Latest news with #RoyalNationalOrthopaedicHospital
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I thought my leg ached from walking too much but doctors asked me a chilling question and uncovered the sinister truth
WAKING up in the night in pain, Megan Skalska blamed her aches on walking too much. At the age of just 23, she was fit and healthy and had no reason to suspect anything sinister. 8 8 The first signs that something was wrong came in October last year. But soon after the ' bone deep' pains began to disturb her sleep, Megan noticed a lump on the left side of her hip. 'At first I just thought it was a swelling,' she says. 'But I decided it would be best to get it checked.' It was a decision that could prove to save her life. She went straight to hospital where she had an X-ray and was sent home in the early hours of the morning. Later that day, at about 7am she received the phone call that would change her life, forever. 'The first question they asked me was: 'Do you have any cancer in the family?'' Megan tells Sun Health. 'That's when I knew that something wasn't right, especially because they got back to me so quickly.' After an MRI scan, a CT scan, another X-ray and lots of blood tests, Megan's mind was put at ease when medics told her the lump was a benign tumour. But her relief soon disappeared and was replaced by panic, when it emerged that doctors feared the tumour had a 'malignant transformation'. Video explaining the different types of bone cancer, symptoms and treatments Megan, from Sittingbourne in Kent, was sent for a consultation at the specialist Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. She was told that doctors suspected the tumour was cancerous, but that they wouldn't know until they'd conducted a biopsy. 'By that point, everything felt surreal,' she says. 'It was inexplicable; I thought everything was against me. 'The doctor prepared me for the worst, but my doctor was really positive, which helped.' Megan then faced an anxious wait for surgery. Experts made a custom tool to remove the tumour - but by the time the operation took place, the mass had grown so much that it couldn't be used. The surgery on January 28 was long and complicated - and involved surgeons removing half of Megan's hip, but it was a success. 'At first, I was supposed to have a small operation, which would have only had a four-week-long recovery,' she says. 8 8 'But on the day of my operation, I found out that they just kind of went in and removed everything as they probably suspected the cancer was already there. 'The tumour was just growing so quickly at that point.' Being in hospital was harder than Megan thought it would be. She woke from the anaesthetic full of tubes and her recovery was exhausting and long. SURVIVAL MODE 'I thought I'd be in the hospital for three days max, but I ended up being in hospital for three weeks, and I had an epidural in my back for the first week, so I couldn't feel anything from the waist down and couldn't even move my toe, which was pretty scary,' she says. 'Even just sitting up in bed was really difficult. 'Luckily my mum Jo was by my side constantly, which really helped. And the nurses were super supportive in getting me everything I needed.' On Valentine's Day Megan was finally told she had stage 1 chondrosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. Initially she felt numb. 'I thought that my mental health would really suffer throughout the cancer diagnosis,' she says. 'But oddly, I think the survivor mode just kicked in, and I persevered. 'I just thought there's no point in me asking, 'Why has this happened to me?' 8 'I had to keep positive because being sad wasn't going to change anything. So I just kind of stayed strong through it all.' Before her diagnosis, Megan says she was a 'lot more emotional" and would 'cry over nothing at all'. But with her cancer diagnosis came a sense of perspective, she tells Sun Health. 'I think it made me realise that my worries previously weren't real worries at all,' she adds. 'I wanted to stay strong for my family and friends, as well as myself. 'It could've been a lot worse.' Aside from facing her cancer diagnosis, Megan was also haunted by a fear that her leg would have to be amputated. 'I Googled chondrosarcoma and just saw lots of girls having their legs amputated,' she says. 'That was really scary and I was having panic attacks. It's frightening to think about losing part of your body.' Three days after her diagnosis Megan was able to go home without any further treatment. Despite having to learn to walk again, eager to move on from the traumatic illness and in desperate need of distraction, she started a new marketing job one week after surgery. 8 8 'Going through this has totally given me a new perspective on life,' she says. 'I worry less about the small things. 'I now realise I didn't really have any problems until I had health problems. 