I am attempting to get to Belgium for Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Koen De Smet
Spoke with Honourary Belgium Consul and he provided the following information:
- should not need visa
- you can travel to Belgium but have to prove to the Border Control Officer you meet the requirements of entry
- have to fill out Passenger Locator Form [48 hours before travel]
- may have to quarantine but not sure who decides if it's necessary
Just wondering if anybody has travelled [any country] during Covid-19?
[It seems like the Border Control Officer decides if you will be allowed entry]
I don't have any answers to your questions, but this is the US embassy website in Belgium:
https://be.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
If I remember correctly, you're in Canada?
https://canada.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-to-belgium
Dr. Koen De Smet has already looked into the travel situation during Covid-19 and I should be able to travel
If everything works out I should be having my Hip Resurfaced in January.
It is still a stressful event [major surgery] and some people are second guessing my choice.
I also like to tell people that Hip Resurfacing is less invasive but requires an experienced surgeon.
Reading some of the stories on this website provides a good support network to drown out the negative opinions.
Thanks for the response imgetinold.
Congratulations! You'll be in great hands.
That's the doc that did Pat's surgery- the woman that started this site and all that I've read about him is extremely encouraging. If he's your option you'll be in excellent hands. Best of luck.
From emailing back and forth with Dr. De Smet I feel comfortable selecting him for my Hip Resurfacing. Also, grateful that he really took the time to answer all of my questions [many] and provided all of the necessary information so that I can make it to Ghent. The only thing that could stop me would be getting Covid ... hopefully not.
Some extra info regarding the other surgeons I considered.
1. Emailed Dr. Bose but was surprised with his reply. He informed that he would not be sure if I could have my hip resurfaced until he examined in India. Travelling to India and not knowing if will get a Hip Resurfacing or Replacement seemed too risky so I declined. It is odd that the other surgeons [Dr. Brooks & Dr. De Smet] both agreed that I would be a good candidate for Hip Resurfacing [from looking at my x-rays].
2. Considered Dr. McMinn and sent him my x-rays but he never replied. After getting no reply I did some searching and discovered that he was suspended for hoarding bones? Weird?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/derek-mcminn-celebrities-hip-surgeon-gordon-strachan-wagner-birmingham-b605121.html
Thanks for the positive comments.
Wow. That McMinn story is just, uh, weird and creepy. Unsettling. I wouldn't want to go to a surgeon who was secretly hoarding my bones, or any other body parts. I wouldn't want to have dinner at his house, either.
When I was about 19-20 I had knee surgery to correct some unpronounceable, but painful, problem I was having. It turned out to be such a textbook example of whatever the problem was that the orthopedist used my case as an example in a talk at an international orthopedic conference in Rio. In that case it was discussed beforehand, it was made clear that I would be unidentifiable (only knee pics, nothing else), and he told me how it went afterwards as well. Even for this anonymous example he was upfront about it. I could have refused. I did try and talk him into taking me to Rio to serve as a living example of his skill. Sadly he did not take me up on this offer. Sigh.
Interesting. During my research for hip resurfacing, an acquaintance who had bilateral hip replacements, loaned me one failed hip replacement implant for inspection that had been salvaged from the revision operation. It still had bone attached to the stem. In this case the failed implant was returned to the patient. Failure was due to osteolysis of the poly liner over a 14 year period. Perhaps McMinn retained the parts for further study.
Definitely weird, the bone hoarding thing. However, if I found out that Dr. Gross was keeping patient bones after my first resurfacing, I would STILL have gone to him for my second one because he's that good. Most people have at least one odd thing about them. Hoarding bones doesn't hurt anyone. Just my $0.02.
It is a strange development but from what I have read he is the man that really made Hip Resurfacing into an excellent alternative to Hip Replacement. He has improved many lives and I do not think the keeping of bones is a major crime. He probably should have received the consent of his patients and maybe he did? From reading the story, it's still before the courts and we have not heard his side of the story.
The acquaintance loaned me his medical file for his bilateral hip replacements in addition to the failed hip replacement. So much for confidentiality! Well, 9 yrs later he came to my retirement party! I get by with a little help from my friends!
