Hey Whereintheworld?. Good to hear you're doing well!
I have a few more questions to you:
Have you stayed in Lecco all this time?
How did you cope with loneliness? Have you met any other LLers? Did you live by yourself?
Good work so far sir,
I have some questions too.
As I am an American also, I'd like to know some more about your experience getting a visa.
What kind of visa is it? Tourist, Business, student, schengen?
I've emailed the team of Pili but they have not responded on this point, only giving me a link to find out on my own. I'm just curious about your experience.
Thanks
-zen
Whereintheworld?,
Thanks for this great diary. I am interested in using the HEF also. Can I ask ... did you experience any pin tract or wire infections during your several months in the frames?
Best to you,
M
How often do you take a shower? Is it tough?
Quote from: randomguy on January 08, 2017, 06:58:09 PMHey Whereintheworld?. Good to hear you're doing well!
I have a few more questions to you:
Have you stayed in Lecco all this time?
How did you cope with loneliness? Have you met any other LLers? Did you live by yourself?
Thank you.
Yes, I lived in Lecco the entire time. When I took all things into consideration, it just seemed easier to stay until the process was finished. Loneliness was not too much of an issue as every day I would have someone bring me food or drop off a few groceries, so it was not total isolation. Plus, the internet really helps a lot in this regard.
I did not meet any other patients, although I saw a few outside of the doctors office a few times when I went for an appointment.
Quote from: Zenithian on January 29, 2017, 08:58:38 AMGood work so far sir,
I have some questions too.
As I am an American also, I'd like to know some more about your experience getting a visa.
What kind of visa is it? Tourist, Business, student, schengen?
I've emailed the team of Pili but they have not responded on this point, only giving me a link to find out on my own. I'm just curious about your experience.
Thanks
-zen
I appreciate it.
As an American, you're allowed a 3 month visa free visit. During this time you can file for an extension with the local police department. As easy as it would have been to do this, I never did (I simply forgot). I'm leaving tomorrow and am hoping for an indifferent customs officer at the airport, although with all of the immigration problems they have here at the moment, I don' think they'll care about me anyway(I'll post how it turns out).
Quote from: M on January 30, 2017, 05:24:57 PMWhereintheworld?,
Thanks for this great diary. I am interested in using the HEF also. Can I ask ... did you experience any pin tract or wire infections during your several months in the frames?
Best to you,
M
Thank you.
During lengthening, I had the sites cleaned every 4 days (3 days in between).
I paid another, separate doctor who actually ended up being my friend, so I don't regret it at all, but you can actually do it yourself if you want to. It may vary with other devices, but with the HEF I would-
-Rub some peroxide around each site
-Rub the disinfectant
-Apply new gauze
The doctor told me at the beginning that I would more than likely get at least one infection- I never did. However, the screw on each leg that went into the 'meatier' part of the leg both flared up once or twice. When this happened, I was instructed to clean those particular sites every other day for a week. After doing this they went back to normal, although they were still a little 'uglier' than the other sites. The pin sites (I may be wrong on my wording, but when I say pin sites I mean the skinny rods that go through to fix the fibula in place, while I say 'screws' to refer to the actual screws/bolts) would occasionally become a little irritated as well, but would return to normal after a few days. This irritation was usually related to the skin around them being tugged too roughly one way or the other.
***If you decide to clean them yourself, I would recommend someone doing it for you the first couple of times to put you at ease. It's not complicated, but can seem a little intimidating when you first start.
Quote from: onemorefoot on February 05, 2017, 07:44:33 PMHow often do you take a shower? Is it tough?
After the first two weeks, I would shower every day.
At the beginning, I would remove the gauze from the pin/screw sites and sit on a plastic chair (make sure it is VERY STURDY!!!). Afterwards, you do not need to do a 'full cleaning' but just squirt peroxide on each site once they have dried.
Occasionally I would get lazy and just wash from the waist up so I didn't get my legs wet.
Thanks
Update (Long Post)
So, the doctors asked me not to mention how early they removed my frames because other patients may read this and insist that their frames should removed early as well. However, I had already posted last month before they asked me not to, so I will not 'officially' say when my frames were removed but will only say that everyone is different. There are cases on this forum of people who have run into major problems because their frames were removed too early and/or they did not listen to their doctors. With all external devices (even HEF), you're signing up for the better part of a year, so do not assume you will get lucky. Your doctor takes no pleasure in having you in frames, he is in fact keeping you in them to make sure you are safe and reach full recovery.
LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR!!!
My frames were removed and I had to wear shin guards (like those used in soccer/football) for 3 weeks. I also had to start using crutches again. This period was probably the most difficult of the entire process. I had been walking unassisted for nearly 3 months, so it was difficult (mentally) to go back to crutches again. However, the time flew by and I met with my doctor this week who gave me the green light.
The doctor said my consolidation was unbelievable, in the top 5% of what he has seen. Much of this may have been genetic, but I will say that the doctor gave me two major instructions when I stopped lengthening.
1. Walk, walk, walk (I did, about 3-5 km everyday)
2. Eat yogurt/ calcium foods (Every day I drank 1 Liter of milk AND ate 500 grams of yogurt)
Again, I'm not sure if this made the difference or not, but I think it definitely helped.
To conclude this post, understand that with external devices you may be in frames for 1 year. Prior to surgery, the doctor told me that it would be anywhere from 9-10 months before my frames would be removed (this is the case with 90% of people).
I got lucky, it's as simple as that. Do not go into this hoping for the best, be mentally/financially prepared for a year.
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