Lineman's Life gets Re-Energized
James M. loved working as a lineman for the county electric company. The job required hopping out of helicopters, running up and down hills, and climbing poles – many times in the wind and the rain. “It was an exciting thing to do. I was up on adrenaline at work.”
According to his coworkers, he wasn’t looking very well toward the end of his career, but James didn’t notice anything. He credits the endorphins and adrenaline rush that came with the job for masking the osteoarthritis problem in his hips. Within four weeks of retiring, however, he couldn’t even function. “I couldn’t get out of the car. I had to hold on to the rail to get up the stairs one step at a time.” Within a couple months, he was actually looking for a motorized wheelchair. “I can’t explain to you how miserable it was not to take steps without pain.”
Apparently, John had osteoarthritis for a couple years, but hadn’t fully realized it. Once the pain became unbearable, he knew a hip replacement was an option, but says, “I couldn’t have worked with a replacement because you’ve got to change your behavior. I like to climb and run around with the grandkids and be a kid myself. I knew I couldn’t change.”
He heard about resurfacing on TV, did some internet research, and learned about the BIRMINGHAM HIP™ Resurfacing procedure. James was actually prepared to fly to England for the procedure, but was pleased to discover there was a qualified surgeon near his home in California, who was also part of his insurance network.
James had both of his hips resurfaced in April and August 2007, when he was 62 and 63. About a month after the first hip, he was working in the yard and re-roofing his garage. After the second hip, he remembers, “At six weeks I could have done anything I wanted to do.”
Now James walks 4-5 miles a day, pain-free. He can climb ladders and run up and down stairs. “There’s nothing I can think of physically that I can’t do. I play basketball. I can run around with my grandkids and push the babies around in a stroller. It’s a whole new life.”
He hasn’t gone back to climbing poles, because he’s retired. “But one of these days I’m going to put the tools on and do it, just to see if I can!” Admittedly, John says with a laugh, “I’m just a little bit wild. I enjoy working at the envelope's edge.”
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