After the initial discharge news, I thought, I need not use the toilet here, and instead go home and be at peace. But, after it is postponed, its finally time to go to the toilet. I was sure I cannot walk to the toilet. Getting a wheel chair was out of question without support from Nurses or ward boys. So, we waited for everyone to sleep, so nurses would be done with their duty and will not disturb us. Then I sent itzRammi to check if the path is clear, we waited for around an hour to make sure no one is watching. Then I got up, sat on the edge of the bed. itzRammi brought a wooden chair near me. That was my vehicle for the day. I was worried if there will be any noise, so itzRammi sat on the chair, and I pushed it to check its noise level. It was well with in the limits, so with his help, I slowly sat in the chair. Now itzRammi pushed the chair slowly across the room. It was making a lot of squeaking noise, but we pushed it anyway. Then opened the toilet door, and pushed it in. We realized the chair has a handle, so I cant just slide across onto the commode, and due to limited space, I have to almost stand up and turn and sit down on the commode. It took some time to figure out how to do it, after a lot of planning, and considering all the angles, and support I will require in the future steps, we calculated a optimum solution, and using his shoulder and chair handle as supports, I successfully sat on the commode safely. It felt as the best moment of my life after the surgery. I was so happy. I cleaned up myself; there was a lot of betadine all over my thighs and legs from surgery. And after everything, I called itzRammi from my phone, and he came back and helped me back into the chair. When we opened the toilet door, our neighbor was standing outside, and he was looking at us like we are two weird people, doing a stunt. But he stood there and held the door open, and waited till we reached the bed. Then I got into bed, and was so relieved.. The toilet was hardly 7 steps away, but I had to do all this just to reach it. I was determined to learn walking asap and be independent.
I had backache whole day possibly due to wrong bed position, or lying in same position all day. I realized that and changed the bed position often, using the remote, so the backache reduced.
I had a sound sleep that night. No pain .
Phoenix.. Rising !! External Tibias with TSF Frames @ Dr. Dhawan, New Delhi
Fourth day (19th April), today physio came in the morning, After my toilet episode yesterday, I was so desperate to be independent ASAP. So, I brought up all my energy, and courage, and I actually asked him to make me walk till the toilet, and instructed him not to support me unless needed. I want to do it on my own. That was in a way my measure for freedom and independence. I was surprised when I actually did reach the toilet, with no one supporting me. He was just standing beside me to catch me just in case I couldn’t hold myself. I came back, and sat down on the bed.
I learnt the technique to properly support myself and distribute weight between my hands and legs, to walk properly. I didn’t really get it yesterday when they were trying to teach me. But, once I really wanted to do it, I miraculously know how to do it. It did use up all my energy, but I was so happy, I didn’t really feel that helpless feeling I got yesterday after walking.
I spent almost the whole day sleeping. Nurses were disturbing me in the sleep every now and then, giving me salines, injections, and what not. But, I kept sleeping nothing can disturb me today. I was getting all kinds of weird dreams, mostly I am very powerful in those dreams with some kinds of super powers. I accept, I watch a lot of sci-fi and fantasy movies, but I never usually get such dreams where I am the hero. I think its mostly my mind trying to console itself and come out of the helpless feeling it is in. It is nature’s way of at least giving me false hope.
itzRammi was sleeping whole day too, he was tired and exhausted. He had to be there with me all day, and also do all the other tasks outside, when I was just lying on bed sleeping or watching TV.
Fifth Day (20th April), I went to take X-Ray in the morning. Dr. Dhawan came there and helped us take the X-Rays in the proper format, as they will be used to calculate the exact distraction sheet. Later we spent the whole day paying hospital bills and waiting to get discharged. But, as the X-Ray got delayed and we already had to pay that day’s charges too, so on doctor’s advise, we decided to get discharged on the next day.
Sixth Day (21st April), we realized that doctor has added TSF frame cost to the hospital bill, and the final bill came to Rs 9.5Lakhs. That was 3 Lakhs more than that was informed by the doctor. I am sure paid everything and finalized in the morning. Once we got a go ahead for discharge from finance department, we booked an ambulance, to go home. Coming out of the hospital felt so awesome. When we reached home, it was difficult to carry the stretcher inside the house. But, ambulance driver, itzrammi, my house owners helped in carrying me inside and dumped me on the bed.
I felt so happy being at home finally.
itzRammi, the man whom I can’t thank enough. He is a good person, a friend and my LL Brother. He was there with me when I needed a person the most in my life. When I started my LL journey, I was alone, there was no one to share my issues with. I somehow contacted him in this forum, and I need to thank this forum for that. He was kind enough to share his contact number, listen to my problems, and then guide me in the right direction. He is a veteran on LL, he knows a lot of stuff, and that helped me a lot. When I came to delhi, he met me, took me around the city, helped me in setting up my apartment, he was there through out my surgery, 7 whole days in hospital with me.
He did everything a family could do to someone in a hospital. He was even ready to donate his blood for me if needed during surgery. He helped me set up my food tray everyday, he helped me position my ankle properly in times when they used to get stuck in weird positions, and I could not move them. He helped me in going to the toilet, when the whole hospital staff was not willing to help. He collected the information of all the medicines the nurses were giving me, googled them, and used to tell me what they were for. He used to make me forget the pain by being funny and giving me company. He literally wrote a diary of my day-to-day activities in a book, so that it would be easy for me to remember when I am writing a diary on this forum. He is the one who is making sure I write this diary by reminding me regularly. Even after coming back from hospital, he helped me for 10 more days at my apartment, before moving out of the city for his personal work. Even after, he keeps calling me, to know how my pain is, how I am handling things, if I am taking medicines etc. and gives me any tips that can help me.
