Having for many years suffered discomfort with arthritis in my hips I made an appointment with Miss Gill just before Christmas 2018. After further x-rays she confirmed that the condition of my left hip had worsened considerably and that she would be happy to perform my total hip replacement. With Christmas nearing we made an appointment for surgery on January 14^th 2019.

From the moment I met Miss Gill, she displayed a warmth and kindness similar to that of a long lost friend and therefore giving me confidence and trust in her which is so important. She thoroughly explained the procedure and clearly and simply answered all my questions.

I arrived at hospital for my surgery feeling very anxious. Miss Gill very kindly allowed me to be first on her list which eliminated a lot of my fear and anxiety.

After my surgery I woke up mid morning feeling wonderful and was delighted to see Miss Gill arrive in my room in the early afternoon. She promptly got me out of bed and had me walking up and down the ward on a zimmer frame. I was very pleased that for the first time in many years that I was walking without pain and felt so well that if it had been necessary, I could have probably gone home that same evening.

I eventually only spent two and a half days in hospital and enjoyed every moment. 

After only one week at home I progressed from a zimmer frame, then 2 crutches and finally to only one crutch and I was driving an automatic car after only three and a half weeks. By the middle of March I returned to 100% activity including running with my Irish Wolfhounds and riding my bicycle the only evidence being a very neat scar which has nearly disappeared.

Miss Gill and her team have done a wonderful job for me and I cannot thank them  enough. 

I just hope and pray that when my right hip needs replacing (and it probably will), that Miss Gill will be available to do it for me.

She is truly my heroine in every way.

Ann Mason

Total hip replacement surgery by Miss Kathryn Gill

Three months after completing a trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro in 2016, at the age of 63, the nagging ‘toothache like’ pain started in my left hip joint. Initially only at night, but this was accompanied by a significant decrease in joint mobility. This was the first time I googled ‘hip replacement surgery’.

But my research put me off doing anything about it. The thought of 5-7 nights in hospital, crutches for six weeks, no work and no exercise was just too daunting. So I convinced myself that it wasn’t that bad, even when complete strangers commented on my strange ‘swaying’ penguin-like walk, I just shrugged it off.

That was until I woke up one day in March 2019 unable to weight bear on my left hip. I immediately made an appointment to see an orthopaedic consultant. I did a lot of research into different consultants and was drawn to Miss Gill as she was pioneering a Fast track hip replacement approach for suitable patients. I read up on the evidence to support this approach and liked what I read. Surgery in the morning and home in the evening or the next day, using a light and targeted anaesthetic.

Although I expected to be impressed by Miss Gill as a surgeon, based on her outstanding credentials, I wasn’t expecting such a warm, communicative and down to earth person. She took the time to answer all my questions and treated me like a person not a ‘patient’.

Fortunately she felt I was suitable for a fast track hip replacement and two weeks later I was in the Nuffield hospital. Naturally I felt apprehensive on the day but Miss Gill and the anaesthetist Nial Quiney were very reassuring and informative. And by this stage I just wanted to get on with it.

Surgery took place at lunch time and I woke up feeling slightly nauseous (which was quickly alleviated), with no pain and no anaesthetic hangover feeling. By 5pm, sensation had returned to my legs, It was time to test out my new hip. With instructions to ‘get dressed’ (great, as it felt much better to be in my clothes and not a hospital gown) Miss Gill and the physiotherapist encouraged me to get out of bed and walk down the corridor using two crutches. An hour later I was walking circuits of all the wards and managed to go both up and downstairs.

I was home the next day by 10am and within 24 hours could walk with only one crutch. Three weeks later I’m walking an average of four miles a day, which is steadily increasing. The occasional Paracetamol has been all that is needed for pain relief. Psychologically, being at home and doing every day things means that I never felt like a ‘patient’ or an ‘ill person’, which I wasn’t. I’m sure this helped such a rapid recovery.

I will never find the words to thank Miss Gill enough for what she has done for me. I cannot recommend her and her team highly enough.

So I’m now planning my next overseas adventure!

Jane Stevenson