Day 142 Post-op (Fri., Dec. 11 ) - Consolidation Day 61
The walking time record results I had promised to some of you:
Start time around 5:01pm: https://imgur.com/BVdKAMw
Distance (Miles) Duration (Minutes) Video/Image
0.5 ? Unfortunately recording failed, but should be 7+ minutes
1 ? Unfortunately recording failed, but should be 14+ minutes
1.5 <23 https://imgur.com/jnJIfZ3
2 <30 https://imgur.com/PG8LTpb
2.5 ~37 https://imgur.com/MxAaAIp
3 <45 https://imgur.com/KFx1QOc
A few notes:
1) I walked on a grass area that was a bit muddy. I believe I can be faster on a hard floor, but I don't want to put too much pressure on my knee joints.
2) The land was a like a small square which each lab around 0.15miles. On a straight path I can do better.
3) My shoes were not that great for walking.
4) I had a mask on for the first 0.5 miles, but I removed it for the rest of the 2.5 miles, as no one was around and I felt like walking without a mask would be easier.
I am still happy with my results. Let's see who can break my record of 3 miles in less than 45 minutes. I have been able to easily beat any fast walker I found while walking outside 
As I had also said before I consider myself generally as a fast walker, so I think my record is not easy to break
I walk for long distances, so you probably notice that my speed did not degrade as I got close to 3 miles! I probably start to see a slow down if I walk for more than 10 miles!
I believe as far as walking is concerned, I definitely feel good about my progress and I consider my walking as back to my old normal.
In the quest of getting back to normal, I believe I should now focus more on jogging and swimming. I had started jogging a month ago, but from now on I will push for higher speeds and longer durations.
I hope to try swimming for the first time post-op, sometime next week.
Femurs with Dr. Shahab Mahboubian - July 2020
Thanks for the update SNC! I will do a 3 mile walk in 110 days to see how I compare to you! Recovery seems very far away though. My thighs are swollen again so I'm not doing too great, but at least I'm still lengthening at 1mm/day.
Quote from: BelowTheMean on December 18, 2020, 11:38:50 PMThanks for the update SNC! I will do a 3 mile walk in 110 days to see how I compare to you! Recovery seems very far away though. My thighs are swollen again so I'm not doing too great, but at least I'm still lengthening at 1mm/day.
Hi BTM,
I have not seen any Femur Stryder who did great during distraction; and by "great" I mean a pain free, swollen free process all the way to the max (say 8cm) perfectly, with no complications or problems. The best we can hope for would be to face no problems or complications with perfect x-rays, but painful and swollen legs would be part of the deal, I think.
This however quickly started to resolve itself for me, [starting] a couple weeks into the consolidation phase; already felt normal based on several factors, including experiencing almost zero pain, having stopped painkillers already; with great night sleeps.
I think the first times I felt normal (as if I had not done any surgery) happened while driving, sitting or sleeping and they mostly started around week two. If I remember correctly about a month after the last distraction, I felt completely normal all the time, while sitting, driving or sleeping.
Walking has not yet become an absolute normal, though. There are times I am self-aware of my surgery and my nails while walking. Although, my agility and strength seem to have come back to normal, but I am yet to "feel completely normal all the time" while walking, not remembering my nails, or my surgery at all! That would be a major milestone and I hope to get there by Day 180.
I guess you have about 40 days or so to finish up the distraction phase, right? How are your night sleeps?
Hi SNC, approx how long post op were you fit enough to climb stairs?
What are your thoughts for some example things to think about when deciding when to stop lengthening?
It seems like some people can reach 8 cm. But other people decide "eh time to stop now"
What usually ends up being the major factor in "eh time to stop now"? Like is there an exponential increase in pain at some point that gets people to stop or other reasons?
Excluding things like "fk it I just want to go home"
Quote from: fivetenneeded2016 on December 21, 2020, 01:44:17 AMHi SNC, approx how long post op were you fit enough to climb stairs?
Hi fivetenneeded2016,
You hit on a very important practice item; I believe. Stair climbing would be very helpful to a fast recovery.
Although the first time I climbed a couple stairs must be very early during the distraction phase (e.g., taking the couple stairs at the entrance door at my place, and also any stairs I could find outside), I took my first long set of stairs (of 16 stairs) on Day 88 (Sunday Oct. 18) which is also the Consolidation Day 7, i.e., 7 days after the last day of distraction). My speed and gait were however not normal yet on that day. However that quickly improved. I however am not yet back to "normal" in stair climbing, if you define "normal" as skipping a few stairs, or going up and down with almost a running speed.