'It was really scary looking at survival rates and the percentage chances of the cancer coming back.' Megan has been told that she has a 30 per cent chance of her cancer coming back. But rather than focus on that statistic, the 23-year-old is holding on to the fact it means there is a 70 per cent chance it won't. As soon as she was given the green light from her doctors, she grabbed her crutches and booked holidays to Barcelona and Morocco. And tomorrow she will hold a fundraiser to raise money for the Bone Cancer Research Trust. Reflecting on her ordeal, Megan says she is so grateful she went to A&E when she did, and she wants to encourage others to go straight to the doctor if they fear something is wrong. 'There's no point waiting – if I had waited, I could have lost my leg or even my life.' she says. 'If your body doesn't feel right, get it checked. 'It's just so important not to let doctors and your GP turn you away because you're young, because when something's not right, it's not right. 'You never think it's going to happen to you, but just because you're young, that doesn't mean you're immune. 'I am worried about it coming back. But I'm just super grateful to even have that fear. 'Because so many cancer patients don't have the positive outcome that I had. 'I'm still in physio and I have a huge scar on my hip, but I've just kind of accepted that. 'It's nothing to be embarrassed about and I was happy to wear my bikini in Barcelona and not give it another thought. 'It shows me who I am, what I've been through, and how strong I am. I'm still here, and that's something to appreciate. 'I appreciate everything these days.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Princess Eugenie Reveals Her Tea Order and What TV Show She and Her Husband Are Currently Binging
Princess Eugenie shared some details about her personal life during a recent charity visit. The 35-year-old princess revealed what acclaimed TV show she and husband Jack Brooksbank are currently binging and opened up about home life with their two sons. Eugenie was visiting the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre for a cause close to her heart, as she had spinal surgery to correct scoliosis at age 12. Princess Eugenie kept things relaxed and real during a recent outing over tea and cake. While visiting the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury, England, on behalf of the charity Horatio's Garden, the princess shared some candid details about her home life. First up, her tea order: 'Weak Earl Grey, no milk, and a slice of orange and almond cake,' according to The Telegraph. Eugenie, 35, requested the snack when asked as she sat down with patients at the centre to chat about their recovery. Horatio's Garden is an organization that works to build peaceful outdoor spaces for patients at spinal centers to visit as they recover from surgery or injury. It's a cause close to Eugenie's heart, as she had back surgery at age 12 to correct her scoliosis. She is also a patron of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) and the Teenage Cancer Trust, which she shares with her older sister, Princess Beatrice. Additionally, as a non-working royal whose salary is not funded by taxpayers, Eugenie works full-time at the art gallery Hauser & Wirth. She's also a mother of two – the princess and husband Jack Brooksbank share sons August, 4, and Ernest, 1. 'I think I've got a good balance. I've got an amazing husband and team and projects I'm passionate about,' she told The Telegraph. 'I'd feel uneasy if I wasn't doing my charity work, looking after my family and doing my job. I love what I do.' 'My mum always taught me that giving back to others is the most important thing in life. Bea and I feel very strongly about this," she continued. "My grandmother's sense of duty was also instilled from a young age; we watched my parents, my granny [Queen Elizabeth] and other family members working very hard.' And while Brooksbank's current work developing a luxury housing community in Portugal means that the family has been splitting their time between London and the Blue Coast, Eugenie said she tries her best to spend as many peaceful nights at home as possible. Describing an ideal night, she said, 'I get home from work and put the boys in the bath and don't have to go anywhere else. It's so relaxing.' As for the perfect homebody activities? Eugenie and her husband are currently binge-watching The White Lotus, and she and August are trying their hand at gardening. 'It's such a fun activity,' she marveled, recalling how she gave her son some seeds and a gardening belt for his last birthday. 'We went outside and did some digging. That's been the extent of it so far, although we have been growing cress in the kitchen.' Eventually, Eugenie also hopes to introduce her boys to the important work she does outside the home. 'I really want them to come to my gallery and to come here on [charity] visits like this and see what I do,' she noted. 'It must start when they're young.' Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! For now, Eugenie's newfound experience as a mother has offered her a different perspective on having surgery as a child – as well as a new way to give back. She fields calls from young patients who are facing spinal surgeries like the one she had, offering motherly care as well as lived experience. "A little voice comes on the phone and they don't know what questions to ask,' she recalled. 'I tell them not to feel ashamed – not just of the scar but of the whole experience; bed pans, the lot.' 'The people looking after you in this situation are literally angels; I tell them, 'don't feel nervous about letting them look after you,' ' she added. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Princess Eugenie opens up about childhood back surgery
