Height Increase info
This is my candid personal experience of my journey
Initial Height 172
Aim ~ 5.5 cm
Day -1: Preparation Blood Test , Consulting , X ray eat food and rest at guest house
Day 0 : Few more tests , Height measurement , moving to hospital in the evening for next day morning surgery
Day 1 : Few more tests , blood tests , Answering general Questions of Doctors , meeting the anaesthetists going to OT.
Epidural was administered , Entire lower body goes under anesthesia . My experience was relatively calm , it is not a simple procedure, and
you being conscious can hear all the drilling and knocking quite an overwhelming experience. However My OT nurse kept me company and I
started watching Mr Bean on his mobile phone after going through several music genera. Felt very cold shivering and some what
uncomforted due to lying flat on the same position. OT Staff my OT nurse was especially amiable helped me with blanket heater and
general conversation this helped me a lot to calm my nerve and get through the 4 hour operation. I was informed that the procedure was
over and was glad as It felt long. Was immediately shifted to post OP and was still feeling very cold apparently because of Anesthesia. No
severe pain till now, but lying down on you back for prolonged duration would have been one of the biggest challenge for me.After a few
hours was shifted to my room in the hospital and noticed how my body is attached to IV's and Catheter. I spend the next three days on my
bed in the hospital. To be continued
Illizarov Tibia LL Personal Experience Diary
Sure man go ahead what do you have in mind, I will try and update my experience as I go along.
Day 2 : In Hospital room, No severe physical pain perhaps due to epidural which was still attached to my spine. Sleeping became a challenge especially when we have to lie on our back for prolonged duration. Maybe one should get use to sleeping like this before LL. Hospital room was comfortable and staff was especially amicable. Was still attached with Catheter , IV and Epideural got use to it though. Was not very hungry initially also was worried if i had to poop then apparently, the staff would bring the bowl and other things so I could go without going to the restroom. So basically gladly did not feel the urge to poop that day and the next day also. Usually felt sleepy in the daytime and did not miss the opportunity for shut eyes. It takes time getting use to the scary looking frame on the legs, but surprisingly I did accept it soon enough.
Day 3 : Somewhat similar however they started to reduce my epidural drug tapered it and got me to Oral on Day 4. Doctors come on round regularly ask about how we are feeling , managers visit and ask if we have any complaint.
Day 4 : Removed my Epidural and catheter. Catheter Removal was an uncanny experience. I couldn't piss for some 3 or 4 hours drank enough water bladder was full but it was like my body forgot how to piss without catheter. Eventually it happened, I felt so relieved It was an amazing feeling. Poop time eventually came , but fortunately i did not have pipes hanging out of my body and I somehow convinced by surgeon that I would sit in the wheelchair poop bucked wheelchair and so i managed with the help of the staff and sat in the pooping wheelchair and dragged it the washroom as i did not want to poop next to my bed. My IV vein was getting somewhat clot as it was put in for sometime now . So a new IV was put in at a new vein. Also I had a small phyiso session this day.
Day 5 : I was only on oral now IV was also removed, I was getting discharged in the afternoon. Was a bit anxious as I kind off got use to the place and staff taking care of me. To be continued
Noticing a lot of negative comments specifically on Indian doctors , everyone has the right to their own subjective opinion. As a caveat I would just like to reiterate this is my individual experience. I am not recommending anybody to jump on and get this done, I am writing this just so that people get an idea of what they are getting into. If they happen to have decided to go through, I would still definitely strongly suggest to visit the place meet and consult the team in person know about the surgeon who is going to operate and have strong mentality do your own research and only go ahead if you are convinced. Having said that, I would not indulge in the negative comments and this being a fake diary etc. Because I am sure readers can be a good judge to that.
Day 5 : Reached the guest house/accommodation, had to be helped around to get into the car and getting into the room. I was not able to bend my knees much so mostly kept it straight. Came to the room , and settled down. There are other LL patients (Tibia , Femur and Cross) here with full time helping staff. Not much pain but discomfort with the new fixture and general lack of mobility, one has to get use to taking a piss in the urine bottle.
Day 6 : Slowly getting adjusted with my reality, going to toilet with legs hanging down was not a easy experience and it continued for 3-4 days. Physio started soon 2 times a day. Surgeon came to visit and few oral medications ( Antibiotic, Blood thinner, etc.) continued .
Day 7 : My lengthening started at 1mm per day ( you rotate the screw on your own after they show you how to do it 4 times a day quater rotation, reaching 1 mm total by night).
