[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]By Ed Murphy
Our guest speaker at our regular lunch meeting on February 26th was Phil Chizum, who spoke about his travel to Germany for back surgery. Phil said he hurt his back in a surfing accident in Hawaii, then hurt it again in an accident in the store. After the store accident, he was laid up for 3 months. For the next seven years, he said he experienced frequent and intense back spasms, with extreme pain extending down his legs. He said it felt like someone sticking a knife in his legs. Sometimes the pain went to his feet, which he said felt like they were on fire. He said he was in constant pain, and at his wit’s end. He tried different doctors, but they basically said there was not much they could do, and prescribed medications. Then, as he was researching options in 2007, he came across a procedure done in Germany which involved inserting new vertebrae into the spine. He applied, was accepted, and 3 weeks later was in at the hospital, just outside of Bremen, Germany.
Phil said the whole set up was very different than in the U.S. There was one fee, $32,000, that covered everything except airfare. That is, it covered not just the surgery, but the physical therapist, the massage therapist, the hotel, meals…everything. He said they do not use a general anesthetic. Instead, they gave him an epidermal. He was awake the whole time. The surgery involved inserting two new discs into his vertebrae. (The disc was developed by an American company, but it was not approved for use yet in the U.S. He said that, just last year, doctors started using the discs here, but even then, they are only allowed to insert one disc). Phil explained that the nurses speak English, the service is great, the hotel was a 5-star hotel, with 5 different steam rooms. The P.T. and Massage Therapist came to the hotel room every day. And by day 12, he was walking around town. After 4 weeks, he was back to work part-time, then a few weeks later, full time. Within 4 months after the surgery, he was playing golf.
Phil said that the only thing they made him sign was an agreement not to sue in a U.S. court. And he had to pay one-half the cost up-front. His insurance company, which had approved an $86,000 back operation here, would not help at all with the $32,000 operation in Germany. He said it was an extraordinary experience, and of course, the best thing is that the back pain is gone. He reflected on how far behind medical practices in the United States seem in comparison. He said that each year, 150,000 people leave the U.S. to get medical treatment in another country. His story was featured in the Oregonian. You can read the article at http://www.ispine.org/forum/ispine/474-adr-article-orgenonian-print.html
Phil is a long time resident of Oregon, who graduated from Lakeridge High School in 1977, and University of Oregon in 1982 as a Business Major. He spent seven years in NCR computer sales, and has spent the last 26 years in retail as owner of the Glass Butterfly clothing stores in Lake Oswego and Gresham. He is a member of Rolling Hills Community Church, has been married 25 years and has 2 children. He loves travel, golf, U of O football and all sports.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]