Over a year ago, I faced one of the toughest challenges in my life. I faced the fact of dealing with a festering wound I had acquired years ago in my previous career. This injury began to get worse the previous five-years, before my daughter Mia was born. I knew I had to do something desperately, and with worry building-up, I decided to visit several doctors to no avail or to find relief to my constant pain and cramping. I’ll be honest, I am partially to blame for the problems building-up in my upper-left leg. The problem was, I continued to do kick-boxing, as my leg went from bad to worse back in Shenzhen (Guangdong, China). It got so bad, that certain days of the week, and especially during the harsh Hunan Province winters (when we moved here) that I could barely walk, and the pain became extremely intense! I knew the reality and faced the issues of either ending-up in a wheelchair, walker or losing it entirely do to issues with circulation. Furthermore, I was looking at the prospects of my career in education ending after 16+years inside the classroom. Not because I couldn’t use a walker, cane or wheelchair; but it is with deep sadness the stigma brought down on a person with a handicap in this culture/society. Plus, on top of that, I like to be active inside the classroom and walking around. The possibility of sitting was something I didn’t want to consider or fathom in the near future.

Author: Daniel Otero (the first from the left)

I thought to myself, I still have a couple of solid years to give to this ‘business’. Looking at the possibilities, half or a full-decade to be instructing. Therefore, I wanted to maximize this time if this was to be the end!

Another thing which made the fixture of my leg of the utmost importance... From this point, I wanted to live again! I have a child and I needed to be at my best (physically and mentally) for her. I have dreams to complete with my wife and little girl (Xiao qin and Mia), such as: scuba-diving in the Philippines, surfing in Indonesia and running again surrounded by loved ones and close friends. I decided during the COVID-19 period (2019 - 2023) to visit a doctor and have acupuncture therapy. With constant moxibustion patches and acupuncture (Traditional-Chinese Medicine), the leg did improve somewhat; however, it didn’t improve fully in mobility and from this point, I had to start walking with a cane.

I visited Dr. Sun (孙跃辉 Tôn Diệu Huy) at the Jingkai Hospital, Changsha, Hunan (长沙经开医院 bệnh viện Jingkai)--through the period of 2022 - 2023, and analyzed my situation. I was quite hesitant in doing the joint and socket-replacement procedure (髋关节置换 thay khớp háng), but it finally came to the point when I just couldn’t wait any longer. I had a sit down with my wife and we understood the gravity of the situation. However, we also spoke to Dr. Sun on how this would improve my life within the following year, if the surgery turned out 100-percent. If it didn’t, well, I wouldn’t be here writing about it!

After a vacation in the Indonesia and our return back to China, a week after I went under the knife (August 14^th, 2023). To be honest, I hated the pain and lack of mobility after the procedure, but I also began to see rapid improvements in the first 11-days after the surgery. My body mobility improved by 80-percent after three months, and I was at the gym again and practicing jogging three-times a week. My leg went from a condition which (it) could barely bend, always in pain or move with stiffness to enjoying full-mobility and without any pain. These weren’t the only dramatic effects/changes, the throbbing had lessened so much, that I started using the cane intermittently. By July, 2024, I was able to do a 5k (kilometer) fun-run, which I completed with my colleagues in over-an-hours’ time. The last part of the improvement on my body came recently, and more like a miracle. I stopped using the cane completely, 11-months after the surgery!

The question remains, would I recommend the surgery to anybody? I certainly would, 100-percent! The pain from the injury took years off my life, and with the surgery, it gave me a new beginning in getting those 16-years back. The improvements in my life have been a blessing, amazing and looking back, I have recuperated in leaps and bounds. My next goal is to start training and running a 6k, and later, a 10k with the ladies and gents who enjoy the fun runs.

I want to thank all those at Changsha International Jingkai Hospital who took the time, care, patience and compassion to deal with me. Especially those like Dr. Sun; Doctors Zhang Peishang (张丕胜Trươg Phi Thắng (主任医师bác sỹ chủ nhiệm) and Zhong Da (钟达Chung Đạt (手术医生bác sỹ phẫu thuật), Chief Physicians. I want to thank you all and my family (Xiao qin and Mia) for giving me my life back! It has been an honor and a year full of baby-steps, indeed. Today, I am simply grateful for my family, friends, colleagues, and those who supported me with constant motivation during those difficult years. Regards!

For more information about this kind of medical procedure or others, please don’t hesitate to contact and ask, Dr. Sun at Jingkai Hospital (telephone: 86-15575155288). Good day!