Give it to me straight, Doc. Will I ever peg again?

Normally I'm not one to broadcast the gory details of my personal life to the internet (I was doxxed once on Twitter and would not recommend it. 0/10). However if you've followed me on Instagram for any length of time @an_siopa_gneas, you likely would have seen me on my Stories referring to having chronic hip pain. And since this is something that has and will continue to directly affect the Siopa, I suppose it's time to come clean about what's going on with my stupid body.

How it all started...

Two years ago I attended Electric Picnic with my friend Carol (shout out, Carol!) Upon arriving home late Sunday night after Kylie Minogue's headline performance, my right hip was in utter agony. I could barely walk the next morning but chalked it up to the 8+km we walked each day of the festival (shout out Carol's steps app) and perhaps not wearing the most festival-appropriate footwear (shout out to my lime green platform Crocs). I thought rest, fluids, and ibuprofen would be the best course of action, but the pain refused to subside. Cut to months of physiotherapy trying every dry needle/ deep tissue massage/ shockwave therapy under the sun. Eventually I was sent for an MRI which showed a possible tear in the connective tissue that may require keyhole surgery.

So off to Dublin I went to a private clinic that shall remain unnamed. While my consultant agreed that I would likely need surgery, he wanted me to try an injection first to see how I got on. The injection, which should give relief for 12-18months, gave me a paltry 4 weeks of blissful, pain-free life before the soreness creeped back in like a bad ex who just discovered you're single again. When I brought it up with the consultant once more, explaining that it felt like my whole leg could give way at any moment, I was told to go back to the gym and work on building up my glutes (rude!), because I was too young for surgery. I limped out of his office and drove all the way back to Galway in pain.

That was in January 2026, a year and a half on from when the initial pain started. I was very thankful that I managed to get an appointment over the Summer with Mr. Pat Carton in Whitfield Hospital in Waterford where they took X-rays and a fresh set of MRI's, because since the start of the year, my ability to walk has deteriorated so drastically that I cannot stroll 50m up the road without clinging to a friend's arm for support. What Mr. Carton found on my imaging was a worst case scenario bar some sort of bone cancer. I have severe hip dysplasia, meaning that my hip socket never formed around the top part of the femoral head (the ball part of the joint), which is why since the tear in the connective tissue started at Electric Picnic 2024, it began to feel like my leg was giving way from the rest of my body. Those glute muscles that the first consultant insulted were the only things holding my damn leg in place.

What's happening now?

Well it all depends. I have 2 options - both shite. What was suggested to me is called PAO surgey. It's a bone saving measure to prevent needing a total hip replacement and involves breaking my pelvis in 3 places to realign everything before screwing it back in place. The recovery period is 6 months. I was hoping the only person smashing my pelvis would be some dark haired dreamboat of a man who smelled of oud & tobacco and would cook me putanesca, but such is life I suppose.

The second option is in fact the total hip replacement. PAO surgeries are usually preformed on folks under 40, and because I'm 41 this places me on an unfortunate cusp. In either case I will need a hip replacement at some point in my 60s or 70's, but the question is which will yield a better result? And if it's the PAO surgery, is it worth the 6 month recovery period and likelihood of having to travel to London for it since there aren't enough surgeons in Ireland who perform it with any regularity.

I have 2 more consultations in the coming months - one in Dublin, and one in London to give me a better idea of things before I decide. Either way, these circumstances will, and have already had an impact on Sex Siopa.

What does it mean for Sex Siopa?

Earlier in the year when the fuel crisis kicked off and we were all queuing for extortionately priced petrol, I readjusted how I handled the shipping side of things. Because An Post are the most reliable and affordable option for small businesses, I have to physically bring every order to my local post office, and as such, I had to scale back the frequency to twice a week rather than everyday. I'm going to keep doing that for the foreseeable as living with chronic pain means it takes me twice as long to do any physical task.

When it comes to events, I'm very limited in what I'm able to do and where I can travel. I'm still available for speaking engagements. One of my favourite things I did this summer was being onstage in the Sugar Club with Kinky History's Dr. Esme James talking about the now world famous Haunted Victorian Ivory Dildo. However things like hen parties or events that require extensive travel with a suitcase full of toys will have to be taken on a case by case basis and depend on if you're willing to put me up in a hotel for the night.

Finally I would like to extend a massive thank you to all my remarkable customers for your kindness and patience over the past while. I've been traveling a lot to various doctors and physios all over the country to get answers on my condition. A lot of the time it has meant traveling midweek, which means shipping times and responses to emails have not been as punctual as I would like. I greatly appreciate your patience whether you knew what was going on with me or not. You all are such wonderful folks, and I never take for granted that I have the best customer base in the world.

Have the most fabulous week!

Shawna xx