After the second surgery I was able to enjoy a normal, active childhood.  Growing up I was extremely active in sports and played year round, often playing on more than one sport team at a time.  I was even selected the male “Athlete of the Year” my senior year in high school, and I played some baseball in to my college years.  In my twenties I continued to participate in recreational sports, at one time playing on a combination of five different baseball, softball and basketball teams, and I played a fair amount of recreational tennis.

Much of this activity came to halt in my early thirties, partly due to work and family obligations, but more so due to the pain I began to experience in my hip.  X-rays showed that my femur was only partially covered by the socket, which was resulting in premature wear of the cartilage.  Since the pain was manageable and I was considered too young for a THR, I was forced to significantly reduce my activity.  I did see another surgeon who had been performing a procedure that would cut and slide the pelvis over for better coverage of the femur, but I decided against that option.

During my late thirties and early forties, my activity level progressively decreased while my pain level progressively increased.  At age 46, I got to the point where many of us get, dreading a trip to the mall or any other activity that required more than a short walk.  I also had developed a significant hitch in my gait.  It became obvious to me that it was time to do something about it. 

After asking around and doing some research, I located a local surgeon who specialized in hips and was considered one of the more talented surgeons in the area.  X-rays showed I was now bone on bone, and a CT scan indicated severe arthritis with large bone spurs.  Due to my earlier surgery which had intentionally resulted in a “bent” femur, the doctor indicated I would need a THR along with a femoral osteotomy in order to straighten the femur.  Post-op I would be on crutches (zero weight bearing on operated leg) for a minimum of six weeks.  When I asked if there were any other options to consider, the response was a flat “no.”  I scheduled the surgery for approximately two months later.

Then, by twist of fate, I met Vicky Marlow.  I had recently taken a new job and my new employer was in need of help with their corporate insurance.  I selected three brokers to interview, one of whom was Vicky’s employer (believe it or not, she does have a “day job”).  I met with one of her colleagues.  As he was leaving and I walked him to the door, he asked me about my limp.  I told him about my hip and that I was scheduled for a THR.  He said he hoped to gain our business and wished me luck with my surgery.  Later that day, I received an e-mail from him introducing me to Vicky.  He indicated she was a “patient advocate” for hip resurfacing, and she was willing to help if I was interested.  I wasn’t sure exactly what it was that she did, but I responded and told her I would like to speak with her.

Naturally, Vicky strongly recommended that I pursue a resurfacing.  She offered to help convert my x-rays to digital format and send them to several of the top resurfacing surgeons.  She stressed that my case was complicated by my congenital deformities and earlier surgeries, and that I needed to consider the top surgeons, even if that meant travelling out of the country.  She converted my x-rays for me and sent them off.

The first two responses we received were disappointing.  Both doctors thought I was not a good candidate for resurfacing because it would not correct my bent femur or abnormal rotation.  The first positive response we received was from Dr. Su in NY.  He thought I was potentially a good candidate (due to my age and general good health), and he called me to discuss my anatomy, how I walked, if I had ROM limitations, etc.  He said if I was willing to live with my current ROM limitations (the same I had lived with all my active life), he thought there was a good chance (about 80%) he could do a successful resurface.

I contacted my local surgeon and told him I was considering a resurface.  He told me that resurfacing was not a good option for the typical (mostly false) reasons, primarily a higher failure rate and the unknown affect of metal ions, and also indicated it would not correct my abnormal anatomy.  I was upset that he did not even suggest resurfacing as an option, but I tried not to let that affect my decision.  I ultimately decided to pursue a resurfacing, primarily due to the bone preserving nature of the procedure and my desire to avoid a THR revision in my lifetime.  There were also several other potential benefits, including a quicker and easier recovery and fewer post-op activity limitations.

As I write this, I am less than three weeks post-op.  I have virtually no pain and am walking up to a mile with no aid (no crutches or cane).  In short, my recovery has gone even better than I could have hoped.  I am looking forward to going on long walks with my wife, keeping my promise to our five year-old to take him to Disneyland after my hip was “fixed,” and resuming some of my long lost activities.

I can only reiterate the things others have said about Dr. Su and his staff. He is obviously a very talented surgeon, and he has the courage and foresight to take on the difficult cases others may not. And had I not had the good fortune to meet Vicky, I would likely still be struggling now to recover from a THR/osteotomy, living with the typical THR restrictions, and looking at the high probability of a future THR revision.  I thank them both and my lucky stars, and vow to pay it forward the best I can.

Vince F
LBHR, Dr. Su, 1/30/2009

Update January 3. 2010

"My hip is doing great.  I couldn't be happier with it.  Zero pain, just trying to continue to build up my leg strength.  Went skiing for the first time in about six years between the Holidays.  I'm not the best skier, but I survived a couple crashes without a hitch.

Vince"