Tony de Boer

Tony and Marian de Boer

Can you imagine travelling out of town for a full hip replacement in the morning and still being home in time for dinner? Tony de Boer experienced this twice – the right hip one year and the left one the next. He shares his story below: 

For me, life is always in motion. Whether it’s riding my snowmobile, travelling with my wife Marian, or running the family business – a physically demanding job in an industrial knitting factory in Exeter – I’m constantly on the go. So when I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my early forties, I was devastated.

At first, I noticed limits to my range of motion. I couldn’t bend properly or lift my leg. I started using a cane to help me walk. Eventually, my ability to travel and even perform my job properly was severely compromised. My work is my livelihood and the constant, crippling pain was debilitating.

I can’t tell you how relieved I was when I met Dr. Brent Lanting at LHSC. He told me I would benefit from hip replacements and assured me that my quality of life would improve. He was thoughtful – listening carefully and valuing both Marian’s and my concerns. Together, we came up with a care plan that suited our needs, involving post surgical home recovery rather than staying in the hospital.

My right hip replacement was performed in 2016 and the left hip was replaced the following year. We were happy to be back home in Exeter by dinnertime on both occasions. It was great to be able to relax and recuperate surrounded by the comforts of home. We even hosted a neighbourhood block party in our home three days after the second surgery.

Now I am back to my active lifestyle – working hard for the business I love, eagerly counting down the days until the next snowmobile season and planning the next great adventure with Marian. I’m forever thankful to Dr. Lanting and the orthopaedics team at LHSC for giving me my life back and getting me back on the move for many more years to come.

Learn more about Tony’s journey with the Arthroplasty Outpatient Initiative in CTV London's Medical Marvels feature