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Image: Vladae swimming in Hawaii
One week from hernia surgery table in California to Swimming in Hawaii
"First, a little background!
"It happened about one year ago when I suddenly noticed a sharp pain in the lower part of the stomach around my leg. The pain was stronger when I walked and would calm down when I rested. I hoped it will go away.
"Well, I went to the doctor and he told me that the ultrasound showed some inflammation. The doctor gave me an anti-inflammatory/ antibiotic treatment and the pain disappeared for a while. But one day I noted a big bulge on my right side. I went to the doctor again that day and was diagnosed with a hernia.
"Being a quite renowned expert in the dog training industry and having a very influential and loyal clientele, they introduced me to one top doctor in a well-known hospital here in Newport Beach.
"It was a 20 minute visit. The doctor offered me mesh. He even told me that he will put a bigger patch in to cover the left side as well, just in case. Can you only imagine? He told me that pain may happen and I also possibly may have the FEELING of mesh in my body. While he said this he was smiling and laughing. I received a $300 bill later. OMG.
"I started my research and learned how many human lives were ruined with surgery that was supposed to be minor. Mesh surgeons will tell you that the risk of a side effect is very low and recovery is fast. Well, according to statistics, long-term complications are hitting now 30% - short term gain (if you are lucky) and long term pain!
"My famous clients - Beverly Hills plastic surgeons - told me that in plastic surgery the unwritten rule is ‘Don’t put anything in if it can’t be safely removed.’ If, God forbid, you will be the one who mesh needs to be removed from, you will be sorry for the day you was born.
"I joined an online hernia talk forum and become senior member and No Mesh advocate!
"In the beginning I was like many of people searching for the best method but soon I realized that it wasn't a good plan. What if that method isn't the best method? "One tool never fits all" so from that time I started my search for doctor, I wanted to travel less, I wanted a doctor who was a hernia-only doctor and would, of course, take my insurance.
Dr. William Brown, sport hernia repair
"This is what I was looking for:
1. An expert in applying multiple methods with principles - LESS is MORE - fix just what is broken.
2. An amazing person /caring beyond your expectations.
3. He loves his work, not money!
4. To understand how crazy, sensitive a person I am. I can’t take any pain, so he needs to go beyond and above meticulous to handle my tissues as he would do, a not hernia, but oculoplastic (eye) surgery.
5. I know myself. That every pain I have will cause panic. Only Dr. Brown could take a client like me. I even could call him on his cell phone or text him.
6. He is a Sports hernia expert. Sport hernia is more difficult to fix then common inguinal hernia.
7. He does no-mesh only!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8. Recovery and strength of repair was, for me, vital. I am self-employed so no working means no making money. Dr. Brown fixes hernias for athletes who need to perform again. Sounds like me.
"Hernia surgery should not make you handicapped for life. I have a lot of health problems already and to add one more – Thank you but No Way! My wife took a two-week vacation and we booked a one way ticket to meet Dr Brown."
"After a one-hour short flight we landed in San Jose, California and rented a car and booked a hotel literally walking distance from the surgery center and a 5 minute driving distance from Dr. Brown’s office. We visited Whole Foods market to get a lot of food/supplements and were ready to meet the doctor the same day.
"We found his office very easily and were surrounded with love and hospitality with his staff and surgery coordinator, Belinda. The doctor came very quickly. He was very energetic, confident and friendly. Here is photo of our first meeting. The map behind represents every country that he had people coming to him for help. He took a very detailed look at both sides and noted that once he opened me up he will see more.
"I had a very simple indirect hernia that for him to fix is as easy as for me to put a Labrador retriever into a sit-stay command.
"We had fun too. I said to him with humor ‘Look doc, unless your other cases you will operate fresh here! No revision surgery. No inflamed tissues No mesh removal so please, no excuses!! Please do it right. God forbid to touch any nerves or cut anything.’
"He laughed and said, ‘YES SIR!’ LOL. I knew I was in the best possible hands. If he can take me, he can take everyone. We were ready for surgery the next day."