I hope he kept just a few bones (not hundreds) for educational purposes, education should not be considered so bizarre. I'm not familiar with current trends in med school labs, but students use to receive instruction using cadavers.
If ritual, witchcraft or voodoo was involved I would consider that bizarre.
Hi, I am booked for bilateral resurfacing using the new ceramic parts with Dr. De Smet on January 21st. I just booked today and am freaking out a bit. I’m 51 year old female and used to be a triathlete before the hips went south. I’m canadian as well (Vancouver Island). Perhaps I will see you there?!
They can rebuild me, they have the technology, they can make me better than I was before, better, stronger, faster ... [For the older ones among us that was sort of the preamble at the beginning of the "Six Million Dollar Man" television series]. Well, I am going for the Hip Resurfacing and I will be happy if I can just walk without pain/limp and if I can run again it will be a bonus.
I am in Belgium and my Hip Resurfacing is scheduled for Wednesday Jan.20th. The surgery still worries me but a Hip Replacement would worry me much more. It's too bad that Hip Resurfacing is not the standard surgery recommended before Hip Replacement is even considered.
Getting to Belgium for this surgery was not easy due to Covid:
- schedule flight ... then they changed flight ... rescheduled
- Covid Test shortly before flight
- approval from Belgium Embassy was difficult
- Dr. Koen De Smet had to personally send a letter on my behalf
- Received approval just in time [if 2 hours later; Embassy closed: cancel everything]
- much scrutiny at airport before being allowed on flight
- another Covid Test when arriving in Belgium [47 Euro]
I cannot thank Dr. Koen De Smet enough for all of his assistance. It is amazing the amount of personal attention he provides. I must have emailed him close to 50 times and he always responded personally [I was worried he would get mad at all my questions]. The other "Pre Hippies" that I spoke with here said the same thing. Being one of the worlds top Hip Resurfacing surgeons he seems very humble.
Also, thank-you to Pat Walter for creating this website and making people aware that there is an alternative to Hip Replacement.
Will post how my recovery goes after my surgery to hopefully help others make a decision.
BionicHip and Hipmom: the “Steve Austin†and “Jamie Sommers†of the SurfaceHippy Forum! Best of luck, you two! Bring back some Belgian chocolate!
I'm sure you are relieved to be there!
There was one thing I didn't anticipate for my trip home. I didn't recognize blood thinners would cause poor circulation that I developed ankle swelling and a bruised heel which led me to worry about thrombosis. Maybe you've thought of this, but consider support hose if elevating is going to be a challenge, I wish I had. Noticed discomfort at about 3 hrs. I actually had ankle swelling before my trip home, so if this happens to you, take care and Good Luck!
Well there are 3 of us from North America that have now become Surface Hippies. Hipmon [British Columbia], Jason [Colorado], and myself from [Ontario, Canada]. There are also over 20 Swedish people here for Hip Resurfacing. Jason and I are already back at the Hotel but Hipmom is still in the hospital because she had both hips resurfaced.
It was quite the experience from my perspective. I was scheduled for surgery on Jan.20 at 3:00 pm but in the morning they came to my room and asked if I was ready? I did not mind going in early because I just wanted it to get the surgery over with. The nurse just asked if I ate anything and since I did not she told me to shower with the anteseptic soup and they would get me.
Well from what I recall this is how it went:
- the wheeled me down from my hospital room and had me walk to the operating table
- the anesthesiologist just confirmed I had not eaten and I just had small amount of water
- they put an IV in my arm and it was like a dark see through curtain was decending on my vision
- next thing I know I wake up in recovery room and nurse mentions surgery was complete
- Jason saw me in recovery room and said I was asking, "if I should shower with the antiseptic soap?" Weird
- if there was pain I should click button for morphine to control the pain
- if the button was lit you could click for a shot of morpine if not lit you had wait for it to work
- as soon as it was lit up I was clicking; there was definitely pain [for Hipmom it must have been worse]
- when they wheeled me back to the room the nurse advised not to use too much morphine because it will be hard on you later
- once back in the room the pain was not too bad and I did not use the morphine button
- the first day was tough and I was wondering if this was worth it [yes, Hip Replacement would probably be worse]
- I am back at the hotel and continuing rehab with crutches
I am glad that I went for the Hip Resurfacing. Even if it does not allow me to get back to running I still think it is the logical choice. It still puzzles me that more surgeons don't embrace Hip Resurfacing; in the long run it would probably save money.
