Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2020

KH . ORG 9 By Andrea Nagel For as far back as he can remember, John Hatcher recalls spending his spare time outside. As a kid he rode BMX bikes, skied and played soccer. As an adult he picked up snowboarding, wakeboarding and wake surfing. John has built his life and career around the activities he loves so much. But the Sandpoint resident and co-owner of EzyDog, a company that sells gear and accessories for active dogs and their owners, was sidelined from his favorite activities early last year due to increasing hip pain. “I started noticing the pain back in 2016 after waterskiing,” John explained. “It just felt really tight, not painful at first, but it progressed quickly.” For about eight months, John worked with his physical therapist to increase mobility, but the pain steadily increased instead of going away. That’s when he decided to see an orthopedic surgeon. “I met with a surgeon, and he gave me two options—we could do a total hip replacement or just go in and clean things up a bit,” John said. “I wanted to try and extend getting a hip replacement a few years if possible. But following my procedure, I didn’t experience the benefit I was expecting. I was in pain 24/7, walking with a limp and had given up on many of my favorite activities. To be honest, I began feeling pretty depressed because I couldn’t do what I wanted.” Sandpoint resident and outdoor sports enthusiast John Hatcher recently underwent a total hip replacement after experiencing severe hip pain for many years. TO AN ACTIVE LIFE GettingBack Although he had a positive experience with his surgeon, John decided to seek a second opinion to explore other options. He scheduled an appointment with Joseph Bowen, M.D., at Kootenai Clinic Orthopedics. “I was so impressed during my appointment with Dr. Bowen,” John said. “He really took time getting to know me, my activity level and my goals. After talking with him during that first visit, I didn’t think twice about moving forward with a hip replacement.” Smoothsailing John’s hip replacement was Oct. 23, 2019. After a one-night stay at Kootenai Health, he was able to return home to be back with his wife and their two dogs and begin the rehabilitation process. “John underwent a total hip replacement, which resurfaces the ball and socket of the hip,” Dr. Bowen explained. “The surgery was performed as planned without any complication. As with John, most patients are up and walking on the same day as their surgery—and begin physical therapy the following day. We’re always excited to see patients do well following surgery.” “I’m not back to 100 percent yet, but I love my physical therapist and can feel where we’re going—the acute pain is completely gone,” John said. “I’m able to do something every day. I had been in pain for so long, I honestly can’t remember back to a time when I could move like I can now. Each step of my experience has been positive and felt personal. I’m excited to get back out on the mountain and out on the water again.”