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.

Are there any tips you would give to somebody from your own experience?

I think you listen you do listen to sort of what they tell you like making sure you don’t have to do shopping. I know one can shop online these days, it’s so, it is easy, but that’s one of the things I do remember taking on board was to fill a freezer up, have packet soups and yeah that sort of thing. Can you repeat the question now sorry?

The message that youand tips you would give to somebody.

Oh right. Recovering, as they’re recovering you just to have to have the courage to do all the exercises as much as you can, otherwise you’re not going to recover. You just have to stick with it and know that it’s you and that’s all there is.

Is there any message you would want to give to health professionals there at all?

No, because I can’t fault them. They’re encouraging everybody to do what they need to do. They’re there if you need the extra painkillers or extra advice; they’re there for you and I’d just say, “Don’t be frightened to ask. Make sure you ask if you’re not sure, ask them because if they can’t find out for you, or if they don’t know the answer, they’ll go and find it out for you. And then they’ll encourage you to do what you’re supposed to do.”

I would think don’t really rush it the first six weeks, take your time. Don’t try and walk up the stairs three times a day if you don’t need to, once is enough. If you’ve got a downstairs toilet, use it; don’t just go upstairs because you think it’s going to make you better. It really does need to build up but I think personally, you know, I think you need to do the exercises; you need to build it and then gradually do all these things but not all in one week.

But do you think people will have a tendency to want to do everything as quickly as possible?

Mm most people I know would say, “Well I’m going to do that today.” Set little goals and think, ‘Well I’ve done it today, I’ll do twice as much tomorrow. And then when you sit in the chair and you think, ‘Oh that hurts a bit,’ you know and you cause yourself a lot of pain I think.

And if someone was told they had arthritis and they were suitable for the half knee replacement, and they’re thinking about having it, what would you say to them?

I’d say have it every time. Yeah, I’ve got a friend now who’s got the same problem that I’ve got and he said hes going to have to have it done so go and have it done. Within ten weeks you’re going to be fine.

Funnily enough I’ve been asked by now friends or a friend who’s about to have the same operation for any advice I can give. And things I found really helpful were, I had a, I went and bought a, I made sure I had some sports shorts and a really lightweight tracksuit bottom. And I wore that more or less continuously for five weeks. So when I was doing exercises, you know, it was easy. When I wanted to ice my knee, I could take the tracksuit bottom off, do it. And I actually found that very helpful and was pleased that I, you know, did that.

Another thing was I got some open-backed shoes, slip-on shoes, which actually I had already, but I got a new pair. And of course ones knee swells up, you know, and the leg swells up and I couldn’t get shoes on. I mean so having that open-backed thing, shoes, was very helpful.

Don’t get disheartened that you don’t think it’s going fast enough this was my problem this time. I’ve done really well but I had to keep telling myself I am doing well because I kept feelingI think the thing is once you get back, the days are so long that you feel longer time has gone than has really gone on. So after a couple of days it’s like it’s been a week and you’re thinking, ‘Why aren’t I getting better quicker?’ but not to be despairing, you will get better. So long as you do your exercises it’ll gradually work, it has for me, yeah.

And you said that you would recommend anybody who’s thinking about it [partial knee replacement] to go and have it done?

Yes, yes, well from my experiences, I don’t know about anybody else but my experiences have been very good.

And both of them it’s been like a half knee, partial knee?

Yes, yes.

You mentioned that you used a cream on the actual wound?

Yes, when the clips were out and the dressing was removed, I’d got like dead, dry skin on my knee. So I used some body lotion and just massaged. And I massaged the scar as well because I didn’t want any tightness or anything. And then at the top of the thigh I’ve got like a little knobbly bit. And it’s stretch, the, I don’t know, it’s a bit, it looks a bit tight. So I just massage some hand cream or moisturiser cream in there and just keep it moist and just keep massaging it.

If somebody has had the operation, is there any advice or tips you would give in terms of recovery?

Yeah. Do as you’re told. Absolutely, do as you’re told. If you have been told to do certain exercises at certain times, do em. If you don’t, you’ll finish up with a seized-up knee and If you do as you’re told, you can move at the right time, you can move your knee, you know. Most of the time the exercises, they state quite clearly, If it starts to hurt, stop. Fine, fine. Do the exercises. If it starts to hurt, stop. Leave it for tomorrow. But at least you would have done some. The more you do, the better it’s gonna be.

And is there any message that you would like to give to health professionals at all?

Possibly the only thing I would say would be, Make sure that when that patient leaves hospital that patient has got quite clearly and categorically all the necessary pills and information that they need written down. Not just take once on the side of a box. But they’ve got to have, they’ve got to know exactly ‘cos their mind is possibly elsewhere, wanting to get out to see somebody or to do something. Make sure that they’ve got the information that they need. And, you know, other than that, that’s it. Because I’m really, really happy with the way I was treated in hospital. More than happy. You know, they really looked after me.

Is there any message that you’d like to give to the health professionals at all?

Well, I think they’re tremendous, I really do, at the Nuffield [NHS hospital]. From start to finish really I’ve not been that worried. I’ve been reassured. Everybody’s been friendly. The hospital, the three days, nights that I had in hospital, it were like being in a hotel [laughs]. Having meals, and being attentive. And being in a room with four people was very helpful. Because four of us had different things. One had a back problem. I had my knee. And the other had hip replacements. And that was good because everybody was supporting each other.

And the staff were marvellous. They were friendly, sociable, attentive, did whatever you asked them to do. They, nothing were too much trouble for them, yes. I couldn’t praise them enough. And the doctor’s marvellous. Coming checking, making sure. Come several times just to make sure that everything were okay and there were no problems. And any questions. And you didn’t really have many because, you know, it was all planned out for you. So a success, yes.