UNICORN - Dr. Guichet Internal Femurs 8cm - Summer 2016

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Quote from: dream_catcher on August 25, 2016, 06:43:30 PMUnicorn888, I'm sorry to hear your bad luck, but I'm glad that you quickly got it out of your mind with your usual humor. Most people would probabky have stopped lengthening in your state. You're really a very tough girl!

I'll leave Milan and go back home in this weekend and I probably will not come to the forum at least for a while. I hope things get better for you. Good luck!

YAY!  Another success story and HAPPY ENDING!  Congrats again Dream_Catcher, it was not easy, but you got to the finishing line!!!! 

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Quote from: SAD on August 26, 2016, 04:35:39 AMUnicorn, I am still unable to understand what caused this "gradual" fracture for you. You're a petite woman (at least pre-op) and I can't imagine how this happened. If you posted x-rays that would be great too.

Also, I have never heard of anyone having to be made to wait for such a long time for the bone to heal and then begin distraction again. What would the risk be if you corrected the alignment, re-inserted a nail and began extending it right away?

Hi SAD,

I'm equally puzzled as you are.  Doc's not being clear, or at least I'm unable to understand him.  I think the fracture began where the eggshell was.  Doc mentioned that he was able to screw 2cm below the eggshell and it should be strong enough.  I didn't suffer any sudden violent event, and I was being reassured many times over that the G nail is fully weight bearing, so I shouldn't be sooo tentative with my every step.

As for the corrective surgery, again, I didn't get a clear answer.   I ordered disks of my xrays but need to convert them (hopefully this weekend) to USB so that I can view'em and post'em.  Apparently, NOT LIKE 2 smurfs on a see-saw (you be the judge!)

I was a pro gymnast as a kid, and for some strange reason, my femurs are very curved, that might have contributed to some physics pressure point ala E=MC2 thingy...    Hence, the mechanical pencil analogy Doc G was trying to demonstrate when I was trying not to faint and fall off his exam bed.

So I get to keep my 3cm gained, the same G nail, and a new pin will go in far away from any fractured site.  I'm very proud to say that I've sufficient surface (read F-A-T), to take on a fresh pin.  I also understand my bones are of the hefty Irish groundskeeper variety, thick, solid and wide enough for birthing quintuplets (will please any mother-in-law).  Nothing demure like the China Doll picture I deceitfully posted...

As for starting to click, he said I had to wait for healing (of what?!) to restart clicking on the left but disproportionate lengths is never an issue as that's the main purpose of LL in the first place.  In the meantime, if I lift my legs or move in a certain angle, I do feel like a sorry sack of bones rattling beneath my thigh where the fracture is.  It's almost like a birthday pinata (just not in the shape of a donkey) and you don't get to hit it with an ugly stick, even if it's your birthday!!!.

And I've to say, it's sooooooo gross, a million times more gross than the Guichet patented 'click' sound!  It feels exactly like when you crack your knuckles... eeeeewwwwww!  But imagine your thighs filled with knuckles ready for your cracking pleasure... blood-curdling.  Or sometimes I feel like Bruce Lee's nunchucks... but that's just between Bruce and I

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Quote from: Slim_tim on August 25, 2016, 07:16:24 PMUnicorn. Could you tell me the complete price for this procedure. It says on Dr.Guichet page that it costs 65.000 Euro. More or less and to have that budget avaliable. I am getting a loan from my bank tomorow. And i need to know the amount i need to take out. Also do the price include staying at his residence. Or do i have to pay for my stay there. Thank you

It depends, where your surgery is, Milan?  I think it's about right.  Not included are all pre-op and post-op tests, accommodation, food, board, transportation, hospital fees for complications, prescriptions, paraphernalia like bike, frames, etc.  It does add up, and the last thing you want is to worry about expenses.  So yes, always prepare for the worse case scenario, ok?

Good luck to you and I admire your brave first step... to a complete life change.

