"It was quite a heart harming experience"

Almost a year ago now, I attended the Fracture liaison and osteoporosis service team within Altnegalvin hospital.

I had broken 2 wrists on two separate occasions so the service picked me up as having bone difficulties and were monitoring the situation. They contacted me, they sent me an appointment. I had been attending another service and had a bone density test every so often to see if its deteriorating, so I was on the books in the hospital and so they picked me up after the second break and sent for me. I got a letter from them about a year ago.

I saw a remarkable doctor,Professor Armstrong. There was no wait! I’d gone in, told my daughter to go off and have a coffee somewhere but I went straight in.  It was so well organised, my daughter hardly got to the coffee shop and I went straight through to the nurse, who was excellent, efficient, pleasant and welcoming.

I then went to see the rheumatologist.  We had a conversation about how I had been responding to my treatment and to the situation and what I had done basically. I had taken a lot of action because my mother and father both had osteoporosis so there was a heredity factor too; I knew it was coming down the pipeline.

Professor Armstrong was a charming man, very positive and supportive. He told me what the future plans would be if things went into osteoporosis, there were plans in place and I didn’t need to get stressed about it. I could have another bone scan in 18 months or so, it was a very positive appointment.  I came out of it feeling lighter of heart that there was a plan that if things went either way. I was encouraged to keep up the exercises and I had been doing . I got a personal trainer and they have done research on it. Future treatments available were all explained, as well as the ongoing monitoring too. I’m not saying there was a no need to worry about it approach, but it was very reassuring.

From there he basically said about the things that should be happening. I went literally skipping out the appointment, because I believe in being very proactive about my health as I’m in my late sixties. I just felt totally reassured. It was so reassuring for someone who has a genetic possibility of osteoporosis.

It was quite a heart harming experience and that doesn’t often happen when you come out of hospital.