I would day I have been late in stair climbing, compared to some other CLL'ers. The main reason is that my place does not have a second story. I just have a couple stairs in front of the entrance door. Those CLL'ers who live on top floors, have the advantage the use the stairs from early distraction days (of course with approval from the CLL doctor; and PTs, if any). Since I did not have the option, I tried to use any stairs outdoor and also the park nearby which has a lot of uphill and downhill places to strengthen my legs.
I highly recommend to every CLL'er to first double check with their doctor and with his/her approval, include stair climbing frequently on a daily basis.
Quote from: SpeedDialer on December 22, 2020, 03:56:21 AMWhat are your thoughts for some example things to think about when deciding when to stop lengthening?
It seems like some people can reach 8 cm. But other people decide "eh time to stop now"
What usually ends up being the major factor in "eh time to stop now"? Like is there an exponential increase in pain at some point that gets people to stop or other reasons?
Excluding things like "fk it I just want to go home"
Hi SpeedDialer,
This is what I think. A typical CLL'er must have a lot of trust in his or her doctor and that's why they chose that certain doctor to proceed. It is therefore very important to listen to them and stop if they recommend that.
That being said, the doctors obviously also listens to the CLL'er and if the CLL'er gives them a feeling that things (in terms of pain) are too severe, they may get convinced to recommend an early stop. I therefore think the CLL'ers themsevles ultimately influence the stopping time by a great extent.
I personally think if my x-rays look normal with no signs of issues or complications, I go all the way to end, given I have set up a pain management plan using painkillers, etc. This is because the CLL process is too tough and costly, a challenge to give up early. We the CLL'ers are in it to max it!
In my case I experienced a lot of pain, especially because I overall had 19 fast extraction days (of 1.33mm per day) but with the help of painkillers, taking multiple hot showers/hot bathtubs, and stretching, I was determined to go all the way to the end. I managed to lower the pain mostly below 4 (out of 10, with 10 being an absolute worst pain ever).
I think tolerating pain levels of 5 or lower for say 80 days is worth the results. If the surgery has gone fairly successfully, and there is no major issue or complication, then pain management should help lowering pain to below 5 and in that case I think it's tolerable to go all the way to the max.
Multiple stretching sessions per day are necessary. Although prior physical fitness is very helpful, it is not necessary. My point is as long as the pain level can be lowered to <5, even if one feels like their legs are extremely tight, that should not stop them from going all the way to the end. Once again this is based on the assumption that the doctor leaves it to the CLL'er to decide, as he/she sees no issues, but yet does not want to push the patient to suffer while going to the max.
I hope my notes helped, but let's continue this discussion if you think needed.
SNC - Congrats on your journey. Very inspiring, especially for someone like me who is close to your age and starting height, and hoping to follow in your shadow. CLL’ers like you, Movie and others definitely help this community. I hope to rival your beast mode performance and can’t wait to meet this challenge myself in early 2021! Thks 👍
Quote from: L8GrowthSpurt on December 23, 2020, 04:55:09 AMSNC - Congrats on your journey. Very inspiring, especially for someone like me who is close to your age and starting height, and hoping to follow in your shadow. CLL’ers like you, Movie and others definitely help this community. I hope to rival your beast mode performance and can’t wait to meet this challenge myself in early 2021! Thks 👍
Hi L8GrowthSpurt,
Thanks for the kind words. Such notes from you and the rest of the community inspire do try to do better.
I wish you a great 2021 with a smooth CLL journey. I make sure to follow your posts here. Feel free to reach me here or on PM, whenever needed.
Quote from: StrydeNailChallenge on December 01, 2020, 11:33:05 PMThis is the video I had promised to some of you (in two parts, cause imgur does not allow videos of more than a minute).
It's my first time posting a video, and on imgur. I am not sure if I am doing something wrong, but makes the video frame so small! let me know if there is a better way:
https://imgur.com/xW8mUgI
https://imgur.com/rxRD7W7
A few notes about this video:
1) It was taken on the 29th. On the 28th I almost fell off of a pedestrian curb side, and injured my hip [left leg, close to where nails are]. I therefore am not at my best gait.
2) For privacy reasons the clothes don't belong to me, haha! the shoes were too tight, so I could not really put them on properly 
also pants are short; and very tight which may give the impression of parenthesis legs a bit, but my legs are fairly straight, most likely better than an average person.
Unlike imgur, youtube does not limit the video length, so I thought of posting a youtube link (recorded on Day 130 Post-op, Sun., Nov. 29th, Consolidation Day 49) :
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