What could go wrong?

In What Could Go Wrong?: How I learned to be an active and resilient patient in just 25 surgeries, Marijn van den Biggelaar recounts the most difficult period in her life to date. Between 2014 and 2023, she underwent 14 shoulder surgeries, eight hip surgeries, two knee surgeries and one thyroid surgery – spending a total of 96 weeks with her arm in a sling and more than nine months on crutches.

Despite numerous procedures in multiple European and American hospitals, as well as the weeks of rehabilitation that followed each one, Marijn found herself no closer to a full recovery. In this stirring, personal account, Marijn refl ects on the mental and physical battles she fought, and the inner reserves of resilience she discovered. Her determination to make it through years of relentless pain faced a further challenge in the immense grief of losing four cherished family members, including her own brother, in the same period.

Now, nearly 10 years on, a happy ending to this medical drama appears to be in sight. With her new shoulder and hip prostheses functioning well, Marijn has been able to pick up the threads of normal life once more. The story of how she arrived here is a validation of the human spirit, and the power of perseverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties. This book also contains Marijn’s practical tips and advice for patients in similar circumstances. Her hard-won approach? Always be a well-informed, assertive patient, be courageous, and above all, never lose hope – because the consultant’s door could be the portal to new opportunities for healing.