Femoral Lengthening with Dr. Paley

Edit Post

Hey Puru,

How far into consolidation did you start driving?  Any difficulty?  (The folks I talked to there seemed to suggest it was better if you waited, although I think a lot of people do drive before they can walk.)

Also, at what point were you able to do things like bend down to the ground to pick something up, and tie your own shoes?  (Seems tough to get my feet close to me still.)

Oh - and did the rods set off metal detectors for you?

Edit Post

Quote from: FormerKidd on June 21, 2018, 05:26:36 AMHey Puru,

How far into consolidation did you start driving?  Any difficulty?  (The folks I talked to there seemed to suggest it was better if you waited, although I think a lot of people do drive before they can walk.)

Also, at what point were you able to do things like bend down to the ground to pick something up, and tie your own shoes?  (Seems tough to get my feet close to me still.)

Oh - and did the rods set off metal detectors for you?

My bad for the late (and now probably useless) reply. I started driving immediately after I stopped lengthening. Getting into the car was tough at first due to low flexibility, but my car was luckily very low set. Later on, I figured out how to get into it with my crutches.

I don't remember when I was able to bend down and pick things up. Probably around late Feb/early march (2-3 months post lengthinig).

Dr Paley said that the rods won't set it off. He can give you a signed note for the TSA. I opted for the pat down instead.

Edit Post

Quote from: Purushrottam on June 27, 2018, 02:54:15 AMMy bad for the late (and now probably useless) reply.

Check your PMs I've sent you one about how to get notified when you get a PM, and there's a setting to receive email notifications when there's a reply posted to the thread as well.

Edit Post

Quote from: OverrideYourGenetics on June 27, 2018, 04:56:58 AMCheck your PMs I've sent you one about how to get notified when you get a PM, and there's a setting to receive email notifications when there's a reply posted to the thread as well.

Sorry! Forgot to respond. Yeah I used a burner email for this unfortunately.

Edit Post

I woke up a few weeks ago and for the first time in a long time I didn't feel angry at the world. I am 99% sure it had to do with this surgery.

Edit Post

Mini Update

I started playing casual (social) soccer in a league. The first day my running felt weird and my legs felt wobbly when I was changing directions. Now my running is pretty normal, at least for short bursts. I can jog for several minutes at 6 mph with no problem. I don't feel any pain or weirdness. I just get tired quicker. Everything else feels the same.

My flexibility is back for my hamstrings. My quads are still not 100% as I can't bend my knees all the way yet. However I have been stretching aggressively now. I still haven't gotten my leg strength back but thats because I stopped working out.

Overall though, life feels so much better. I'm not 100% convinced if its because of the surgery, or because I'm in a new city, or because I have a new job. I used to always get depression, thinking my life wasn't going anywhere. I was a dude with a really good career and everything about my life was good on paper... except for having 0 luck dating (or even eliciting any female interest). It was really frustrating seeing people put in less effort than me but getting a lot more in return. This was slowly turning me into a bitter person. I remember when I was in the pool at Homewood Suites, in the middle of the lengthening... I was afraid I was going to be a really bitter, angry person "Why do I have to go through this to have a normal, well adjusted life?!? Lifes not fair".

That NEVER happened. While during recovery, I was a little resentful, now that I am fully recovered, I feel so blessed. Almost everything in life is going my way now. The previous post I made on this thread may seem a bit random, but I don't remember every being depressed/angry since then.

I find it pretty easy to make friends now. Getting dates with women I'm interested isn't too hard either. Pre LL me would have been nervous as hell before a date, thinking I had to be on top of my game to keep her interest (and usually that was the case. If you are unattractive, you do have to be the best version of yourself to maintain her attention). Now I'm never nervous before a date, no matter how much of a 'catch' I think the girl is. I just go there, act like myself (still make an effort though.. everyone deserves that from their date) and let things take their course. Before that I used to get ghosted all the time.

 It feels like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulder. I no longer spend time moping about being short/hating the world/etc. I've become a much more positive person overall. Small things that used to piss me off (ie. Uber driver taking the wrong exit for the airport by accident when I'm late for a flight) just don't bother me anymore. I noticed that change when my driver made a wrong turn. I was just like "hey, don't worry about it... we all make mistakes". It came out so naturally. Pre LL me would have been silent but would have thought "omg you ****ing retard how did you mess that up?!?"

I am not going to have as many updates from now on as there isn't really much to say. I still frequent the forums though, so if there are any questions I can answer them (prefer not PMs though. I don't get email notifications). Overall, if you had a complication free experience, I can't fathom why anyone would regret this surgery. The several month gap in my career meant nothing. I don't think it affected me at all. Now that I'm working again, its as if I've been working the whole time.

I'll have one when I have my rods removed. In September it will be 1 year post op. I need to get it removed within 2 years. I can't believe time flew by so quickly.

