May 12, 2005
This is a note of profound gratitude to Dr.
Huddleston for helping me back to the active lifestyle I had
enjoyed my entire life until about ten years ago when I first
noticed ’tightness’ in my left hip. This ‘tightness’
progressively grew worse until I was in constant pain and
walked with a very noticeable limp. It was hard getting up
from a chair. I couldn’t go up steps two at a time.
I had to be very careful because my hip felt like it would
give out sometimes. I have been a practicing Chiropractor
for twenty-two years and I was fully aware of my need for
a total hip replacement. I was also fully aware of the intricacies
involved in, not only the installation of the prosthesis,
but the care needed to insure perfect alignment of my pelvis
once the hardware was installed.
After my consultation with Dr. Huddleston, I
was totally confident that I had found the “One”
that I could entrust this job to. My confidence was well founded
as what transpired following my surgery of April 5, 2005 was
totally and unbelievably astounding. Within a few hours post-surgery
I felt alert and the pain I had been living with for years
was gone! Yes, I had discomfort from the incision but it was
‘minor’ compared to what I had been used to. By
the next morning I was anxious to stand up and walk to try
out my new ‘hardware’. The therapist eventually
came to my room and instructed me on how to stand, sit and
do various movements. I just wanted to WALK!!! With the aid
of my walker I stood and started walking. It was like in the
movie Forrest Gump…I started walking…out of my
room, down the hall….around the corner…down the
next hall….all the way around the hospital floor. It
was easy…I felt I was ready to walk all the way home…it
felt so good! I wanted to go home for I could see no reason
to stay in the hospital! Dr. Huddleston and I had a long discussion
about discharging me and my begging finally paid off. He reluctantly
discharged me from the hospital thirty hours post-surgery!!!
I returned to his office two days after being
discharged from the hospital. I walked in carrying a cane
but Dr. Huddleston could see I didn’t even need it.
Unbelievably, I could now walk without any aid, …no
walker, no cane, no crutches….just the two legs God
gave me! Four days post surgery I walked around the block
at home. The next day I walked a mile. A week post surgery
I walked three miles. I continued to walk at least one to
two miles every day or two. Earlier this week, now five weeks
post-surgery, I walked three miles on a fire road in a hilly
area off of Laurel Canyon. It felt great! I feel great and
the best thing is that I feel better everyday!
My rapid progress and recovery is a testimony
to Dr. Huddleston’s expertise and vast experience in
total hip replacement surgery. I couldn’t be happier
and I thank Dr. Huddleston from the bottom of my heart!
August 20, 2002
Dear Dr. Huddleston,
Every year I think of you at least a hundred
times. I could jump for joy and I actually can jump!
I can run, too, and I have had to –for the bus –missing
one can mean an hour wait for the next one.
In June of 1999 you performed knee replacement
surgery on my left knee. In October of 1999 you performed
knee replacement surgery on my right knee, which also needed
it. On the following Memorial Day weekend 2000, I hiked down
a steep ravine (to go fishing) and up again without any assistance.
The ravine was so steep, the cars above on the highway, looked
like toy model cars.
In 1999, when I came into your office, I was
practically a wheelchair case. At that time, more and more
it was necessary for me to use a wheelchair to go any distance.
I could walk only a very short distance and not without pain.
My knees had been noticeably deteriorating since 1989. You
were very highly recommended to me, but in spite of that,
I thought that my appointment with you would only accomplish
a prescription from you for an electric wheelchair. I was
that uninformed.
I was in pain all the time, even lying in bed,
and I was becoming more and more depressed as I love the great
outdoors and I don’t like to just sit and watch others
do things. The last straw was when I went to Las Vegas, rented
a manual wheelchair and flew (without wings) onto busy Las
Vegas Blvd – a real car stopper! This happened because
of a steep corner incline and I couldn’t find the brake
on the wheelchair. For the rest of my trip, I stayed in my
motel room watching TV and brooding.
Shortly thereafter, I learned of you, and hobbled
into your offices and you gave me a choice – confinement
to a wheelchair for the rest of my life or knee replacement
surgery. You joked and told me that after surgery I would
be able to climb a mountain –well, I almost can!
I thank every person and incident that led me to you and the
option of new knees, but most of all I thank you for giving
me back an active, painless life and also for giving me my
independence back..
