“My journey to a double hip replacement began before I even got engaged to my childhood sweetheart and long term partner, Michael. Last year, I was causing excruciating pain in my right hip and I felt my life had ground to a halt - I couldn’t horse ride, I couldn’t undertake any policing duties, and I couldn’t even make it to the local shops. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Star, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
I was referred to Rotherham hospital for my first operation, but months went by with no date set. When Michael proposed and a date was set for nine months away, in June, I was desperate to get the surgery out of the way. I found out I had the right to choose where I had the op, so I asked to switch waiting lists to Practice Plus Group Hospital in Barlborough.
I was counting down the days to the surgery, set for 12 weeks down the line in December. Advertisement Advertisement I can’t begin to describe how bad the pain was at that time - I could not go to work and could barely walk. My dream of walking down the aisle on our wedding day seemed impossible.
The team in Barlborough were amazing, and I returned home with crutches two days after the surgery - only to find, in the coming weeks, I was overcompensating for the new hip, damaging by left hip in the process. Sign up now for our new breaking newsletter It was February by this point, and the wedding fast approaching. Seeing how much pain I was in again, Michael asked if I’d be ok to get married in four months’ time, but we’d paid - there was no going back! Advertisement Advertisement That spurred me on, so I went back, got the news I needed the second hip replaced too, and was put back on the waiting list in Barlborough, which was 12 weeks long.
This meant I was operated on just 14 days before the wedding. I was so pleased that the surgery went really well again, but time was ticking. I’m such an active, determined person that when I left the hospital, I decided I was going to leave without using the crutches! I couldn’t face the thought of being a bride on crutches on my big day – you only marry once, and I wanted to be able to walk down the aisle unaided.
I didn’t want pictures to be taken of me with crutches. In the fortnight that followed, I focused only on that. I did have to re-think my bridal outfit though, as my leg was swollen and bruised from the operation.
Advertisement Advertisement I went for a white linen suit instead, with loose-fitting trouser legs and a pair of white trainers (as there was no way I could wear heels now!). The big day arrived on June 1, the same day as my birthday - it was amazing! My crutches were tossed aside as I’d hoped, and I was able to walk down the aisle and stand throughout the ceremony. We’d opted for a small wedding with just our neighbours as witnesses and our son, Harry, as our special guest.
I was delighted to be able to walk to our reception unaided afterwards too. In every photo, I looked like me, and not like I had just been through surgery. Advertisement Advertisement Before the operation it was like someone had pressed pause on my world – not able to work, ride my horse or even begin to think about celebrating a beautiful wedding day.
Since having both my hips done, things have gone back to normal, and I really feel I can start my new chapter as Mrs Hiner pain-free..
