Well here is another blog post with lots of positive flowing from it.

It took quite a while to come to terms with the fact that I would finally have to undergo a Hip replacement. I think I have done an amazing job of coping with living with Avascular Necrosis for over 25 years. I know I am a fighter and you have to be to a fighter to survive many things in life.

I have continued to have hydrotherapy every Friday and I am so happy that I have found a form of exercise that works for me. I feel like I am really getting a chance to use and strengthen my leg muscles, without experiencing so much pain.

Last week I had my pre-assessment appointment, although I still had not received the date for my operation. The staff were so friendly and made me feel so comfortable although I still felt nervous.

I have gone through my life for a long time coming to terms with the fact that I had none or very little control in how well I would be. Sickle cell ruled my every move, my education, my social life, my ability to do certain things and most of all my confidence.

My childhood and teenage years were over shadowed with when the next crisis would be. That nasty horrendous ‘I want to die pain, please put me out of my misery pain’. I hated life because to be honest, I really didn’t have a life outside of hospital and the fear of having a crisis at any time was always at the front of my mind. The only thing that actually made it bearable was my family life and siblings who always made me feel normal and were so fun and entertaining to be around. My sisters and brothers were my escapism and I can never ever thank them enough for being such special people.

I left the hospital feeling quite overwhelmed with information and the reality that this operation was going to eventually happen. I also knew that I had to have a full exchange transfusion before any operation could take place. This caused me to reflect and fear started to set in.

Having to endure blood transfusions and exchange transfusions for over 35 years was not my idea of fun and although this treatment managed my crisis well there was a negative side to it.  I had to endure intermuscular injections of Deferral in my thighs and stomach to remove the excess iron and this was not an easy task. The 24-hour Graysby pump had to be worn every night while this solution was slowly administered through a green butterfly needle. Eventually exchange transfusions could not be given as I no longer had veins and the arterial site in my groin was so scarred that this was no longer accessible. All these memories had been put in a box, which I had sealed up and tried not to revisit, but this was making it difficult.

The day after the pre-assessment appointment, I received a call and it was confirmed that my operation would be taking place on 30^th of October with admission on 29^th October. Next week I will be attending joint school with my husband and the therapy team so that we can go through all the dos and don’ts after my new joint replacement.

I want to take you on my hip replacement journey and let you know exactly how I feel, and how I have dealt with a new chapter in my life. So far so good, I am still managing to smile and stay as positive as I can surely it can only get better. My faith, my family, my creativity and God will carry me through I believe this with all my heart perhaps I will be running the Marathon next year.