Quadrilateral Lengthening with Dr. Paley

Hi glenn

Thanks for telling me your story.  I probably missed your diary, so if I have additional questions or comments about your journey, I will write it on your diary.

Good luck! glenn

Hello readers. I am making fantastic progress. I've lengthened 5.5mm so far. My pain is much more manageable and I'm fully independent with one exception.  I need to hire someone to help me work the ERC machine and align it properly 3 times a day.  My boots may be defective so I'm going to speak to the team about their fit do I can get an optimal use from them. Moving from the hospital and into the paley institute is a complete change of culture. The paley employees are all accommodating,kind, knowledgeable and I look forward to each of session. It's time for sleep now so that's all. I usually nap in 3 hour increments throughout the day. Usually between lengthenings. It works great. Have a good one. 

Hi Iamready

It is so great to hear that you are making fantastic progress and your pain is manageable. 
So do you need to wear the boots until you finish lengthening or even consolidation?  What is the purpose of that boots?  kind of support?  Hope you get your boots fixed or changed.

Have a good day!!

I am also 1.65 cm in height that want to add 10cm trough both tibia and femur lengthening. I read in this forum(doesn't remember where but it was pinned thread) that doing all four limbs at the same time will end in a disaster and that most doctors won't even consider this. there is a change that made  Quadrilateral Lengthening less dangerous? there is drawbacks for Quadrilateral Lengthening other than risks and costs?.

those risk are for those who do all for segments during 1 surgery.  my surgeries are scheduled 3.5 weeks apart. 

Quote from: Iamready on November 11, 2015, 07:55:57 PMthose risk are for those who do all for segments during 1 surgery.  my surgeries are scheduled 3.5 weeks apart.

how it goes? one surgery for both femur bones and than one for both tibia bones after 3 weeks?. and after that you lengthen all four bones at the same time?

Yes that's how it works, but it starts with Tibia first because lengthening of the tibia is slower. I would guess the reason Paley does it after 3 weeks I so that when you start lengthening your femurs they rapidly catch up to the tibia's length and therefore both bones could consolidate roughly around the same time to each other.

Quick Update
Today I am 1 cm taller.  Pain is manageable.  I mainly use the pain medicine for night time because the boots are difficult to sleep with and wake me up every hour.

I will post x ray photos soon. 

My father left about a week ago.  I am doing physical therapy with the Paley team Monday-Saturday.  Saturday therapy is extra but I want to do all that is in my power to do this correctly.

I also have a nurse that comes 3 times a day for 1.5 hours.  She stretches me for 1 hour and then spends the rest of the time lengthening me with the ERC machine and cleaning up.  Constipation is an issue.  I won't go into details but I have been to the depths of Dante's Inferno.

Have a nice night all and stay strong and proud,

Hi Iamready

Thanks for the update! Congrats on your achievement of 1 cm taller!  1 cm about  2 weeks seems quite good progress on tibia. Wish you continue this until the end of lengthening.
Sorry for your pain on the constipation. Is this a common problem in cll patients?  Hope it goes away soon.

Take care!

The constipation is a side of effect of pain killers.  I take very little but still, it's enough to make me dread the number 2.