September 17, 2013 - Frame Removal
I took 3 days off from lengthening before frame removal. I felt this helped "soften" my muscles up before taking off the frame to minimize snap-back. My muscles were rock hard towards the end of my lengthening and I wanted to relieve some of that prior to frame removal.
Video Taken 3 weeks after frame removal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFMY25eSsi4&feature=youtu.be
Video shows me walking first with crutches and then unsupported. This is my first time walking after being 5 months bedridden and it feels great to feel normal again!
I waited 7 full days after frame removal before I started standing again with the supporters. After that, I used the walker and crutches to walk around for 2 weeks. One day my legs felt particularly warmed up and ankles flexible enough so I decided to see if I could stand up on my own without support. I found out I could. I started by holding one hand onto the wall, then I slowly took it off. This gave me the confidence to walk across the room and later take a video of it. I still have 1-2cm of ballerina on my right foot so you can see me kind of "limp" towards that side whenever I move my right foot forward. Left foot has 105degrees of flexibility while right foot only has 90degrees (after being warmed up). If my right foot catches up to my left I am confident I can walk normally.
Proportion Photos
I think my proportions are fine. I will not be doing another surgery. I lengthened 7.5cm to be at 1.79m. I might be 1.80cm due to spinal decompression. The photos were taken when my feet were warmed up and heels touching the floor.
My Lengthening Regiment
One thing I did differently than other patients was a lot of standing while I was in frames. At the beginning it was only 5 minutes twice a day. Then 10 minutes twice a day for a while. After 6cm, I did 15minutes twice a day, then 3 times a day. Towards the end of my lengthening, I was standing 4 times a day for 15 minutes each. I start each session with a 75 % leg/25% arm split and it ends up being 95%/5% towards the end when my legs are warmed up. My x-rays showed good callus throughout so I was never too worried whether my bone was strong enough to support my weight. I also never felt pain and the xrays showed no screw or rod bending. I dont know whether my callus was good because I was standing so much or whether I was able to stand so much because I had good callus. I was taking 1000mg calcium at beginning of lengthening (the daily recommended value for adults) through 50% pills and 50% dairy products, and bumped this up to 2000mg at the end of my lengthening.
I don't think any other patient stood as much as I did while in frames as I did. The transition from standing in frames to walking without frames was very seamless for me. I did not do any walking while in frames due to my weight (63kg with frames). I don't think my results are extraordinary because patients in other places where they do BOTH intensive standing and walking while in frames have similar walking recovery time. To be honest, I feel I didn't stand enough at the beginning of my journey. I felt like the frames weren't strong enough to support my developing callus so I only stood for 5-10minutes at a time. If I stood more at the beginning maybe I could have prevented ballerina on my right foot. I started getting ballerina around the 5.5cm-6cm point. It came on suddenly and I fought it with sickening work ethic.
I also made sure I got enough nutrition, especially protein, in my diet. If I didn't like the guesthouse food, I would order out. I spared no expenses with food and made sure I was never hungry.
Guesthouse Status
No complaints with the guesthouse situation. Food is better and bad managers were fired. When I had dengue fever I was very well taken care of---I felt like I was in good hands with the new management. We have three patients currently walking including myself, Calic, and one other patient who lengthened 5cm.
I have 21 more days before leaving India. I believe the physiotherapists here and hard work will allow me to leave the airport without wheelchair or crutches.
DEM - External Tibas - Dr. Sarin - 2013 - From New York to India
Good update. But wow! Is there something weird about the camera's lens or do you have EXTREMELY broad shoulders, at least compared to your waist?
Only 3 weeks after frames removal and you walk so good? Well done buddy!!!
Quote from: old forum PartyLeaks on October 11, 2013, 05:00:06 PMGood update. But wow! Is there something weird about the camera's lens or do you have EXTREMELY broad shoulders, at least compared to your waist?
I just have a small waist. I don't think I have broad shoulders now--lost about 8kg of upper and lower body mass since the surgery.
Before coming to India I had a pretty sharp V-taper from working out.
Quote from: krin0610 on October 11, 2013, 05:24:35 PMOnly 3 weeks after frames removal and you walk so good? Well done buddy!!!
Thank you my man! I think you guys at the guesthouse now are in better hands than before because you can build off old patient's past experiences. The physios know more about what they are doing now and understand more the importance of standing and stretching than before.
Please also note that my standing posture is far from perfect. My body is slightly tilted to one side and my left leg is shifted outwards to balance against my ballerina right leg. The right foot cannot bend beyond 90 degrees and the muscles in that leg are in general tighter than the left. I can shift all my weight towards the left leg while standing but I cannot do the same for the right leg. This causes imbalances on my body starting from the legs up to the hips and throughout the lower back. My hamstrings and lower back muscles are quite tight.
My goal is to get the ballerina down on my right leg so that I can fix both my standing posture and walking posture.
Also, even though I can walk unaided, I am still using crutches when walking to fix my posture. My hips have a slight backward tilt while walking and my back has a slight forward tilt to balance against the ballerina foot which doesn't fully touch the ground unless pressure is applied.
Very well done, DEM -- your proportions look great, and I'm even surprised that you bend your toes a bit when you walk. You're definitely going to be walking totally normal in no time. But let me ask you: Do you have any rotation of your knees like other patients have, do you have any pain when you sit down and cross your legs, could you give us an upclose pic of your legs after frame removal. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Dem you look fantastic. Good job!! 
Quote from: Leonardo2013 on October 11, 2013, 07:06:50 PMVery well done, DEM -- your proportions look great, and I'm even surprised that you bend your toes a bit when you walk. You're definitely going to be walking totally normal in no time. But let me ask you: Do you have any rotation of your knees like other patients have, do you have any pain when you sit down and cross your legs, could you give us an upclose pic of your legs after frame removal. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Here is a photo of my legs taken 1 week after frame removal
I am able to sit down and cross my legs without any pain. I don't think I have knee rotations but my right foot was starting to turn outwards from about 6cm to the end of my journey. You can see this in the photo above. I believe this is due to tight tendons around the ankle area as the foot has corrected itself about 2-3 weeks after frame removal and standing/walking.
Well done. I'm jealous. Really.
I can't walk really good even now, 6 months after frame removal. I barely stood at all. Stupid me.....
So now I have to suffer.
You'll be back to 100% in no time at all.
Quote from: Sweden on October 11, 2013, 08:24:37 PMWell done. I'm jealous. Really.
I can't walk really good even now, 6 months after frame removal. I barely stood at all. Stupid me.....
So now I have to suffer.
You'll be back to 100% in no time at all.
Sweden, don't forget you were an inspiration to me and many others to perform LL. Your diary on old forum inspired me to take the leap and get it done.
Keep up the positivity and I look forward to reading your diary on your femurs.
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