Precise 2.2 with Dr Debiparshad — June 2021

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Excited for your journey! Best of luck. Are you doing this alone or do you have a support system?

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Quote from: billsmafia on June 16, 2021, 07:34:40 AMExcited for your journey! Best of luck. Are you doing this alone or do you have a support system?

Thanks!

I’m doing the first two weeks alone.  After that I’m staying with family but they are not fully aware of what procedure I’ve had done.

I’ve been extremely independent the first week on my own — dressing myself, taking pills, lengthening, going to the bathroom, etc.  I started with very strong legs and fairly strong arms so I can do transfers etc without help.  I still wish I had come into this even stronger.

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2mm down and about to do today’s first third.  If I can wake up.  I think beyond the narcotics, the lengthening is making my body spend a lot of energy.  I’m sleeping over 16 hours a day.

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Quote from: HobbitMan on June 17, 2021, 06:01:36 PM2mm down and about to do today’s first third.  If I can wake up.  I think beyond the narcotics, the lengthening is making my body spend a lot of energy.  I’m sleeping over 16 hours a day.
Congrats! Make sure you're eating plenty. Protein in all forms will do your muscles and bone good. Good luck man

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Quote from: PerfectBody on June 17, 2021, 06:49:40 PMCongrats! Make sure you're eating plenty. Protein in all forms will do your muscles and bone good. Good luck man

Thanks  . I have to admit I love your profile picture so much, it makes me laugh to think that Shrek is cheering me on hahahaha

Eating is so hard… I think the pain and opioids are causing me to be almost never hungry.  The only protein I can get down easily is protein shakes I’m ordering from local restaurants.  I try to eat some solid chicken or fish and I get exhausted even while chewing.  I’ll make an effort today to eat a solid meal.

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Quote from: HobbitMan on June 17, 2021, 08:30:06 PMEating is so hard… I think the pain and opioids are causing me to be almost never hungry.  The only protein I can get down easily is protein shakes I’m ordering from local restaurants.  I try to eat some solid chicken or fish and I get exhausted even while chewing.  I’ll make an effort today to eat a solid meal.

I had trouble with food too, even at almost 4 weeks post-op. The typical protein shakes were too thick for me and I managed to find clear protein drinks on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B9DYMTX). I think they only have it in two flavors - peach and tropical punch. Tastes like flavored water and each bottle has like 20g of protein. These days Vegas is too hot, so I freeze them and drink them like slushies. Another alternative if you get sick of protein shakes

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Quote from: 156 on June 17, 2021, 11:06:52 PMI had trouble with food too, even at almost 4 weeks post-op. The typical protein shakes were too thick for me and I managed to find clear protein drinks on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B9DYMTX). I think they only have it in two flavors - peach and tropical punch. Tastes like flavored water and each bottle has like 20g of protein. These days Vegas is too hot, so I freeze them and drink them like slushies. Another alternative if you get sick of protein shakes

Thank you so much 156, I ordered some of these to arrive to my home when I fly back, I might even order a small number for now in the meantime

I’ve been consistently lengthening and honestly there is no pain I get from during.  Afterwards I feel a little tightness.  But the big thing is that I just feel exhausted afterwards.  I’ve calculated it.  It’s 7:15pm (19:15 military time) in Las Vegas and I’ve slept 14 of those 19 hours so far today.

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Sleeping as much as I have been is apparently NOT normal.  Ronnie suggested I cap my sleep at around 10 hours a day because that means I spend more time stretching and awake moving.  I’ve been stretching more and my PTA has said I’ve been doing really amazing.  I can use a wheelchair like a pro, I can do transfers easily, I can do 10 kicks per leg, and I can sleep with my hamstrings flat.  I have a feeling that I’m doing a bit above average in recovery.  But I’m also on the max amount of painkillers right now to do it.  I saw people in Dr D’s office who were entirely off painkillers after the first week.  I can’t imagine going off them anytime soon.  I’m in agony for the brief hour or two where the 12-hourly and 6-hourly and 8-hourly Valium are all wearing off at the same time.

70% of the day I am at pain level 1.
20% of the day I am at pain levels 2-4.
10% of the day I am at pain level 6+.  If I do a bad transfer and my knee spins and I almost fall (happened once) I briefly reached a pain level of 9.

My level of optimism is still a 10 though.  It’s never been painful enough for long enough that I’ve ever seriously regretted anything.

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I like your mindset about this surgery, it’s a long process and you will get through it!

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Is it easy for you to use the walker? I'm more or less your size, and I'm terrified about bending the nail because not shifting weight properly