Before knee surgery Elizabeth Marsden, 64, couldn’t stand up straight. The pain in her knees meant she walked with an awkward gait which meant she hobbled around with a walking stick to support her. Working on her son’s farm in New Mills attending to chickens and rare breed cattle was becoming a major issue due to her limited mobility.
“I can’t thank the team enough. The whole experience has been phenomenal. I feel I’m on my way to getting my life back on track!”
Elizabeth Marsden, knee surgery patient at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough
After unsuccessful cortisone injections in both knees, she was referred for surgery at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough where waiting lists for NHS patients were the shortest in her region.
Recovering well from a partial left knee replacement, she’s now planning to return for an op in her right knee later this year at the same hospital. Elizabeth says:
I’d definitely opt for day surgery again if I have the choice. I was home in no time and able to fully relax and recover. I can’t thank the team enough. The whole experience has been phenomenal. I feel I’m on my way to getting my life back on track!”
“I was relieved to be finally referred for surgery as I’d got to the point where walking about and helping at our small holding, Lower Croft Farm, was a real struggle. I was walking with a stick and could barely stand up straight as my knees were bent in pain. I visited my GP and was sent to a Muscular Skeletal consultant for cortisone injections in both knees. Whilst these seemed to work for about two weeks, they soon wore off and the pain seemed worse than ever. When I mentioned this on the next visit, he said that I’d need surgery. He told me my quickest option was to be referred to Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough, as it had the shortest NHS waits in the region.
“I was happy with this suggestion, despite the hospital being over an hour’s drive from home, as I wanted to be treated as soon as possible. My main goal was to be able to ride my horses again, which was a no-go due to the state of my knees.
“I was sent an invitation for a pre-op within a month, but had to cancel the appointment as it clashed with a farm show I’d committed to. The next appointment was sent through for the following month so I went along for a pre-med with my consultant Mr Lovasz. He confirmed that I was suitable for surgery as my knees were effectively ‘bone on bone’. He said the left knee was worst and would be operated on first.
“The best part is that I had my knee partially replaced in one day! I was at the hospital at 7am meeting my consultant Mr Lovasz for a pre-op chat and by 8.30pm I was home on the sofa recovering with my Jack Russell, Duchess!”
Elizabeth Marsden, knee surgery patient at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough
“I took a cancellation appointment and was able to have my surgery at the hospital on the NHS all within four months of my referral. I was delighted by the speed and not having to wait. I’d heard other hospital’s NHS waiting lists could take months, so I was very lucky indeed. Coincidentally, my sister had had her knees done at Barlborough too and had been referred by her GP in Lincoln. We hadn’t realised that some private hospitals take NHS patients. It certainly sped up the treatment time.
“The best part is that I had my knee partially replaced in one day! I was at the hospital at 7am meeting my consultant Mr Lovasz for a pre-op chat and by 8.30pm I was home on the sofa recovering with my Jack Russell, Duchess! I also learned that I was the 1000th patient to have had a joint replaced in a day at the hospital and was surprised with a lovely hamper.
“The hospital was wonderful. All the staff were so friendly. The care at the hospital seemed far more personal that I’d ever experienced at my local hospital and I was treated with dignity and respect.
“I chose to have a spinal block for the op, which I’d been quite concerned about. I worried that as it was an injection in my spine there could be a risk. However, I needn’t have worried! I couldn’t feel a thing and my anaesthetist Marco, was fabulous.
“After an hour, I was in recovery and soon after was able to get out of bed and see the physio. I couldn’t believe how easy I was able to move about. After a quick x-ray the staff said I’d be able to go home and wouldn’t need to stay in overnight. It was a blessing to be able to go home to recover so soon. It’s a bit of mind over matter. I think going home sooner meant I just got on with my recovery and was not just sat about in bed. My friend stayed with me for a couple of days, though I felt perfectly ok and only took paracetamol for mild pain relief.
“Within a week the movement in my knee was fantastic. I could move it a 90-degree angle. What’s remarkable is I feel I’ve grown inches. I can now stand up straight again and people have even commented that they didn’t realise how tall I was.
“I’m hoping to get my right knee done later this year in Barlborough again. I just need to wait until the first one has recovered. I’m already excited by the thought that I could be riding again later in the year once both knees are good again. I’d definitely opt for day surgery again if I have the choice. I was home in no time and able to fully relax and recover. I can’t thank the team enough. The whole experience has been phenomenal. I feel I’m on my way to getting my life back on track!”