Edit Post

Quote from: Purushrottam on July 15, 2018, 08:13:25 PMMini Update

I started playing casual (social) soccer in a league. The first day my running felt weird and my legs felt wobbly when I was changing directions. Now my running is pretty normal, at least for short bursts. I can jog for several minutes at 6 mph with no problem. I don't feel any pain or weirdness. I just get tired quicker. Everything else feels the same.

My flexibility is back for my hamstrings. My quads are still not 100% as I can't bend my knees all the way yet. However I have been stretching aggressively now. I still haven't gotten my leg strength back but thats because I stopped working out.

Overall though, life feels so much better. I'm not 100% convinced if its because of the surgery, or because I'm in a new city, or because I have a new job. I used to always get depression, thinking my life wasn't going anywhere. I was a dude with a really good career and everything about my life was good on paper... except for having 0 luck dating (or even eliciting any female interest). It was really frustrating seeing people put in less effort than me but getting a lot more in return. This was slowly turning me into a bitter person. I remember when I was in the pool at Homewood Suites, in the middle of the lengthening... I was afraid I was going to be a really bitter, angry person "Why do I have to go through this to have a normal, well adjusted life?!? Lifes not fair".

That NEVER happened. While during recovery, I was a little resentful, now that I am fully recovered, I feel so blessed. Almost everything in life is going my way now. The previous post I made on this thread may seem a bit random, but I don't remember every being depressed/angry since then.

I find it pretty easy to make friends now. Getting dates with women I'm interested isn't too hard either. Pre LL me would have been nervous as hell before a date, thinking I had to be on top of my game to keep her interest (and usually that was the case. If you are unattractive, you do have to be the best version of yourself to maintain her attention). Now I'm never nervous before a date, no matter how much of a 'catch' I think the girl is. I just go there, act like myself (still make an effort though.. everyone deserves that from their date) and let things take their course. Before that I used to get ghosted all the time.

 It feels like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulder. I no longer spend time moping about being short/hating the world/etc. I've become a much more positive person overall. Small things that used to piss me off (ie. Uber driver taking the wrong exit for the airport by accident when I'm late for a flight) just don't bother me anymore. I noticed that change when my driver made a wrong turn. I was just like "hey, don't worry about it... we all make mistakes". It came out so naturally. Pre LL me would have been silent but would have thought "omg you ****ing retard how did you mess that up?!?"

I am not going to have as many updates from now on as there isn't really much to say. I still frequent the forums though, so if there are any questions I can answer them (prefer not PMs though. I don't get email notifications). Overall, if you had a complication free experience, I can't fathom why anyone would regret this surgery. The several month gap in my career meant nothing. I don't think it affected me at all. Now that I'm working again, its as if I've been working the whole time.

I'll have one when I have my rods removed. In September it will be 1 year post op. I need to get it removed within 2 years. I can't believe time flew by so quickly.

Well, that's one great update! Just the kind we all hope to hear here. Choosing the best doctors pays off.

Glad your life has improved so much and you didn't have to deal with major complications.

Android is in Russia, so I'll just steal it from him (some more): onward and upward!

Edit Post

Quote from: myloginacc on July 15, 2018, 11:23:06 PMWell, that's one great update! Just the kind we all hope to hear here. Choosing the best doctors pays off.

Glad your life has improved so much and you didn't have to deal with major complications.

Android is in Russia, so I'll just steal it from him (some more): onward and upward!

Thank you! What are your LL plans?

A side note: One of my new co-workers is actually named Purushottam (how my username is actually supposed to be spelled. I typed it wrong). Just a funny coincidence.

Edit Post

Awesome update Puru! Positivity is flowing out of you like a geyser. You deserve it!

Edit Post

Quote from: Android on July 27, 2018, 10:53:25 AMAwesome update Puru! Positivity is flowing out of you like a geyser. You deserve it!

Thanks Android! Hang in there!

Mini Update:

I'm working hard to get my body to the level it was at prior to LL. The only way to know how close I am is by measuring some standard metrics.

So here are the stats from my latest run (treadmill).

Incline: 2.0.
Duration: 8:00 minutes
Average Speed: 5.9 mph.

This is however says nothing about how strenuous the activity felt. Prior to LL, running 10 minutes at 6.0 mph and 2.0 incline got my heart rate at 150 bpm. Basically it felt like a moderate activity.

However, running at 8 minutes at (almost) 6.0 mph and 2.0 incline got my heart rate at 180 bmp. This indicates that its an extremely strenuous activity for me. This means that I have a long way to go before I reach my prior level of athleticism, but it is totally doable.

EDIT: On a side note, after I ran, I told my parents about my running stats. They were like "cool story... why are you telling us this?" Then it hit them. They totally forgot that I was hospitalized for LL (they were with me during the entire time). This goes to show how forgettable the experience is, less than a year after LL. I too am starting to forget most of my LL experiences (which is a good thing. moving on with life).