Princess Eugenie has said she "couldn't get out of bed or do anything for myself" while recovering after scoliosis surgery as a child. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the King's niece opened up about her surgery, saying that she felt "very embarrassed" ahead of the operation and later struggled with the emotional impact of post-surgery care. Surgeons inserted titanium rods into her spine to correct a curvature caused by scoliosis when she was 12 years old and she spent 10 days on her back after the operation. She said that her mother, the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, helped her see the post-surgery scar on her back as a "badge of honour". Scoliosis is a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side. The cause of it is often unknown, and commonly starts in children aged between 10 and 15, according to the NHS. Eugenie was treated at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, in north London, and it was four months before she was able to return to school after it. "I had a corner room in the hospital with two windows looking out over a car park," the 35-year-old said. "I was too young to notice I couldn't get outside; all I cared about was where my parents and sister were. "But I do remember watching someone waving to my incredible red-haired nurse through the window and having this feeling that I couldn't reach them," she said. "I couldn't get out of bed or do anything for myself." Speaking about how she felt ahead of the operation, she said she felt "very embarrassed about the whole thing". "I remember being woken up really early before my surgery – I pulled my blanket over my head. I said: 'I don't want to see anyone and I don't want them to see me'," she said. The operation left a visible scar on her back and she said her mother helped to "train" her brain to think that "scars are cool". "She was amazing. She'd ask me if she could show it to people, then she'd turn me around and say, 'my daughter is superhuman, you've got to check our her scar'," Eugenie said. "All of sudden it was a badge of honour – a cool thing I had," she added. "It became a positive memory, a part of me, that I could do something with in the future. I could help heal other people." The princess's wedding dress in 2018 showed the scar at the top of her back and ahead of the wedding, she spoke of the importance of showing "people your scars". Speaking to ITV's This Morning at the time, she described it as a "lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this". "I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it's really special to stand up for that," she added. Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here. 'I wanted wedding dress to show my scar'
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Princess Eugenie speaks about childhood scoliosis surgery
Princess Eugenie has said she "couldn't get out of bed or do anything for myself" while recovering after scoliosis surgery as a an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the King's niece opened up about her surgery, saying that she felt "very embarrassed" ahead of the operation and later struggled with the emotional impact of post-surgery inserted titanium rods into her spine to correct a curvature caused by scoliosis when she was 12 years old and she spent 10 days on her back after the said that her mother, the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, helped her see the post-surgery scar on her back as a "badge of honour". Scoliosis is a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side. The cause of it is often unknown, and commonly starts in children aged between 10 and 15, according to the was treated at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, in north London, and it was four months before she was able to return to school after it."I had a corner room in the hospital with two windows looking out over a car park," the 35-year-old said. "I was too young to notice I couldn't get outside; all I cared about was where my parents and sister were."But I do remember watching someone waving to my incredible red-haired nurse through the window and having this feeling that I couldn't reach them," she said."I couldn't get out of bed or do anything for myself."Speaking about how she felt ahead of the operation, she said she felt "very embarrassed about the whole thing"."I remember being woken up really early before my surgery – I pulled my blanket over my head. I said: 'I don't want to see anyone and I don't want them to see me'," she operation left a visible scar on her back and she said her mother helped to "train" her brain to think that "scars are cool". "She was amazing. She'd ask me if she could show it to people, then she'd turn me around and say, 'my daughter is superhuman, you've got to check our her scar'," Eugenie said."All of sudden it was a badge of honour – a cool thing I had," she added."It became a positive memory, a part of me, that I could do something with in the future. I could help heal other people."The princess's wedding dress in 2018 showed the scar at the top of her back and ahead of the wedding, she spoke of the importance of showing "people your scars".Speaking to ITV's This Morning at the time, she described it as a "lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this"."I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it's really special to stand up for that," she added. Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
