit down. And, you know, just the simple things in life really. What we take for granted.

And you’ve mentioned it’s those simple things. But it’s, it’s changed your life?

Yes, it’s made me feel more happy. I used to be so grumpy. I used to be in so much pain.

Because of the pain?

Yeah. And I couldn’t do what I wanted to do. Frustration as well. Which did strain us a little bit. Not to the point of, but you know. So much better. 

So you’d definitely recommend it?

I would recommend it to anybody, yes.