If u use NSAID I wecommend use a heat pad for the tibia out it on the bone for some time need to keep it potato hot since u recoverin it is good
9/12 - Day 17 (along with notes from other days) -
Yesterday was exhausting. Another post-op appointment and a pre-op COVID test. The test site was on the other side of the hospital and in retrospect I should've asked to be wheeled as what used to be a short 5 minute walk took me 25 mins. Unfortunately the fatigue doesn't really hit me til hours later so I just have keep this experience in mind for the future. Stitches were removed during this appt, yay no more itching. The sutures are still a little sore but I expect that to improve quickly.
On Thursday I found an offsite PT. It turns out she used to work at the hospital and was pretty knowledgeable about LL. I feel pretty lucky finding someone like that by just calling random places.
I haven't walked around unaided since those few steps I took on day 12. Some 2/10 pain continues to occur in the tibia when putting more than half my weight on my right leg, as well as an occasional popping sensation from the fibula fracture. I think I am subconsciously getting good at avoiding putting weight on the leg which is not what I want. I've decided the temporary LLD isn't helping at this point either (about 1cm distraction right now). Gonna try focusing on using that leg more and taking tylenol during the day. The doc says the fibula issue should go away with more distraction.
I'm figuring out tricks to adjusting the fixator. The struts have 13mm adjusters that "click" for every 0.25mm of adjustment. They also have 10mm locknuts. My trick is to keep the locknuts tight which makes the adjusters impossible to use by hand (or accidentally when sleeping), and use the leverage from a 13mm wrench to do the clicks. Saves so much time over loosening/retightening the locknut every time.
The pinsite burning died down quickly with the antibiotic regimen. I'm trying to figure out a dressing technique to prevent the infections in the future, it seems pressure on the skin is key especially near the joint where skin can bunch up.
I got some cramp-like discomfort in my quad muscles after one of the femur distractions. Tried to stretch it but the fixator is in the way of quad stretches for now. Also continuing to lose hamstring flexibility rapidly, touching the ground with that leg is now impossible and I even feel a bit of tightness just trying to straighten the leg while walking. I did figure out how to do deeper hamstring stretches using the leg lifter though. Sitting on hard surfaces continues to be uncomfortable.
More xrays:
Femur coming along
Wedge-like tibia distraction (the correction)
So are u distracting 10cm still or did doc say no
Doc is quite ok with this. I mean you have to remember they're not the ones experiencing the pain here lol. It also doesn't seem problematic in theory, the theory being max 2mm per day nerve stretch. It is effectively just 5cm otherwise. If problems occur he will slow/stop the distraction, like has happened with many others here.
ok I hope it go well and hopefurry you get correction and new height den god bles
Mild tibia pain continues to be my main bottleneck for weightbearing. Maybe things will change when I no longer have a good leg to stand on. Couple nights ago I got some 4/10 tibia pain when I rolled onto my left side in bed, but once the thigh cuff arrives I won't be doing that anyways. I get minor aches from the femur now. Sitting continues to be uncomfortable.
Got some flexibility numbers from my PT, listed at the bottom. Dramatic loss of flexibility just a couple weeks in. On 9/16 I finally started feeling some quad tightness (the fixator was covering up the loss of flexibility there).
9/17 - Day 22 -
Left leg surgery today. Remembered to shave my arms this time for those IVs, along with taking the stool softener last night in an attempt to avert the constipation. Discussed pausing the femur lengthening due to the hamstring tightness with the Doc.
Flexibility loss numbers, left vs right (basically before vs after since left is untouched):
hip extension (less is better for this one) - left: 5°, right: 15°
hip abduction - left: 40°, right: 38°
knee flexion (mostly fixator) - left: ? (arom was 140), right: 120°
hamstrings (less is better): left: 20°, right: 35°
ankle dorsiflexion: left: 12°, right: 8°
How mucho distracted in CM so far sir
Hello dore are you still aiming for 10cm or nah reality hit you
Please dore I beg I'm your biggest fan I want to see you do quadrilaterals 10cm cuz u said it was so easy please dore please tell us update please you r my idol 💖
U said stryde Femurs is walk in the park plz let me know 10cm I believe u you say it walk in the park break leg is walk in the park
I seen you give unsolicited advice to folks here when u havent got this done yourself! How bout you make a plan for urself first?
dore is with a reputed surgeon who knows what hes doing. He will be fine.
@dore ignore this guy.
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