Testimonial 2 years postop

January 20, 2004

Hey Dru!

Sorry I didn't get this earlier, but I was off at a martial arts seminar

getting lobbed base over apex for 3 days solid (and very cheerfully

returning the favor). Sounds like you've been busy: I sure hope I can be

moving like you when, er, uh, I'm my age. >

I had a head over heels bike crash too, landing on concrete and on my BHR

side. Aside from inducing apoplexy in some bystanders and bruising my butt

I was just fine. All that falling I do does work, which is nice to know

after all these years...

From my most recent check up: The implant is right where it belongs, my

chromium levels are just a tiny bit on the high side of normal and my bone

density is improving around everything we can see near the implant. Pops,

clunks and thunks have subsided although I can cause them at will by

over-stretching. If I lift things that are too heavy I can get slippage

(the odd feeling t=that something just slides, which I guess is caused by

soft tissue moving). I ought to write up a " how to " on ways to make the

implant act up (Lift really something heavy and walk around with it, if you

can get the fluid out of the joint you can get a case of the squeaks and

impress your friends, e.g.)

Here are some stats I figured out since the 4 month post-op mark

swimming: 260 miles

running (elliptical trainer): 1,250 miles

walking: 1,250 miles

biking:3,000 miles

rolls & falls: 50,000 (at least -- about 500 a week)

leg lifts/kicks:25,000 (chest - head level)

I have weekly walking and jogging goals. The walking is just plain walking

and I believe that it is the best thing you can do, since not merely does

it tone a lot of things, it gives low, steady impact to speed bone growth.

I've also been on a stretching kick these last couple of months and can

touch my operated-side knee to my forehead. I could *never* do that pre-op

at any time, due to dysplasia. I was cruising towards the splits, but my

ginky knee started complaining so I stopped that. If I can figure out how

to keep the knee out of it, I'll probably work up to them just to say I

told you so.

The best part of it though I've saved for last: My kids now think I'm

superman! Pre-op I was in a sorry state and realized that they never had

seen me in any other condition. Now I chase them, rassle them and play

portable jungle gym. That's worth the price of the implant and then some.

Yip, yip, yip. I'm a happy camper.

Cheers,

Jeff

rBHR Aug. 1, 2001

Mr. McMinn

=============

" As labor strengthens the body, difficulties strengthen the mind. "

-- Roman proverb

>I am back again for a rare appearence. No. 309 on the surface hippy

>members. Right BHR DeSmet Jan 15, 2001. Obsessive compulsive

>triathlete, family physician from southern Missouri. Wish to address

>a few recent comments...like " does it work? " , " high impact " ,

>longevity of procedure, and where this country is at...so far. Since

>four months post op have, and continue to train and compete. Have

>logged 600+ miles swimming, 13,500+ miles cycling, and 2700+ miles of

>running. Only restrictions have been the evolving arthritis in the

>Left hip. I will still go the limit of discomfort before returning

>to Belgium for the same procedure. Currently taking anti-

>inflammatory med once every couple of weeks. At 51 I have no worries

>about what metal ions could, theoretically, do to me in 30 years or

>so. I have already had a bike crash...landing on the resurfaced hip

>at 20+ miles/hr (no it was not an intended trial, and not proud of my

>lack of coordination) and there was absolutely no compromise of the

>hip, the articulating surfaces, or loosening of anything. As best as

>I can interpret, 2006 will be the next expanded use of hip

>resurfacing in this country. I suspect, it will be standard of care

>about 3 years later...at which time all the ortho doubters will have

>jumped on the band wagon and admit it's a " reasonable " option for a

>younger active person. In the meantime they are claiming

>the " latest " advances are ceramic on ceramic and " micro " surgery.

>Give me a break! On the latter, the claim is the smaller incision

>leads to less postop pain (How many of you complain of the pain in

>your 9 inch scar? I thought so!) and faster recovery. (Again, I was

>on two canes driving my standard transmission rental car and walking

>a couple miles in Brugge, Belgium postop day 3. No canes at two

>weeks. People in this country would have similar results, but the

>American Ortho surgeons doing the procedure are still ultra

>conservative, regarding recovery activities. No doubt, the way to go

>and I continue to be amazed at hesitation to do BHR, once one has

>even a moderate amount of information. Hope this helps the preop

>folks, and confirms to the rest of those post op, you made the best

>decision: Dru

>

January 23, 2004

I AM SO GLAD THAT I SAW THIS EMAIL between you two!! I am an

emergency medicine physician in Vancouover Washington who is

scheduled to have the Concerve Plus resurfacing here in March. I too

am very active and was working out incessantly, running, biking,

weight training for a number of years until limited by my

degenerative hip arthritis. I am so tired of not being myself

athletically and now to the point of limping just to walk that I

have thrown in the towel. I have been encouraaged by what I have

read in terms of activity levels in resurfaced patients but my OS Dr

Sparling is talking conservatively as well. He wants me on crutches

for six weeks with partial weight bearing and he winces at the

thought of backpacking with an 80 pound pack. He also is concerned

with me falling while snowboarding. I don't want to stop doing these

things.

Is the Conserve plus device the same as the BHR and is the surgical

procedure any different? He does use the posterolateral approach in

Vancouver. PLEASE respond.........nervous and yet expectant of great

results

Todd Eggen

> >I am back again for a rare appearence. No. 309 on the surface

hippy

> >members. Right BHR DeSmet Jan 15, 2001. Obsessive compulsive

> >triathlete, family physician from southern Missouri. Wish to

address

> >a few recent comments...like " does it work? " , " high impact " ,

> >longevity of procedure, and where this country is at...so far.

Since

> >four months post op have, and continue to train and compete.

Have

> >logged 600+ miles swimming, 13,500+ miles cycling, and 2700+

miles of

> >running. Only restrictions have been the evolving arthritis in

the

> >Left hip. I will still go the limit of discomfort before

returning

> >to Belgium for the same procedure. Currently taking anti-

> >inflammatory med once every couple of weeks. At 51 I have no

worries

> >about what metal ions could, theoretically, do to me in 30 years

or

> >so. I have already had a bike crash...landing on the resurfaced

hip

> >at 20+ miles/hr (no it was not an intended trial, and not proud

of my

> >lack of coordination) and there was absolutely no compromise of

the

> >hip, the articulating surfaces, or loosening of anything. As

best as

> >I can interpret, 2006 will be the next expanded use of hip

> >resurfacing in this country. I suspect, it will be standard of

care

> >about 3 years later...at which time all the ortho doubters will

have

> >jumped on the band wagon and admit it's a " reasonable " option for

a

> >younger active person. In the meantime they are claiming

> >the " latest " advances are ceramic on ceramic and " micro " surgery.

> >Give me a break! On the latter, the claim is the smaller incision

> >leads to less postop pain (How many of you complain of the pain

in

> >your 9 inch scar? I thought so!) and faster recovery. (Again, I

was

> >on two canes driving my standard transmission rental car and

walking

> >a couple miles in Brugge, Belgium postop day 3. No canes at two

> >weeks. People in this country would have similar results, but

the

> >American Ortho surgeons doing the procedure are still ultra

> >conservative, regarding recovery activities. No doubt, the way

to go

> >and I continue to be amazed at hesitation to do BHR, once one has

> >even a moderate amount of information. Hope this helps the preop

> >folks, and confirms to the rest of those post op, you made the

best

> >decision: Dru

> >

January 23, 2004

Todd - send me an e-mail at davidcamp@... and let me know your local

phone number - I too live in vancouver, WA and scheduled with Sparling on Feb

20th - would like to chat with you.

Camp

Re: Testimonial 2 years postop