What Matters to You? A personal story
- Written by: Helen Chapman — Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust — Head of Integrated Community Care
- Published: 28th June 2022
Helen Chapman shares a story about her Dad's healthcare experience and the value of asking 'What Matters to You?'
In June 2020 my dad’s left hip dislocated (following a previous replacement) and had to be relocated under anaesthetic. Unfortunately, his hip continued to keep dislocating resulting in 5 further trips to theatre, all throughout the pandemic. My previously very active Dad became significantly frailer over this time, couldn’t leave the house and lived in fear of further dislocations.
Throughout this, his Orthopaedic Consultant took the time to listen to my Dad and my Mum and made decisions with them. When Dad told him that the robust (and very heavy) hip brace he had to wear 24/7 was not preventing further dislocations but was impacting on his quality of life and potentially putting his skin integrity at risk, they made a joint decision to stop its use. His consultant knew that my Dad was determined to reach his 90th Birthday and that Crown Green Bowling was his main hobby. In January 2022, when Dad’s hip could not be relocated under anaesthetic the Consultant performed a hip revision, returning from annual leave to undertake the surgery. Knowing the level of Dad’s frailty and the severity of the surgery the Consultant took the time to phone my Mum at home and explain the surgery to her (Covid restrictions had stopped us being able to visit). The Consultant had asked about and knew the support in place for Dad at home, and so less than a week after major surgery, Dad came home.
This photo is of Dad on the 5th June, 2022, celebrating his 90th Birthday and he is also back at his bowls club – this time as a scorer rather than a player! I sent this photo to Dad’s Consultant and he sent a lovely response, “the email not only brought a smile to my face but made my day…. I look forward to hearing back when he turns 100”.
‘What Matters to You’ for my Dad, his family and his Consultant.
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