Hilton's back on board!

I played indoor and outdoor soccer regularly before my drama started in August 2023. One evening whilst playing indoors, my left calf cramped. I thought nothing of it, just, “I’m getting a bit long in the tooth to keep up with the youngsters.” When I got home that evening, I realised my left calf was ice cold compared to my right calf, despite the 2 hours of soccer I’d just played. 

I managed to get an appointment with my podiatrist who performed a doppler test on my left foot, which confirmed that I had no pulse coding. He was very concerned and managed somehow to arrange an immediate appointment with a vascular surgeon, which would usually require a 6 month wait. The surgeon confirmed that neuropathy had caused blood circulation to block just above my knee, explaining the severe cramping.  He took immediate action and booked me in to harvest veins from my other limb, in an attempt to replace the veins in my left calf. They attempted this vein transplant 4 times, but each time the vein would block again after a matter of days, rendering the whole process utterly pointless. I had the surgeon standing next to my bed in the hospital, saying that he had to take immediate action because gangrene was setting in rapidly and he wanted to give me better quality of life and mobility by saving my knee. This all transpired within the space of 1 month.

Ultra-shocked and after a very emotional cry, I agreed and asked when he would like to do the amputation, thinking, maybe in a week. Not to be… he said that he would do the amputation the very next day. Nothing prepares you for this!

My life has certainly come a long way since my amputation. Emotionally, psychologically and physically. It didn't come easily and required a deliberate, positive mindset to ensure that I gathered crucial, forward momentum, to get my life to resemble some pre-amputation normality. 

My career is very stressful and challenging, but I genuinely enjoy the rewards. I’m Dockmaster of the floating dock at AMCCUF Henderson. It's a very niche operation and I enjoy the interactions with both commercial clients and the Royal Australian Navy. It gives me an immense sense of worth and also contributes to our country's defence. My son is a Submariner, so it's also personal.

My family is without doubt the most important thing to me. It's not always smooth sailing as family dynamics go but they’re what keeps me grounded, focussed and purposeful in my life. I want to dedicate a special “thank you” to my wife, Tracey, who has always been there for me. I cannot imagine what I would've done without her support. Her genuine love and concern for me has been my saving grace. I thank God for her and her strength through some very challenging times. These days we go camping frequently, I play golf, indoor soccer and swim to keep fit. I do a lot of maintenance work around the house and have made sure that I get the right equipment to enable me to do tasks safely. This feeds my masculinity and shows my family that I can still take care of things. I know they appreciate that. Minimising risks is vital, as I want to avoid any further unnecessary injury that might compromise or jeopardise my current lifestyle. I have worked really hard to get to this point and enjoy a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle. 

Don't get me wrong, not every day is a good day with phantom pain, or just feeling emotionally and physically drained, but those instances are becoming fewer and farther between as I continue to be grateful and embrace the challenges each new day presents.