Sometimes fixing what's wrong takes a long time

[wasakeinto]

RBHR 5/15. Dr. Brooks
LBHR 5/18. Dr. Brooks
I am in my second week post op of my second BHR with Dr. Brooks. He is amazing. I worked with P.A. Phil G for most of the pre and post visits and information exchanges. Phil does quite a good job of covering all the bases. Since this was my second hip, this time went very smooth and I didn't feel I needed any additional information, as I'd already researched my first hip. So I worked with Phil for most of it. I may have seen Dr. Brooks before and after for a total of two minutes. And it's not because he was being insincere or had forgotten his bedside manner. I know him too well to assume anything like that. No, he was that busy. I found out later that he had 8 surgeries that day. Most of them BHR and I think a few knees. I also found that he took a little extra time with mine to make sure things were just right. When I did see him, I only had one question to ask. How did it go? He said, "It was perfect." That's what I've come to expect from Dr. Brooks. Phil told me in over 3000 BHR surgeries he's only had on hip that "fooled him" (that needed a revision). And he hasn't had any complications with patients that follow his protocols.


I should tell you that on my first BHR, 3 years ago, I spent quite a bit of time with Dr. Brooks the day before the surgery and he helped to alleviate any fears I had. At the time he was the 5th Dr. I had considered and talked to for the BHR procedure. I knew by then, that I had the right medical practicioner for the job. His experience and expertise were critical components for what I thought was my last ditch effort to saving my ability to walk without pain or have any hope to play at sports (ever again). It sounds like drama, I know, but let me explain why.


I hadn't been able to play sports for 12 years. That includes running of any kind. Pretty sad as I used to consider myself a bit of an athelete. Or maybe more than just a fan of some sports I liked. LOL. And at the time when all this started, I thought it was just a back issue. I even thought that this this was the kind of pain you just have when you get older.  But, after seeing 5 chiropractors, more than three 6 week physical therapy protocols prescribed by my primary care physician and injections in both back and hip including 200 shots per session of Prolo-Therapy (or some call it PRP) to help stabilize my back and hip connections nothing seemed to work. And I know Prolo-Therapy does work for some tendon ligament issues as it helped my wife and my elbows (tennis and golfers elbow) So, what could I do, now? I was crippled with pain. I could barely walk and after seeing two pain doctors for what they could offer, I knew I couldn't live the rest of my life on Oxycodone or with a TENS unit permanently on my hip and back. I had to pursue surgery.  I had literally explored all other options. I'll summarize the last 6 years. Remember, at the time I did not know the extent of surgery I would need. That was a surprise.


Two back surgeries to clear bone spurs and some nerve pathway irregularities. Still not wanting to fuse. But a third back surgery was needed to fuse L5S1 anyway a year later.  My Sciatic nerve was "smooshed" in my neurosurgeons opinion. That relieved 60% of my pain, but then I pursued the hip issue with a BHR which I have alluded to above. That hip was bone on bone. So when I goth thorough with all that, I thought I had it all fixed. For 2 years pain decreased and activity increased and then almost like before, pain from two different sources hit at the same time. This time it was my left hip and neck. My C6C7 MRI showed degeneration and my left hip showed a greater amount of arthritis than I had seen in years past X-rays. But, this time I didn't wait. My Neuro - Surgeon fused my neck and reported that she found a herniated disc that didn't show up on the MRI. Almost 6 weeks later she cleared me for the BHR that Dr. Brooks just did two weeks ago on my left hip. I somehow managed to get all of this lined up with work and FMLA because I knew I woudn't have any other time to do this. I can report that at this point, I know I did the right thing. I should mention again, that I did the shots in the hip to see if it was hip related and it was.  I also did about a year of traction therapy for my neck which also did not help. Even though I had gone down this road before, I still went through the process of testing every other avenue before electing for surgery. It just so happened that I did need it. Recovery is Hella painful, but like before, I know what the results can be. I just want to be without pain, the kind of pain that takes from your life. I am very hopeful that this one journey of 10 or so years to find the right solutions is almost at an end. I would not wish this on anyone. I hope in years to come , my story as well as the others here, helps someone.


To live with chronic pain is serious compromise of your entire life. Do everything you can to find the source of it and deal with it as soon as you can. My father had a pinched sciatic and endured the awful pain for 10 year s before he felt he had no other choice but fusion. By that time the damage was so bad that he still had foot drop for the last (almost) 10 years of his life. It was unnecessary to live that way. Just because you can bear the pain, doesn't mean you should.