"We truly loved the surgical center. It was unlike a big hospital. We felt those people really care! It was very simple - come into the room, undress, and they will move you to the surgery room. It was funny. I still was afraid of any mistakes (knowing our medical system) so I even marked with an arrow the side of my body where to operate. But they did mark it with even bigger letters DO and DON’T on the opposite side. I was thinking that I would not see doctor before surgery, so I texted him a kind reminder - don't take too much out of position of the spermatic cord to prevent any later pain.
"To my big surprise, the doctor came himself into my room and personally put into my blanket a kind of warm air hose to comfort me and we together came to the surgery room. We also decided on using just partial local sedation and not complete sleep. That I believe was much easier on me once he did it.
"I didn't feel anything. The doctor told me that I had both a (hidden) direct and obvious indirect hernia so that was a bit surprising. He changed his original plan a bit. I am sure Dr. Brown can give more details here. He gave me photos and a CD. We recorded the step-by-step surgery.
"To make a long story short, after surgery I didn't feel any pain and was ready to drive home but my wife said NO!! :}}} And we drove to the hotel to start the recovery process."
"Dr. Brown later explained the process:
“The indirect hernia was treated by dissecting the hernia sac back into the retro peritoneal space and then inverting the sac and securing the reduction with a pursestring. The inguinal floor was weak secondary to the chronic indirect hernia. I reconstructed the floor with a limited Bassini. This also had the effect of a ringplasty. The external oblique was imbricated over the floor to provide additional reinforcement.”
"My first mistake I made that night before I went to bed, I didn't take any medication and allowed the surgery numb injection to totally stop its effect. I felt so good before going to bed so I ignored doctor’s orders.
"It was Russian Roulette! So I woke up with pain!!
"My first motion was to get my iPhone and call Dr. Brown for rescue. You believe it or not he already was trying to call me and even texted me to ask about my feeling.... Nice! Dr. Brown very promptly put me back to comfort but truly speaking first 2/3 days will not be your best DAYS in life!
"I was determined get back on my feet to continue perform my dog training service as soon as possible. Being self-employed is tough - no work no income, no paid vacations or sick days ever.
"Every day not working is a loss. I needed to be like a dog and lick my cut and move forward with my life. So from the first hour after surgery I moved forward with my main reserve – my Russian wife!
"She aggressively attacked the pain and inflammation with natural remedies and a Bone Broth/Collagen/Gelatin-boosted diet."
Dog training in Hawaii
"Well at the end of first week I already was 60 percent normal. Yep, it was pain when I move clumsily, but no big deal. It was just a short-term pain and I hoped for a long-term gain.
"I visited Dr. Brown two times the first week and got his attention to every spot on my skin. I think by that time he released me he knew what he got himself in, but everything paid off. I felt stronger every day. So at the end of the week I started to look for trouble!
"I felt very sorry for my wife who worked so hard to help me and we never went on vacation since we immigrated to the USA for 25 years!!! So I asked Dr. Brown, ‘Can we fly to Hawaii?’ He said Go for it! And we booked the tickets."
"It didn’t start well.
"Here is my second mistake that happened! I underestimated my strength and fast walked with rolling luggage from one terminal to another. We were late and missed the plane anyway, but that evening I started to feel like electric pulses inside the cut. Thank God, next day it was over.
"I even called Dr. Brown and I asked if I could have ripped the stitches. He said no way. I put in durability for athletes. He even told me about one person who fell at home from the stairs but his repair held on.
"Basically he nicely told me, ‘No worries, just shut up. Take your poor wife to the Hawaiian Beach.’ I took the doctor’s orders! Five hours later I was swimming and even trained dogs in Hawaii. My work is never done!
"Thank you Dr. Brown!"
Vladae Roytapel The Russian Dog Wizard, Vladae has been seen on CNN, CBS and countless morning shows on ABC, NBC & FOX stations across the USA
Check out his website: https://www.socaldogtraining.com
Dr. William Brown - Sports Hernia Specialist
https://www.sportshernia.com/sports-hernia-specialist/
Bill Brown, M.D.
510 793 2404 Office
650 703 9694 Cell
William Brown, drbrown@hernia-surgeon.com
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