Arky from India

“Hello to all my bp'ing brothers & sisters from Chennai, India. 1 hip down & 1 to go. I had my right hip surgery on 2/24/05 & I get to leave the hospital today. 1 week at a beachside resort then I get to come home. I have a 12" zipper that starts on my leg & ends on my butt cheek. The Dr. says my return to bp'ing will not be problem.
The place & people are amazing but i don't plan on moving here any time soon.

Dayhiker, I haven't met any graduates from Alabama but I did meet 1 that graduated from Arkansas & 1 from Texas A&M.”

“Geeze Arky..are you really in India for hip surgery?”

“Yep. I'm having a new type of hip replacement that is more like having a tooth capped rather than it being pulled & having a bridge made. If that makes any sense. After 6 weeks I should have NO restrictions. With a total hip replacement my bp'ing days would have been over.
It's about 90 over here every day & humid. Just like a good ole southern summer.”

“Is your new hip titanium or something better..I am a nurse ..you may not or even know ..but I have an interest in why you would go so far to have a new hip..I'm glad you are doing well btw..”

“The part that goes in my bone is titanium but the wear surfaces are cobalt-chrome. Titanium is strong but doesn't wear well.

This procedure is done all over the world except the good ole USA. Actually it is in clinical trials in the US but most insurance companies won't cover the cost which is large. My wife & I are able to fly over here, have my surgery, stay 1 week at a resort at 25% of the cost of just the procedure alone in the US. Plus my Dr. is considered 1 of the best in the world at this procedure. They say it is very technical. Thanks for the well wishes.”

“Many,many happy,painfree trail days to you Arky.. :)”

“Sweet deal Arky, I hope everything's flawless!”

“Hi Arky !!

Sounds like things are working out for you...hang in there !”

“Yo, Arky, crazee, man!

Wishing you the best!”

“Good for you for seeking out the best for yourself. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Too bad you can't get some Himalayan trekking in while you're there. Do you go back for a check up?”

“Sounds like a good deal Arky; you really did your research! Enjoy the recoup on the beach.”

“Do yourself a favour, go down town and get a cup of Chai, none of this hippy panzy stuff you'd get in your local trendy cafe, the real deal from a tea wallah.
Arrhhh bliss.
I mean as soon as your able, dont start crawling down there all covered in bandages and stuff, give yourself a chance to heal and all that first.”

“Maybe Arky should be called Hippy.”

“take medical business overseas. Arky, your one of the reasons that workers in the USA are suffering...wait till the other rednecks hear about this.

Always smilin at ya and thinkin happy thoughts...Hurry home and watch out for terrorists.”

“Glad you're well Arky. I've been thinking of you. I wanted to start on thread on this on the 24th when you had the surgery, but didn't know if any of this was for public consumption.

You're going to just have to look for the Bama grads. They're there. I know, I had most of my classes with them.”

“Ha Ha

We have a college here in Huntsville, AL called "Alabama A&M". It has lots of foreign students. When you ask them whey they picked that school, they say "well, I looked in the catalog and it was the first one!"”

“I am back! I hope my butt doesn't see another plane seat for a very long time. I should now be the only bionic bp'er on this site. It was fun setting off all the alarms at the airports.
Gemini, I thought of you while I was at the resort. There were lots of Germans there. Very nice girls although my wife kept me from getting a date.
Very nice people these Indians. I watched a few Cricket matches with my attendant. It was interesting but I still don't understand the game.
Dayhiker, I'm sure there were some Bama grads there but they were probably too embarassed to admit it.”

“Arky - the whole idea of cricket is to sit in the sun all day drinking beer.”

“Arky - glad you're back. I emailed you yesterday but it bounced. How does your hip feel? We'll have you out at Sipsey in no time.”

“Hip feels fine although my butt is very sore (have all the fun you want with that statement). Maybe Stikmon will come & rub it for me.”

“Sounds like we can start the Footballapalooza trip planning. Yeah!!!”

“thats what canoeing is all about...welcome back...there is a float trip planned for April 7-10. I have a second boat, if your interested...buffalo river is the target.”

“That may be a tad early for me Stikmon but thanks for the invite. Let me know about the next one because I am ready for a float trip.”

“Did anyone happen to catch 60 Minutes last night? There was a segment on people going to India & Thailand for surgery due to the low cost. Dr. Bose (my surgeon) was on the show but I missed it.”

“I didn't see it.

Are you still progressing?

Footballapalooza V has your name on it.”

“I'm slowly but surely losing the penguin walk. Swam & biked yesterday. I'll be ready by fall.”

“I saw it and thought about you and what you said about your surgery. Total cost in India was $5200 and in the U.S. when it becomes available will be $28,000 to 38,000. The doctor said the surgery had no limits unlike traditional hip replacement that is done now.”

“Is it true they use curry powder for an antiseptic?”

“...or chili powder?”

“Ouch!

I can hear the doctor now....


"Uhm Mister Arky, this may steeng just a leetle beet....


I am going to put some 80,000 heet unit pepper on this to steerlize eet."”

“Only two negative points they made were about contracting illness from the water and if something went wrong with the surgery about filing a lawsuit in an Indian court.

The woman on the program was very pleased with the results of her surgery and the quality of care she received. She said the nursing staff was plentiful and prompt because of it. That's something that needs improvement here in the U.S. It's not anything against the nurses, it's just that there isn't enough of them.”

“The staff was incredible. Almost to the point of being annoying. After awhile I just wanted to be left alone to watch tv or something.
Did not even use tap water to brush my teeth. Only to bath with a 1 liter bottle of water was only like a quarter.

Chili, whatever they put in the food I couldn't stand it. Thank goodness they had normal food at the resort.”

“Rat meat sucks, doesn't it?”

“I don't know. I probably would have gladly eaten rat meat. They mostly served vegetarian meals. You know me, I little bbq sauce maybe a few jalapeno peppers & rat might be tasty.
Hell, Bama fed us bear one time.”

“Rats are just squirrels without a bushy tail.”

“Sewer Rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know because I wouldn't eat the filthy mutha#&%!$a

---Jules”