It's unfortunate that I had to pay for the surgery myself but anybody considering the Hip Resurfacing should ask them selves what their life is worth? In my case I just included the cost in my mortgage ... I tell people some people buy a new car, I bought a new Hip.
Thanks for all of the people for their advice ... it's nice to have support.
Congrats, ya’ll!! Keep us updated with your rehab progress. Stick to the guidelines and don’t push... you could be back to running again before you know it!
Way to go! It gets better quickly, I promise. I was completely off pain meds by day 5, some folks much earlier. I hope you too can wean off. The worst part for me is that (pardon the graphicness) it's nearly impossible to poop when on those opiates.
Keep us appraised of your progress!
congratulations! I wish you a speedy recovery. I found it much fun to be with other surface hippies when I was in Belgium.
thanks for giving us your updates.
Pat
Glad you made it through surgery! Thanks for update.
Update: Two Weeks Post Op
My recovery is continuing at home and this is my experience so far:
- at the hotel we continued our recovery with forearm crutches which were given to us at the hospital
- had slight bruising on outside of upper thigh and slight swelling
- physiotherapist Linda visited us daily and had us doing progressive exercises
- nurse Elly would visit us after therapy and check our incision and inject us with blood thinner
- Elly instructed on how to inject yourself; I don't like needles but it has to be done [another week]
- flight home was half full so it was no problem to frequently get up and walk around
- my ankle swelled up after flight; contacted nurse Elly who said to elevate and ice the leg
- I do my exercises daily and seem to be improving; I can walk with 1 crutch
- my limitation is that I am under quarantine and cannot leave my condo for longer walks
- I am happy with my progress and at my age a conservative rehab is probably better anyway
So far, I am pleased with my progress and look forward to walking outside once my quarantine is over [1 more week]. For me going to Belgium for Hip Resurfacing was an ordeal but I am happy I did it. I am grateful that this option was available to me; there are many people in the world who do not have this choice.
Will provide another update in a few weeks and hopefully I will be walking without a crutch.
To restore the body, particularly the lungs, after having had coronavirus, it is best to go to the mountains to breathe the clean air. Staying in a sanatorium or the mountains in Germany for three to seven days is the best way to go. We began to wonder which way to go. After I came across this information, the European special German railroad offers a convenient and cheap way to travel from Germany to other European countries in second class from 39 euros. Without thinking too much, we bought tickets for https://www.dbfahrplan.com/de/.
;)
Haven't ventured to Belgium for hip resurfacing, but I've been knee-deep in the Covid travel trenches myself. It's a wild ride, but gladly everything is over now. However, some post-Covid restrictions still take place.
Chatting with the Honorary Belgium Consul sounds legit. Props to them for dishing out the deets. The whole visa-free deal is a relief, but proving yourself to the Border Control Officer? That's some next-level stress right there.
Quote from: Sophler on February 13, 2024, 02:53:42 PM
Chatting with the Honorary Belgium Consul sounds legit. Props to them for dishing out the deets. The whole visa-free deal is a relief, but proving yourself to the Border Control Officer? That's some next-level stress right there.
I haven't had to fill out a Passenger Locator Form yet, but I've heard it's a necessary evil. And don't even get me started on the quarantine roulette. Who decides if it's a go? It's like playing a game of chance with your travel plans. But hey, we're all in this together, right? Keep your chin up, keep hustling, and keep chasing those Belgium dreams. And when you're back on your feet, maybe we'll celebrate with a spin on some of the best US theme parks (https://wealthofgeeks.com/best-amusement-parks-in-the-us/).