Quote from: bgreeneee on September 25, 2019, 04:27:14 AMDay 6: Swelling much better today in leg as well as knee. All the icing and elevation is paying off. Yesterday was definitely the worst pain day for me, today is better and I’m getting some more motor/muscle control of the quad to be able to lift it...for instance to lift over the edge of the bathtub without assistance. I’m still pretty sore but it’s getting better. Also I removed the waterproof bandages tonite which feels good. Swelling on incisions is down but there is a fair amount of bruising around them. Tomorrow is what I’ve been waiting for...the NuVasive rep is coming to my house with the erc...time to grow up! Let’s go!
Stretch before & after each session as it will help u a lot to reduce the pain.
Diary: 1" LLD Femur - Stryde - September 2019
Hamza-and others. I’m so tight from the surgery still...no where even close to the flexibility I had presurgery understandably. I can barely get my knee to bend at a right angle to sit. So I can and will work on that... but wow...to think about growth when I’m still this stiff is a little mind boggling!
Day 7: And so it begins. I did my first lengthening today, My erc is programmed for 0.5mm per session and I will be doing 2 sessions per day. I’ve now done only 1 session, have another in a couple of hours. I felt some tingling during the process but I’m not sure if that was just my “nerves”. Ironically I have the latest Stryde nail...but I understand that I have the 1st generation erc. It’s in a huge suitcase, looks like it is out of an 80s movie and would be used to activate a nuclear bomb. I guess it doesn’t matter but I understand the newer ercs are a little more sleek. No extra pain after, we’ll see how that changes day to day with any post lengthening aching. The tech/rep who brought the erc says I’m looking really good, knee flexibility much better today so that was encouraging.
I hit a wall last night, lack of sleep for a week combined with the emotions of over 30 years of surgeries and dealing with this, combined with all the deja vu of the recovery journey I’m on...and I just broke down and sobbed, mostly by myself. People on this journey come from all different places in life...age, gender, country, economics, religion, family situation, etc. Those factors combined with ones own personal reasons for doing this and sometimes it’s hard to have empathy for others. I can tell you, as a person with a lifetime trauma journey, one thing that just drains me is the feeling of “here we go again”. That was the wall I hit last night. If anyone can go on a journey like this and not hit a wall, you’re a stronger person than I. But you have to learn to get over the wall or the journey won’t succeed.Maybe in some future diaries I’ll share some more about this...
Awesome post. wishing u nothing but the best on your journey. You're not lying about the nuclear bomb part lmao.
Also the emotions and isolation you feel during this journey is not something to be taken lightly. Always good to let them out! I put a calendar next to my bed and I mark off everyday till I get to my goal hopefully with no complications and peace of mind. It kind of motivates me looking at it. Wishing you a successful journey!
Quote from: bgreeneee on September 25, 2019, 03:00:30 PMHamza-and others. I’m so tight from the surgery still...no where even close to the flexibility I had presurgery understandably. I can barely get my knee to bend at a right angle to sit. So I can and will work on that... but wow...to think about growth when I’m still this stiff is a little mind boggling!
Use the Strap for stretching while laying down as tolerated. I was doing 0.25 mm four times per day and the mild pain + stiffness starts like 5 mins after each session. I regret for not using the Strap for stretching from day 1.
Once, I went to Macys in New York beside my hotel while still in lengthening phase and i walked a little bit with crutches, thx God I had the oxycodome with me because pain raised like 4/5.
I wonder with my correction surgery next month how does it feel when using solid nail and acute lengthen of 1 cm.
Day 8: I made it through a week. One more 0.5mm lengthening tonight. If all goes as planned I’ll be done around October 19. Today I do feel soreness, hard to tell at this point whether that’s still from the surgery or from the lengthening. Like others have said, I don’t feel much during the actual erc process...but I do feel something I could only describe as a slight electrical current with the prickly sensation on my skin...where I feel it the most is at the tip of my big toe. It’s not bad, very subtle, just interesting. Anybody else feel similar?
Day 9: no major changes today. The incision for the rod is the only one that still is bothering me; it is achy, sensitive to the touch and still painful to lie on my side. I’m getting a little stronger each day...my biggest issue by far is sleep. Like I’ve seen in many stories, sleep is difficult...I’ve probably slept a total of 3 hours in the past 2 nights. I got a prescription for Ambien today to hopefully break that cycle. I’ve taken it 1 time like 10 years ago during another surgery recovery. I am not in to pain meds or sleep aids...I’ve still only taken Tylenol for this so far...but I’m at the desperate point to get a good night sleep.
Day 10: Thank you Ambien...I got a decent night’s sleep last night. I feel 200% better today, partly due to the sleep, but also some marked physical improvements:
* My knee can bend well past 90 degrees, probably about 105 degrees.
* I’m getting enough strength to lift my leg over things without assistance (eg to get in car, tub)
* I fully transitioned from walker to crutches
* Swelling is way down on knee
* I went to my sons wrestling tournament today for about 3 hours, including using crutches up into the bleachers
* I rode in my 4wd SUV, which I certainly couldn’t get in until now
I’m at 4mm as of today. Just the beginning but VERY thankful for the progress!
Now things will start to get better and when you see you will be over this.
Days 11-12: I continue to feel stronger. Now that I can move my leg easier when sleeping, I’m actually able to sleep. I only took Ambien the one night, had a nice creepy dream to go with it. I’m still waking up a couple of times at least and moving from bed to chair and back, but last night was by far the most consistent sleep to date with no drug assistance.
The back of my thigh still has a huge dark purple bruise about the size of my outstretched hand from the bone break i assume with no real signs of fading...think it’s going to take weeks for that to go away. It’s the ugliest bruise I’ve ever had...including when I broke my femur myself lol. Also still bruising near the incisions but not too bad and looking better. Incisions are looking good and feel so much better after removing the steri strips.
I’m going to hit 6mm today and I’m super anxious to get the xrays to confirm the progress. My target is somewhere around 25, which is around Oct 19. I’ll see the doctor in 2 days. With KP, you can email the doctor directly so I’ve traded a few emails but haven’t seen him since the day after surgery.
As far as pain goes. I’d say it’s minimal. Certain leg movements hurt more than others with the one that bothers me the most being the movement to pull my leg in towards my body...the muscles that contract over where my big bruise is...not sure if it’s the bruise/break or the stretched muscles or just continued posit surgery trauma. I have lapsed many hours with no meds in the past few days but for the most part still consistently taking (only) Tylenol.
My doctor has pretty much advised to do minimal weight bearing but I do weight bear here and there with no pain, mostly when I’m stuck with one crutch or need to carry something across the kitchen or something like that. I’m going to talk to him about the exercise bike as I think that might be good soon(?).
Three non lengthening things that get some focus during this time:
* My cat: She is loving this. I’m a human pillow. Thankful for the feline friend that follows me from place to place. She’s robbed me of some sleep but the snuggles are worth it lol.
* My birds: Well they are God’s I suppose, but I insist on my caregivers (teenage son and wife) keeping the feeders out my window full and the window open as much as possible to hear them. Songbirds, hummingbirds, jays, crows, even a big hawk who comes looking for a snack.
* My Reading: I’ve also started reading...which I wasn’t up to until the past few days since I had no sleep. I’m normally not a big reader but if there is ever a time, it’s now. When I don’t feel like reading off a page, I have the iPad read to me aloud.
Little things like this help. We are not just physical beings...while in relative isolation, if you’re only focused on the physical and not the mind and the spirit, your physical healing will suffer. All for now..I appreciate reading the other diaries that are current right now, keep the updates coming and my prayers for you.
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