"Botched diagnosis"

For 12 months I had increasing severe pain in my right leg. I went to 2 doctors, had physio which only increased the pain, a spinal specialist, and in desperation, a chiropractor who gave me acupuncture and manipulation which put me intense pain.

I had an MRI and several x-rays and all diagnosed the pain was caused by spinal stenosis. I said many times I felt it was my hip and all said no, it was my back. I said I would like to have an x-ray and was told more than once the symptoms were the same and I was elderly so they wouldn't operate.

Finally, in desperation and hardly able to walk I went to emergency at Maroondah where I had an x-ray on my hip and was told my hip was shot. They told me the ball was serrated and the bone was dying.

I spent nearly a week in hospital then was transferred to William Angliss for rehab which they were unable to help with as the pain was too severe.

I was advised to go into transition care as I was unable to look after myself and I would get my operation quicker that way as my hip was really bad but not broken, which I believe was the only criteria for emergency surgery as it was the holiday period. I was told it would only be for a couple of weeks until the op but the weeks turned into a total of 3 months and all the time my hip was getting worse. 

Finally, I had the operation at Box Hill Hospital which was a reconstruction taking approx. 4.5 hours because my hip was getting no blood supply and the bones were dying and soft. They stretched my leg 2cm which caused me more intense pain with leg spasms. I then went back to William Angliss for rehab and finally home a few weeks later because of Covid 19.

I still have restrictions but I feel I am lucky to walk. I believe Doctors need to listen to their patients and I feel I should have had an X-ray at least. I believe a cursory examination would have shown it was my hip. I feel this should never have happened to me.

My point is, I believe the criteria needs to be changed for emergency surgery as my hip was getting worse while I was waiting and the pain was causing me to take stronger painkillers all the time.