Day 8 - Day 14 : Same process continued, Going to bathroom with the help still , but sitting with legs down became easier. Stiches were removed, wasn't as easy as i though but not unbearable of that sort, I was told that I would feel better after stiches removal so was only thinking about how its going to be better now. Initially did not feel much better but within a day or two. Felt less heavier on my leg.
Day15 : Sleeping still is a major hurdle, only get few hours of sleep in the night and few hours in the morning and noon. Its like I am sleeping in instalments. Sometimes I get pain sensations usually at night when I am unable to sleep. Feel like removing the fixture and getting a good sleep , then convince my self that only a few months of discomfort I have to bear with.
Day16 and Day 17 : After 1cm of lengthening I was taken for X ray , it felt good witnessing the outside after so long. I will try and upload the X ray here . I asked one of the helper to give me some sort of spoonging as it had been long I had taken a bath. Keeping clean is important. Physio continues , one particular exercise calf stretches is damn painful , but I myself told my physio to push through for a better recovery and low chances of ballerina , the also provide you a sandal which you are suppose to wear it avoids your ankle from falling down.
To be continued
Link to my x ray
https://imgur.com/a/gyk92Sk?s=
https://imgur.com/a/NHhIm3D?s=wa
Day 35 : Sorry for the late post was busy with personal job related stuff. Things are going alright , stood up and walked a few days back small steps felt like nothing new tbh but apparently its good for callous formation. I recently pulled my tibialis arterior muscle while stretching 2 days back putting ice pack hope it gets better soon . Counting days when I can remove this frame lol. I have more or less gotten somewhat use to /adapted to the life here. They change/clean/ do dressing of pin side that stings when they do it and also infrequent pain near pain side but nothing super major. Pain sensation happen infrequently but its tolerable i avoid painkillers. here people take painkillers but like i said pain is subjective. Rest everything is going okay I got my X ray at 3mm the actual distarction was around 2.5cm with compression . I will upload the X ray in the coming days . And Post at 50 days mark thats when my nect X ray will also happen.
Day 42 : Hello Folks , My journey is going good, however there is no denying of pin side pain and infrequent leg muscle pain. I wont call it slight discomfort , yet I have tried and stayed away from painkiller. Sleep has somewhat improved relatively but I am waiting for the day i can sleep like a baby. Skin in the feet gets dried up so i moisturize is whenever i can as frequently i am able to and due to lengthening skin of leg has also stretched, giving an a shinny glass like appearance. I stood and walked a bit , standing was not bad but walking was difficult not exactly sue to pain but feeling inside leg was far from normal. I hope it improves soon , my tibialis anterier muscle pain did reduce but while stretching during physio it comes back again due to which i am unable to extend the range of motion putting ice pack for now hope it improves soon. As a suggestion whoever decides for LL do keep your body as flexible aspecially calf ankle and hamstring and skin as elastic as possible so the pin side pain reduces. Hope I don't get much compression in the next X ray. Keeping up the postive mindset and looking forward the day when I can stand tall.
Day 54 : Distraction almost done but not yet, I am planning to go to 5 - 5.3 cm . However In my last XRay due to compression at day 51 I had a measured distraction of 40 mm or 4 cm. Now that was somewhat disappointing because I had mentally prepared myself that this will soon be over. Anyways now I will be in distraction phase for a few more days yet again. My Tibialis Anterior has not yet healed , If i try stretching this muscle pain erupts so I am avoiding it. I am applying ice pack on it, I guess it will heal completely only after the distraction is over. Some degree of ankle tightness has recently emerged usually during the morning, it becomes more relaxed as the day passes. Pin side pain is also an ordeal now, however its tolerable to a large extent except when the pin sides are cleaned which happens weekly here. I am planning to stand for a bit again, but a little worried that it might cause further compression. Yet though standing is known to have benefits like callus formation and ballerina avoidance So i might just take the risk. Counting the last few days and trying to keep myself motivated, its a bit difficult in these last days , I hope I soon get back the motivation to pull through the last days. Sleeping schedule is still no good , i sleep in installments. looking forward to sleeping when this external fixator will be removed. Lets hope for the best.
Day 55 : Intermittent update it's 3:52 am and pin side pain is insane , I have put ice pack again. Tried sleeping to no avail, so started journal hopefully it would distract me. Compression is such a deal breaker , as the final day comes close i feel it gets much harder. I will soon upload my Xray which was taken 5 days back R Leg 40mm/4cm and L 37mm/3.7cm . Hopefully distraction phase will end the coming week. Still pondering if I should go 3mm extra after 5cm well I will think once I achieve 5. Will upload the X ray in the coming days .
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