January 31, 2006 – how very strange this universe works…

I am recently back from Belgium with a brand new right hip
(De Smet, Jan.11/06). So far, life “on the other side” (as Alan called
it once!) has been great. Slow and steady, but already feeling
so much better than I was before I went to Ghent.

I have been reading the posts since I have been back with
great interest. For the little age survey, I am 48, and have been
in great pain (in answer to another’s question on a post) for 2
years. I was on a cane for the last 2.5 months before surgery, and
it was difficult to walk any distance even with the aid of that
‘stick’ by the time I left for Belgium. As anyone knows who has talked
with our PT in Ghent (the wonderful MARC), he suggested the use
of the stationary bike as soon as I got home, and then very light
weights (extensions, presses) for the affected leg. When I asked him
about the use of the treadmill, he was hesitant at suggesting
that, and simply reinforced his recommendation about using the bike
instead to start with. I didn’t ask why or why not, but left it alone
from that point as we were in the middle of changing exercises at
the time. Having trained with weights for many years, it will be nice
to get back to the gym again for me, as I was far too sore to do so
the months before surgery.

For the people who are feeling the pain now, but haven’t yet
deteriorated to the point of cane use or total debilitating
pain, please do not wait. For what it’s worth, I reinforce what
others have said here. I was initially told by Dr. De Smet that he
could NOT do a resurfacing on me when he first saw my x-rays. I
persisted, not taking no for an answer (I had counted on it,
so was shocked to hear a “no”) and sent him another set of x-rays.
He then told me that yes, he could do it, but I had to get there
ASAP if I still wanted a resurfacing and not a THR. Here, I reiterate
the post that said that there IS a window of opportunity, and
please do not wait too long and have that ‘window’ shut on you! I
almost did…and as Alan said here…the deterioration does NOT
follow a steady course. It will hit very suddenly sometimes, and can
then drastically deteriorate in a short period of time. Mine did,
as was the case with other hippies that I have spoken with about
this.

Now, the strangeness of this wonderful universe… I hadn’t heard at all of the resurfacing until I started
poking deeply into the researching of the THR. When I first had
started to look into the THR and typed in a search in a search engine,
resurfacing didn’t even show up until page four of the
search results!

However…on my nutty and wacky trip home from Belgium to
Alaska, (a crazy long trip, with missed connections, missed planes,
cancelled flights, etc…I left Brussels on the morning of the 21st,
and didn’t get back to Alaska finally until the morning of the
23rd…a nightmare!), some wonderful conversations just kind of
hopped into my lap. I met many people on that trip home that would ask
about my leg (seeing the crutches) and by the time I got home I felt
like I had become an international ambassador for the resurfacing!!
People were either looking at their own sore hips, or had a family
member, etc. Many asked for my email address for future information
and questions. I directed many of them to this site, actually,
as well as happily giving them my email address.

You see, I heard some horror stories that to me, border on
(or simply ARE) malpractice on the part of the orthopaedic
surgeons that advised these people. If we, as laymen, can find out about
this procedure, I ask why is it that many surgeons, who are privy
to much more information in orthopaedics, seem to be totally
ignorant of this procedure, or at least, seem to ignore the fact that it
exists? I am continuously amazed at the seemingly colossal
ignorance of many of these so-called specialists. I was told by the
first one that I had seen, that I needed a THR but that I’d have to
wait a long time for it because I was too young. Plus, I was in Canada…and the waiting lists are ridiculous for hip
surgery. Period. Then I was more or less dismissed, after he told me
that I had a hip of a 70 year old! This was before I was even
limping, and simply had a feeling like an annoying pull in my groin…and
I know that my x-rays that were taken not even a year later were
shocking to the clinic where I had them done! I refused to stay a
cripple at the young age of 48, waiting for a hip until I was in my
60’s or whenever it was deemed ‘time’. At that point, I didn’t care
that a THR wasn’t supposed to last long. I was going to get it
somewhere (in the USA if I had to) and hope that by the time mine wore
out, the technology for the second one would be better! All this
before I found out about resurfacing…

I digress. Well, just a little. Anyway, as soon as I did get
back to Alaska, lo and behold, I got a phone call from a friend’s
boss, asking if it would be ok that he get his wife to call me! I
don’t know many people here in Alaska yet, so this was quite
amazing to me to get a call out of nowhere from one of the few people I DO
happen to know. When I heard that she needed to talk to me about my
hip. etc. because he had been quite fascinated hearing about my ‘odyssey’, I happily agreed to talk with her. Still playing ‘ambassador’.

I thank you for listening to my tale here…but the main
point that I am trying to make in my long-winded way, is that we do
need to get that word out there. The opportunities for me to do so
simply just kept landing in my lap for whatever reasons! I hadn’t heard
a thing about this resurfacing just a short time ago, and now I have
people asking me about it at every turn. And these have all been
strangers. Now, how wonderful is that?

Thanks for all your support and valuable info. here, as
always.

The crazy Canuck, living in Alaska (for now, at least)…and
yes, where I am it was just -51 a couple of days ago! Not exactly “strolling” weather, but one makes do… BRRRR!!!!!!! Have to have SPIKES on the bottom of the crutches here!

Jan RBHR De Smet 1/11/06