Traveling for Hip Resurfacing During COVID

[MLandDave]

Hello all,

I'm posting for my wife who now has a confirmed booking for ReCerf surgery in late February '21 with Dr. De Smet in Belgium.  I'm going along to carry bags and play nursemaid!  We applied for and received special approval for travel from the Belgian Consulate here in Canada.  So it IS possible to leave the country for medical procedures but it has to be in the "urgent" category, not "elective" as hip surgery would normally be classified.  In my wife's case, Dr. De Smet evaluated her scans and stated that if surgery wasn't performed soon, resurfacing might not be an option due to further OA deterioration in the joint.  All the COVID testing we have to do before flying there and before flying home, not to mention having to wear masks the whole time, sure adds a lot of complication.  But it will be worth it to have my best friend back to normal again.  Anyway, the air travel anti-COVID measures are so strict that it's probably safer than staying home!

This forum was recommended to us by a woman we met on a hike in the Rockies.  She had researched hip replacement options and ended up having both sides done with Conserve Plus by Dr. De Smet.  She's now a very active 77-yr-old and reports that she never even thinks about her hip joints.  She has nothing but praise for the forum, the procedure, and of course the surgeon!

Incidentally, we both want to thank Pat Walter and everyone who has posted on this forum, for all the great information and advice.  This is what finally convinced us to go for resurfacing versus conventional replacement surgery, which in any case would have involved a wait of two years in our public health care system (although we wouldn't have to pay anything - unless you count the cost of 2 more years of pain, inactivity and drugs!).

[Pat Walter]

I wish you and your wife the very best for your upcoming trip to Belgium. I am sure everything will turn out fine. I looked forward to my trip to Dr. De Smet back in 2006. I was a little nervous, but had talked with so many of his previous patients thru the forums, that I almost felt like I already knew him. He was also great to answer any question I had by email. My BHR will be 14 years old in two months. No problems at all with it at any time.
I look forward to reading about your surgery and your recovery. There are already many happy ReCerf patients.
Keep us updated!
Pat

[Hipmom]

May I ask how long it took to get your visa to travel from Canada? 

[MLandDave]

We don't need a visa to travel to the E.U. as far as we know.  Those countries accept Canadian passports.  What you do need is permission from the Belgian Consulate in Montreal because at the moment Canadians aren't allowed to travel to most E.U. countries unless they get a travel exemption.  In our case we fall under the category of urgent medical need.  Dr. De Smet provided a "Medical Attestation / Certificate" stating that the surgery was urgent.  If you don't have this, you should contact him immediately and request it.