Medscape
07-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Early Care Matters in the Stress-Chronic Pain Connection
Chronic pain affects 150 million people across Europe, according to the European Pain Federation. That is approximately the population of France and Germany combined. This burden drives countless patients to seek help first from general practitioners, incurring substantial costs to patients and healthcare systems, potentially reaching €12 billion annually. That includes direct medical expenses, out-of-pocket costs, and productivity losses due to absenteeism and reduced work capacity. Bigger still is the physical and mental cost patients endure. People with chronic pain experience a lower quality of life, an increased risk for mental health problems like depression and anxiety, and often face social isolation and a reduced ability to participate in daily activities. While managing the physical symptoms of pain is essential, a critical, often overlooked, factor contributes to its persistence: The intricate and powerful link between stress and the experience of pain. Despite evolving scientific understanding and clinical guidelines advocating for a biopsychosocial approach to pain, this crucial connection may not be consistently addressed during early consultations with nonspecialist healthcare professionals. Pain specialists see the consequences firsthand. 'In my experience, this is incredibly common,' Ashley Simpson, MBChB, consultant orthopedic surgeon specializing in peripheral nerve injuries at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London, England, told Medscape Medical News . 'A significant portion of the chronic pain patients I see had clear psychosocial stressors, such as high anxiety and unresolved emotional distress, early on that went unaddressed.' Ashley Simpson, MBChB Research supports this observation, with one review finding that psychological factors were associated with pain becoming chronic in 83% of studies. This missed opportunity represents a critical junction where early intervention could potentially prevent acute pain from embedding into a chronic condition. The Stress-Pain Connection: An Amplified Alarm System The scientific understanding of pain has moved beyond viewing it solely as a direct signal of tissue damage. Instead, researchers now understand the nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord, as a dynamic alarm system whose sensitivity can be modulated by various factors, including stress. In chronic pain, this system often becomes hypersensitive, reacting strongly even to minor stimuli. Sandrine Géranton, PhD, principal research fellow at University College London, London, England, told Medscape Medical News that chronic stress, whether psychological (anxiety or trauma), physiological (poor sleep or inflammation), or environmental, can significantly amplify this sensitivity. 'There are shared neural substrates between pain and stress,' David Finn, PhD, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Galway, Galway, Ireland, said. 'Some of the same brain regions and circuitry within the central nervous system mediate both stress and pain, and so maladaptive alterations in that circuitry due to stress can give rise to sensitization within the somatosensory system, which ultimately can lead to chronic pain,' he told Medscape Medical News . David Finn, PhD The opposite is also true. Persistent pain itself acts as a potent stressor, disrupting sleep, mood, work, and relationships, feeding this cycle of sensitization. What Primary Care Doctors Should Know Despite the compelling evidence, the integration of this biopsychosocial understanding into initial patient encounters remains often overlooked. Frontline healthcare professionals face significant time constraints, often prioritizing immediate symptom management or investigation of obvious structural issues. Patients with chronic pain frequently present having received purely biomedical assessments and treatments, such as repeated scans or a focus solely on strengthening exercises, without ever having the stress or psychological component discussed. This is not necessarily a failing of the individual clinician but a reflection of systemic pressures, historical training biases toward biomedical models, and patient expectations often centered on a physical 'fix.' The consequence, as highlighted by both the clinical and scientific experts, is a missed opportunity. Patients may leave consultations without understanding why their pain persists despite a lack