The life of a 62-year old grandad from High Hesleden in Hartlepool has been totally transformed after undergoing alternate hip and knee replacement operations at the award winning and not-for-profit, Nuffield Health Tees Hospital in Stockton.
Martin Train, who is North East born and bred, endured nearly five years of excruciating pain that totally controlled his life meaning that he struggled to walk [only 500 steps at a time], drive, carry the shopping, sit down and even spend important family time with his grandchildren. All routine things that people take for granted.
Martin even feared any major lay off could spell the end of his career as a mechanical technician, as travelling and being active is a big part of the job, requiring him to commute around the country visiting nuclear, petrochemical and construction sites.
“Basically, my life now has very few limits. I can walk without discomfort, climb the stairs, even ladders and hills. I’m like a brand-new man!” said Martin.
Martin is married to wife Alison and they have two children and two grandchildren. Martin required the double surgeries, a right hip replacement followed promptly by a left knee replacement just 7 weeks later, to treat his osteoarthritis with both operations being a great success.
Martin was referred to Nuffield Health Tees Hospital, where he saw Mr Jafri, a Consultant in lower limb (hip and knee) replacement and trauma. “Mr Train was in significant pain and no other treatment had helped resolve the issue,” said Mr Jafri.
Mr Jafri has been a consultant at Nuffield Health Tees Hospital for seven and a half years. He attended Newcastle Medical School before going on to complete his basic surgical and higher surgical training. Mr Jafri then underwent a Fellowship year in New Zealand, where he worked in a specialist centre for revision, hip, knee replacement and trauma.
He continues: “Hip and knee replacement makes a big difference to a patient’s quality of life, like in the case of Mr Train.
“I would always advise patients to discuss all aspects of their condition and possible management options available to them with a lower limb consultant surgeon before making any decisions.”
The age range of patients operated on by Mr Jafri range from people in their twenties through to their eighties and nineties. Mr Jafri concludes by talking about Martin Train’s improvement. He said: “I’m very pleased with Mr Train’s progress, he has made an excellent recovery from his surgeries and. He should have an active and pain-free life ahead of him.”
There is no looking back for Martin after his operations. He frequently tops 13,000 steps a day especially when he exercises his dogs along the local cliff tops. Martin can also go back to being the fun and active grandad his grandchildren know and love. He even attends a keep fit boot camp twice weekly and on top of that attends a yoga class three times a week.
Martin closes by saying: “If I could describe my life, post-op, it would be free, unrestricted, fun and happy. I’m fully appreciating the joy of pain-free mobility and being able to get my life back on track.”
Nuffield Health is one of the leading not-for-profit UK healthcare organisations, operating 31 hospitals, 111 fitness and wellbeing clubs, medical clinics and diagnostic units across the UK.
For more information about the range of treatments available at Nuffield Health Tees Hospital please visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/tees or call 0300 131 1423.