Jeri Springstead Bilateral 12/07 & 5/09 Dr. Koen De Smet
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Hello fellow hipsters, Still the same superb post-op care, with water therapy and great land therapy and attentive wound care. Smiling faces in the restaurant and at the reception desk. Nurses Bart and Carine were great. You have to love a nurse (Carine) who says viola! when taking off a bandage! The return journey (four airports and 2 train stations before arriving in Madison, WI) was uneventful. I never took a wheelchair, instead walking to keep the blood flowing. Wheelchairs were available, but we had time to kill. Back at home, 17 days out from surgery, I'm puttering around in the garden, drove about 2 miles yesterday and plan to play with the grandkids this afternoon. I will return to teaching high school in a week. I have to believe that due to Dr. DeSmet's skills, knowledge and expertise that my recovery is so quick. It's darn impressive. Why am I telling you all this? Because selection of your doctor and confidence in your doctor are of prime importance! This site has been superb at getting out the details and allowing the prospective patient to make informed decisions. Keep reading here and asking questions. Then make good decisions. My costs for the stay in Belgium, which I have submitted to my insurance company (and pre-authorized) were $17,501.00. (This is about $400 less than my first surgery in 2007, on my right hip, due to the exchange rate). Airplane tickets, an overnight in Brussles on the way there and of course, my husband's expenses are not included and will be paid out of pocket. In a nutshell: be proactive with your hip care! Send your x-rays out to various doctors, get a couple of opinions, make sure the doctor you choose has plenty of experience. Talk to his/her previous patients and see how long they needed pain meds, what restrictions the doctor has put on post-surgical activities and what kind of follow-up therapy there is. (If there is no water therapy, get a new doc, just my opinion.) And just because a doctor is located near you is no reason to chose that person. Keep asking questions, visit web sites and stay informed. (One other hint, because we are so focused on the surgery and pre and post operative care it is easy to lose site of the non-medical aspects of the stay. Be sure to ask what is included in your room charge, meals and other modes of transportation.) Remember, get the best health care you can! I think I did. Kudos to Dr. DeSmet. Feel free to contact me w/any questions. Sincerely and thanks for all the info, Jeri Dr DeSmet Right hip, 12/07 Left hip, 5/09 |