of clear physical findings, potentially feeling dismissed or believing their pain is purely physical when stress is a major contributor. This lack of early psychoeducation and acknowledgement of the stress-pain link can hinder their ability to adopt effective self-management strategies and make the pain much harder to treat later. Simpson shared some key concepts healthcare professionals should help their patients understand early. Pain does not equal harm. While pain is real, its intensity is not always proportional to tissue damage. The brain and nervous system interpret signals, and this interpretation is heavily influenced by state of mind, stress, and prior experiences. While pain is real, its intensity is not always proportional to tissue damage. The brain and nervous system interpret signals, and this interpretation is heavily influenced by state of mind, stress, and prior experiences. The nervous system can learn pain. Persistent pain can lead to lasting changes ('sensitization' or 'priming') in the nervous system, making it more reactive. The longer pain persists, the better the brain becomes at producing it. Persistent pain can lead to lasting changes ('sensitization' or 'priming') in the nervous system, making it more reactive. The longer pain persists, the better the brain becomes at producing it. Stress is a major amplifier and contributor. Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and fear significantly affect pain processing and can contribute to chronification. Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and fear significantly affect pain processing and can contribute to chronification. Movement is generally safe and therapeutic. Reassure patients that moving within limits, even if it causes temporary discomfort, is vital for recovery and helps calm a sensitized nervous system. Pain flares don't necessarily mean damage. Practical Strategies for Busy Clinicians (Within ~10 Minutes) Integrating a stress-informed approach is feasible even in short consultations: Listen and ask (minutes 1-3): Weave in brief, open-ended questions: 'How has stress been affecting you lately?' 'How has your sleep been?' 'Have there been any major life changes recently?' Listen for cues about mood, anxiety, or fear related to their pain. Simpson noted that 'catastrophizing or fear of movement during an acute injury are much more likely to develop into persistent pain,' suggesting that observing or asking about these responses is important. Weave in brief, open-ended questions: 'How has stress been affecting you lately?' 'How has your sleep been?' 'Have there been any major life changes recently?' Listen for cues about mood, anxiety, or fear related to their pain. Simpson noted that 'catastrophizing or fear of movement during an acute injury are much more likely to develop into persistent pain,' suggesting that observing or asking about these responses is important. Simple explanation (minutes 4-6): Briefly explain the stress-pain link using the 'alarm system' analogy. Reassure the patient that this is a real biologic process involving the nervous system, not an indication that their pain is 'all in their head.' Explain that understanding this offers them tools to influence their pain. Briefly explain the stress-pain link using the 'alarm system' analogy. Reassure the patient that this is a real biologic process involving the nervous system, not an indication that their pain is 'all in their head.' Explain that understanding this offers them tools to influence their pain. Actionable first steps (minutes 7-9): Provide one to two concrete, simple, and accessible suggestions: Brief relaxation: Suggest simple, controlled breathing techniques. Sleep hygiene: Offer one key tip, like maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Gentle movement: Encourage starting small with movement, for example, a short walk and pacing activity, focusing on consistency rather than pushing through severe pain. Reframe movement as 'calming the nervous system' and regaining function. Signpost resources: Mention reliable patient-facing websites or apps for pain education and stress management if known. Provide one to two concrete, simple, and accessible suggestions: Validate and refer (minute 10): Acknowledge the patient's pain and struggles are real. Explain when a referral might be necessary and mention relevant services like pain psychology or pain-informed physiotherapy. These steps, though seemingly basic, are 'profoundly important,' Simpson said. 'They help the patient not only physically but psychologically by preventing fear and despair from taking hold.' 'It is important to listen carefully to a patient who is saying that they feel stressed or anxious and to take that seriously,' Finn said. 'Be aware of the possibility that if that's not addressed early, it can exacerbate pain-related conditions or contribute to the development of chronic pain.' Géranton reinforced the importance of the integrated approach. 'You really need to look at it as one package and never separate the sensory aspect from the emotional aspect of the pain experience.' Simpson, Géranton, and Finn reported having no relevant financial relationships.
