DJCyborg | Dr. Birkholtz | Precice 2.2 Femurs | June 2023

Day 45 post op update
I hit 33.0mm in lengthened length so far today. Will be 33.25mm by end of today

With gap plus mm I'm pretty much at 3.6cm now

Some observations, pain throughout the day, when I'm putting on socks, moving aroung with walker/crutches etc is pretty much 0/10 now all the time. The only time there is pain is during PT the stretches when pushed to the limit I feel tightness particularly quad stretches and behind the knee for hamstring stretch. Another time I feel pain is just after waking up left leg pain around the osteotomy site and quad tightness discomfort is about a 1-2/10 and it goes away after bending my knees a few times

Day 50 post op update
We continue onwards to 6cm
I have xrays coming up Wednesday next week in which I will have reached 4.2cm of lengthened length that day.

Tonight I will be at 3.8cm these final 2cm things are definitely getting tighter. From 0-2cm I gained a bit of flexibility overall compared to pre surgery. From 2.5-3.3ish I was around  the same flexibility as I was pre surgery and now I'm slightly less flexible than pre surgery.

Really in a routine now and we will see 6cm in about 3 1/2 weeks time

Day 55 post op update
Just had xrays done and everything looks amazing. To avoid premature consolidation I will continue lengthening at 1mm per day so I will finish lengthening on August 20th.

Based on how the xrays look now I'll be completely full weight baring about a month after I stop lengthening. So pretty much around day 100 post op I'll be at or near full weight baring status

I'm happy, Dr. Birkholtz is happy, final 18 days of lenghening lets do this

🛑Reminder🛑
Do not share/distribute my media or x-rays without my consent
https://imgur.com/a/Co6wLD7

Day 57 post op update
Today's update will be a long one so grab some popcorn and drinks.

Full disclosure so I don't get sued by Nuvasive. These are my opinions and every individual is entitled to voicing their opinions in a free country. Being American I am under the jurisdiction of the United States of America

I shall title it: Not everything is roses and rainbows

And by not everything is roses and rainbows I mean Nuvasive

Last week I started feeling a buzzing sensation on my right nail while lengthening. I notified Dr. Birkholtz and we monitored it for a few days and got x-rays.

The previous xray none of you caught the small piece inside the nail that came loose. Dr. Birkholtz did catch it and notified nuvasive.

The nail is lengthening as expected so everything is good there and Nuvasive engineers say that "It is a nut in the nail that came loose.
They also say that they haven’t seen failure in this way and am reasonably confident that the nail will continue to function"

They advised being more cautious with weight bearing which is completely bogus as we have stayed well beyond safe with weight bearing these nails, and on top of this weight bearing doesn't cause a nut to come loose. If you surpass the weight capacity of a nail they will bend and break. Not have an internal nut encased in titanium come loose

If Nuvasive was a great company they would not only reassure the nail will keep working but apologize for providing a defective nail and say they will provide all necessary replacement nails and everything is on them and maybe even send out a magic catheter that doesn't hurt.

Dr. Birkholtz and his entire team are absolute angels

Nuvasive... just a profit hungry greedy corporation

I decided on my own today that I will change my lengthening goal to 5cm out of precaution since the right leg is the leg that will have to lengthen by an extra half cm anyways to balance out my discrepancy and that just happens to be the side the messed up nail is in.

I promise it's not my intention to pull a Kanye Western. It is out of safety and I really do not want to go through another surgery so soon if we were to run into any trouble.

essentially ill be gaining a bit over 5.5cm in real height which is pretty much my original 6cm goal anyways. I'm at 4.4cm tonight and I'm already feeling tall.

If Dr. Birkholtz ever reads this I just want to thank you for everything you do and you and your team's truly world class care and attention to detail and safety.

Nuvasive if you read this, step up your game... own up to your mistakes...

Just for clarification, nuvasive engineers believe there won't be any issues and the nail will continue to work as intended. I'm sure doctor Birkholtz is confident as well as he cleared me to continue to push to 6cm.

I made the decision on my own to stop at 5cm and then just focus on balancing out the discrepancy which will take another half cm on the side with the problematic nail.

I'd rather play it safe, I absolutely don't want to go through another possible surgery so soon.

If for whatever reason the 0.5cm in less height leaves me dissatisfied which it wont, but if it does I'll just message Dr. Birkholtz in a few months and ask for available dates to get 4cm on tibias

Day 61 post op update
Final few days of lengthening, we are finishing up on Thursday night, Friday morning xrays will show how many more mm I will need to lengthen my shorter leg and I'm expecting to be completely finishing up early next week.

The next phase of the journey will be full weight bearing status and walking.

Day 64 post op update
I have 3 more days of lengthening my right leg to balance out my discrepancy and then we are officially finished lengthening. 5.5cm of lengthened length gained.
Xrays today look amazing, even more bone growth than the previous one and the loose nut hasn't been affecting the function of the nail as the nuvasive engineers said

My next xrays are in about 3 1/2 weeks. Let's see if we are full weight bearing by that time. I feel very good and I'm so happy.

Over the next 3 1/2 weeks it's really going to be the same routine, PT stretching, good nutrition, continue strengthening etc.

In a months time if the bones are ready I really look forward to sharing unassisted walking progress with everyone.

It's CRAZY to think we came this far and it's only day 64 post op. Barely over 2 months.

🛑Reminder Do not distribute/share my media or x rays without my consent
https://imgur.com/a/gVs69WS

Just to note all previous xrays were laying down xrays, todays were the first longleg standing ap xrays since surgery, it's needed to measure the length of each legs total length precisely. The angle will look slightly different than the previous xrays

Day 66 post op update
IT IS OFFICIAL WE ARE DONE

5.5cm of height gained, slight leg length discrepancy fixed, slight spiral rotation fixed.

Going to sell the ERC device on the black market as payback to nuvasive for my right nail LOL JK.

Now we look forward to September 5th Xrays which is 89 days post op to see if we are full weight bearing by then. I feel good about being weight bearing by that day. Starting up on all the supplements, biking, etc again

Day 69 post op update

3 days post lengthening

I am feeling amazing, at the gym today I looked into the head to toe mirror and I thought DAYYYYYYYYAM I AM TALL

Also did 8km on stationary bike today with no rest.

The journey continues and I am so happy
https://imgur.com/a/AaHna6r

Day 74 post op update

Legs feeling amazing, flexibility almost back to pre surgery flexibility excluding the right quad, that one we still have about a week of work to do before it returns to pre surgery flexibility.

Still feeling very good about being weight bearing or right on the cusp of being weight bearing on September 5th (89 days post op)

Strengthening exercises building muscle mass back. This may sound crazy but I think 90-95% normal walk by October 1st (115 days post op). We will see, walking progress videos coming soon after the next xray.

https://imgur.com/a/XYDOnk1 some Dinner pictures

Day 81 post op update
Xrays middle of next week to see if we are full weight bearing.

My flexibility is back to pre surgery, excluding the right quad but we are getting closer.

Overall legs feel amazing and I can't wait to start unassisted walking soon. Been strength training a lot, high volume stuff 5 sets of 25 reps.

Strength wise and muscle mass wise we are doing extremely well. I have upped my caloric intake quite significantly since I finished lengthening. I am eating to the brim day in and day out around 4000+ calories per day.

Supplement wise staying on
-13,000 IU Vit D
-Multi Vitamins
-1050mg Calcium