“I wanted to get back to my golf!” says keen sportsman Jim.
Jim Weir, 74, loves golf and after spending many years on his favourite course with his friends, he was quite alarmed to suddenly find himself with joint pain.
He said: “I was really quite surprised as I had never had any issues with pain, but within about six weeks I had such terrible hip pain that ended up in my knee, that I had to stop playing golf. It all happened so quickly.”
Jim visited his GP but knew the journey for help on the NHS was going to be a long one. He had stopped driving as he couldn’t bend his leg at all and when he had to cancel his holiday to Tunisia, he decided to look around for help privately.
“I saw Practice Plus Group had some good reviews and when I looked at the NHS waiting times it was an easy decision [to make].”
Jim Weir, knee replacement patient at Practice Plus Group hospital, Emersons Green
He said: “I did quite a bit of research and saw that Practice Plus Group had some good reviews. My neighbour had also had a procedure at Practice Plus Group and gave me some good feedback. I made an appointment with a consultant at Emersons Green and had an MRI, which showed it was my knee that was the issue. I was given a few options to improve my pain such as physio, but none of them were curative, apart from a knee replacement.
“I found the price at Emersons to be good and when I looked at the possible NHS waiting times, it was an easy decision. I’m 74 and a year out of doing the things you enjoy, such as golf and going on holiday, is a long time.”
Jim scheduled his appointment for surgery and after an extra couple of weeks of waiting, due to anaemia and needing iron, he had his operation.
“Within four weeks I was off crutches and by week six I was driving. I am so pleased!”
Jim Weir, knee replacement patient at Practice Plus Group hospital, Emersons Green
He said: “It all went smoothy, the spinal anaesthetic was not a problem and the surgeon was also able to bend my leg in surgery. The physios came to see me and gave me my first exercises to get going. I was home the next day and I carried on the exercises there.
“Within four weeks I was off crutches and by week six, I was driving again. I am so pleased.”
Jim’s friend who plays golf with him, had the same knee operation at Emersons Green six weeks before him and they are both looking forward to returning to the green to continue playing the game they love.
