Katherine's story: "Two-and-a-half years waiting for surgery cost me my ankle, my job and my independence

Katherine McMillan, 65, from West Lothian, says waiting for a diagnosis, then waiting for surgery has cost her a job she loved, her independence and left her isolated and feeling like her life is ‘on hold’. 

Long wait for osteoarthritis surgery has caused permanent damage.

I started with pain in my knee at 56 which got sorer as time went on. My GP sent me to the hospital where they diagnosed torn tendons which meant taking 18 months off work as I couldn’t cope with the pain. It was only when I went back to the GP because I wasn’t getting better, that I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and told I needed a knee replacement. I had my first knee done at 59, my second in 2020.

Last December, I was out walking my dogs one night when I fell and hurt my head. At hospital they x-rayed me when I told them my foot kept buckling beneath me. I went for an x-ray on 18th December 2024, saw a surgeon in January 2025 who told me I needed an ankle replacement. Since then, I’ve just been waiting and my ankle deteriorated to the point of total collapse.

I called the helpline in March this year to be told I’d another 18 months to wait so I emailed the surgeon and he saw me in April and I had the operation in June. They changed the surgery from replacement to infusion without even telling me.

Two-and-a-half years waiting meant it was too late for an ankle replacement so I’ve had to have an ankle infusion, a rod going through my heel into my shin. It will be three months with a non-weight bearing stick then a moon boot for three months. I’ll also need a lot of physio because my foot was fully fused and I’ll need to learn to bend my foot again when I walk. 

I had the operation a few weeks ago and I’m now confined, relying on folk to do things for me. 

Delay in diagnosis and surgery ended career and impacts life

I struggled to get a diagnosis, then waited a long time for surgery. Waiting has impacted my quality of life, I can’t walk the dogs, I can’t go out with my friends or go shopping. I did go to aqua aerobics four times a week and did a seated exercise class but now I feel my life is on hold. 

Waiting for surgery has meant that I’ve had to give up the job I loved as a carer for elderly people and that was really hard because I really enjoyed going to work. There has also been a financial impact and, although my partner is supportive, it has been very hard to lose my independence. 

My mental health has also been impacted because I can’t do what I want to do.  I turned down a wedding invite recently because I knew I’d be forced to sit watching people have a good time because I’m so restricted in what I can do. It makes me feel sad because I always used to be the first on the dancefloor. Arthritis has left me socially isolated and I spend a lot of time not really feeling like myself.

I can’t garden, which I love, and I haven’t been able to walk my dogs for about eight months, I kept having to stop and start which wasn’t fair to them, so my partner does it but I miss walking them. 

Arthritis patients need to be heard

Doctors need to listen to the patient because we know our own bodies but it feels like they are just not interested. I knew I needed an ankle replacement before they’d sent me for x-ray and if they’d done it sooner I would my quality of life would be so much better now.

They also need to talk to each other, the lack of communication means the health service really is letting a lot of people down.

I’ve lost my independence, lost my job and I don’t think they really understand the cost of these delays, or are they just not bothered.
We need quicker diagnosis, quicker referrals, not waiting for a year because a lot can change in that time.