He did everything I could ask for at this time of my life and more. I was literally begging him to stop being that good to me, as every passing day, I was going into his debt, which I am sure, I will never be able to repay.
I am just happy I found a good friend for life..!!
I did not make this post to idolize some one, or to show my respect towards itzRammi. I am posting this to show how much we can help each other as a group and how helpful this forum can be in our life, especially during LL phase. My special thanks to the admin and moderators of this forum for creating this platform.
Informative and a awesome start to your diary!
I'm surprised that the TSF only cost you around $15K.
I might be in India mid-2015 to consult both Dr.Dhawan and Dr.Parihar for external tibias. However I'm still undecided whether I want another surgery.
It's nice to read that Itzrammi has been helping you during the process.
Anyway, thanks for sharing the first Dr.Dhawan diary and I wish you all the best in achieving your target.
Thank you TRS.
The surgery cost depends on a lot of factors. Dr. Dhawan did not give me any standard package. I just got admitted in the hospital, and all the charges summed up to that amount. So, it will change depending on the type of room you choose, number of days you are in hospital and number of visits a doctor makes to your bed per day, physiotherapy, and if you are a Indian citizen or a foreign national. But, whatever, the final tally will be plus or minus $2k I suppose.
If possible, let me know when you come to Delhi.
Great start to your diary, Phoenix. That's pretty cool that you were able to get TSF's at that price. If you were to go with the hexapod it might have been around $10,000 but TSF's seem to be more sturdy for weight bearing. Dr Parihar didn't have any TSF's when I was there, although he's used them before when friends of his in the UK donated some to him. I suppose that's the benefit of having your surgery done in a large public hospital like Sir Ganga Ram instead of a small private hospital like Mangal Anand.
How often do you see Dr Dhawan for followups? And when you see him, do you do so at his private clinic or at Sir Ganga Ram? I'm assuming you've started distraction now. Are you going at a rate of .75 mm per day or 1 mm per day?
It would be cool to see some pictures of your apartment or the hospital and x-rays if you have any. You're sure saving a lot of money by getting an apartment to stay in. $300 a month sure beats the close to $1500 a month I spent on the hotel in Mumbai lol.
I need to thank you KiloKahn.. Your diary was the inspiration. Without that I might not have dared to do LL in India!!
Dr. Dhawan seems to have directly got the TSF frames from the company. Before surgery, he told me he was discussing with the manufacturers to get me the exact quote. And as my legs were thin, I requested for smaller frames, and he got me smaller 155mm frames, which are good for me.
I saw Dr. Dhawan 15 days after my discharge, when I went to take my X-Rays. He asked me to come back after around 10 days. So, the frequency of visit is every 10 to 15 days. And, as I took my apartment near Sir Gangaram Hospital, I go there for consultation. I never visited his private clinic.
I am distracting at 1mm per day. I started it on April 26th. so I am 1 cm taller already 
Pain is bearable till now. I am not taking pain killers from a week. Having physiotherapy everyday, so that might be helping too. Not sure how long I can keep that up..
Sure, I have some pictures, I will post in a few days.
Delhi is cheaper than Mumbai any day.. But, the key is, I stayed here for 20 days before surgery, and I checked hotel and apartment rates, and took the decision.
For my Apartment, Rent, other expenses, grocery, maid etc., together cost me around $500 per month
When I checked Hotel stay, they offered me Rs 25000 per month, and Rs 9000 for food, which comes to around $600 per month.
Not a big difference, But, as I will stay here for 8 to 9 months, I felt apartment is better, feels like home!!
Quote from: KiloKAHN on May 08, 2015, 06:33:33 PMGreat start to your diary, Phoenix. That's pretty cool that you were able to get TSF's at that price. If you were to go with the hexapod it might have been around $10,000 but TSF's seem to be more sturdy for weight bearing. Dr Parihar didn't have any TSF's when I was there, although he's used them before when friends of his in the UK donated some to him. I suppose that's the benefit of having your surgery done in a large public hospital like Sir Ganga Ram instead of a small private hospital like Mangal Anand.
How often do you see Dr Dhawan for followups? And when you see him, do you do so at his private clinic or at Sir Ganga Ram? I'm assuming you've started distraction now. Are you going at a rate of .75 mm per day or 1 mm per day?
It would be cool to see some pictures of your apartment or the hospital and x-rays if you have any. You're sure saving a lot of money by getting an apartment to stay in. $300 a month sure beats the close to $1500 a month I spent on the hotel in Mumbai lol.
God Bless You Son 
lol 
I actually need to be more thankful to you now I don't fear even a bit to undergo LL , They are really so proud moments to me you trusted me a lot from the day we met tbh I felt myself so special and happy to help an LL Legend , I have never wondered i would meet up with an LL aspirant so quick but it's you who made my dream come true 
and happy to say that I have got a chance to visit Delhi again in the next week yay HIP HIP HURRAAAAH we're meeting again !!
Me after 20 years :: Phoenix has been acknowledged as a legend in my lifetime.
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