by Robert M. Traxler

I recently returned home from a second hip replacement surgery at Metro Hospital. Many years of insanely long distance running, 19 marathons and other distance races, and after decades of the normal wear and tear one puts their joints through performing military service took its toll.

I do not regret one mile or one parachute jump or one bump or bruise. The good news is Dr. Kevin Howard, the Orthopedic Surgeon, and Nurse Practitioner Robin Smith and the entire team who performed both replacements did an outstanding job and total recovery from what is considered major surgery took weeks, not months.

The second hip replacement was an easy decision to make, much easier than the first. After putting the first operation off for almost five years and enduring the pain and lack of mobility, it was finally just too much to endure. The operation lasted two and a half hours and required a hospital stay of two and a half days. At two and a half weeks I was back to pre-operation levels of movement and three weeks after that 150% of pre-operation mobility. Sounds incredible but it is true.

It must be noted that Dr. Howard and his team of medical miracle workers use the Anterior Method of total hip replacement and the latest most up to date aspects of that tried and tested procedure. Other doctors use other procedures and you may encounter a shorter time in the operating room but a longer recovery time with many restrictions.

The five years of pain and discomfort and the life style changes hip pain forced are on me, and no one else. I postponed the inevitable out of ignorance and fear; cost was not a factor as I am a retired military type with supplemental insurance; the out of pocket costs were few very few dollars. The awful truth is I plain just did not understand how bad it was. The loss of mobility was gradual over many years and we can adapt our lifestyles to compensate for the pain.

The moral of the story is if you have joint pain or are concerned for someone else with joint pain go see a specialist. The advances in the longevity of the prosthetics and the advances in surgical procedures make joint replacement much easier, longer lasting and the recovery far less difficult. Please do not misunderstand — joint replacement surgery is major surgery with the risks, pain and therapy it involves. The choice must be made with your home care givers involved and only after considerable thought and careful planning.

The only regret I have with both surgeries is I did not do it two to five years earlier.

After the fog in my mind cleared after the operation I had to chuckle to myself. I was remembering the debate during the Affordable Care Act, when the advocates for a government-controlled health care referred to our health care system a third-world system. My mind went back to medical facilities I encountered in Central America, Asia and other truly third-world locations.

We need to thank all things holy that we have free speech that we have a bill of rights and people are free to say asinine things, like saying that our incredible system staffed by consummate medical professionals is comparable to third-world health delivery systems. The “hate all things our nation stands for” people have the right to say very unenlightened things, but we don’t need to believe them.

My father was the administrator at the South Haven Hospital for decades, my mother an RN & Army Nurse in World War II, my sister an RN & a professor of nursing at Calvin College, so I know quality care when I receive it.

A heart-felt thanks to all the wonderful folks who work in the Metro Hospital health delivery system.