10th Anniversary of my BHR by Patricia Walter Owner/Webmaster
Today (March 15, 2016) is the 10th anniversary of my BHR (Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Device by Smith and Nephew) surgery. My BHR is still going strong with no problems at all. It feels just like my other unoperated hip – normal.
I traveled to Dr. De Smet in Belgium in 2006 because there were not many experienced hip resurfacing surgeons in the US. Also, I did not have health insurance and could not afford surgery in the US. Dr. De Smet had performed about 2000 surgeries at that time and was used by many hip patients in the US. I talked to quite a few of his patients via email and phone. I also emailed Dr. De Smet and he answered all my questions.
My experience in Belgium was wonderful. I received my BHR and in a few days was visiting the great shops and restaurants in Ghent. I had a very quick recovery.
When I was searching for information about hip resurfacing, there was very little available in 2005. The Yahoo Hip Resurfacing Discussion Group was about the only resource. I wanted to share information about hip resurfacing to help people learn there is another option than a THR. I started the www.surfacehippy.info website as a patient guide in 2005. The website continued to grow during the next 11 years. It features articles about hip resurfacing, patient stories, frequently asked questions and surgeon information. The website is a resource for perspective patients to learn about hip resurfacing. I wrote a book about my experience Belgium and my BHR by Patricia Walter
I still work on the website every day as a full time job. It has grown and changed over the years. Last summer I updated it to a WordPress website that is now mobile responsive for phones, tablets and laptops. About 1000+ visitors a day use Surface Hippy Website. A large discussion group called Hip Talk has 4500+ members and is very active. Over a thousand personal stories are shared in the Personal Stories Section.
I look forward to providing updates about my BHR and the Surface Hippy website for many years to come.
Patricia Walter
BHR March 15, 2006 with Dr. De Smet of Belgium