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Hello. I've just registered to the forum. I've been reading the user diaries for a long time, but never  thinking of join the discussions. Lengthening is almost always discussed by males, so it is very refreshing to see a smart woman telling her experience and make me relate more. I'm 21 years girl from Italy. My height is about 150 cm. Many think "why a woman should have problem with height"?Being so small has ruined my childhood and my teenager years, and seriously damaged the confidance and love toward myself. The great fear of people asking my age and being surprised because my height makes me look much younger, has caused me to close myself off and give up to having a social life. It was only about 2 years ago, when I discovered lengthening that I found an hope and confidence never had before. I made so much research and after learning of some bad type of operations, I had the fortune to strumble upon Guichet site and decided he was the right one. The only one to as pre-op training to assure you have sufficient body mass, the only one who does  an operation that doesn't leave you too much scars or force you to stay months blocked on the bed and wheelchair. My main problem now is money. The kind of price Guichet charges are totally out of my dad earnings (my mother is a housemaker). So, i decided I should have to find an activity that could make me money , and as soon as possible. Now it is months that I'm practicing the forex trading; dedicating all my days to improve myself, in order to being able to earn and so paying for operations, training and all the others necessities. But I'm fully aware that, even in the best scenario, it will take a long time before I'm able to do it. Your diary is very important to me, it gives me the aspiration, confidence and hope that I will be at your place, sooner than later. Also, I must to congratulate your great english (that I wish I had) and your great sense of humor. You're clearly a very smart woman. Good luck,and take care.

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Quote from: Annalisa on August 27, 2016, 11:50:24 AMMany think "why a woman should have problem with height"?

Your diary is very important to me, it gives me the aspiration, confidence and hope that I will be at your place, sooner than later. Also, I must to congratulate your great english (that I wish I had) and your great sense of humor. You're clearly a very smart woman. Good luck,and take care.

Dear Annalisa,

And YOU WILL.  Because you will make it happen!

Yes, I never thought that there would be so few women here.  I thought all women aspire to be skinnier, younger, richer and taller?  Oops, I guess I added the taller part myself.   (I want a refund Guichet!)

I know exactly how you feel.  Nobody at work took me seriously especially when seeing clients because it always felt like they were bringing an intern to meetings or the tea lady to take orders   But it's ok, we know being underestimated is 1000x better than being overestimated.  How many times they tell secrets in front of me (the invisible dwarf or the cute harmless hello kitty awwwwwww!).

I used to live in Italy too, 2 years in Florence to learn and eventually cooked in a artisanal tuscan restaurant.  I love how they think I'm a little Japanese intern and will ask me, "Sei capace?" for simple things like peeling potatoes

I used to live in Moscow in the late 90's and I can tell you, I really suffered image issues.  I was as tall as any girl's belly button.  It was sooooo depressing, I refused to go out.  I was always cooped up in the hotel room and even mastered Russian by watching Russian MTV!!!  Everywhere I turned, I felt like an unloved dog (not the cute Taco Bell kind) and taller blonder girls seem to have the most fun (but blonde girls might think Taco Bell is a Mexican telephone company... ouch! )

You're only 21, so you'll have lots of time to save up and encounter many more opportunities to collect the funds for the surgery.  And it sounds like your determination and willpower will get you through.  One of our 'classmates' was 154 when she started and she'll stop at 161.  She's soooooooooo happy even though it cost her 3 months of agony, she's at the end now.  Learning how to walk without crutches, she says she wished she'd known about this 10 years ago.  And I can tell you, she looks like a model as she's very svelte with delicate facial features.

Lastly, don't forget, great things come in small packages.  I used to live in the same building as Natalie Portman in Manhattan, and I PROMISE you, when I bump into her, besides her gloriously beautiful face (far better in person), she looks 12!

So, if you've any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, ok?  I trade too   We women can multi-task, we can grow tall and chew gum at the same time.

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Unicorn, its so funny you lived in the same building as Natalie Portman. I like her a lot. Was she nice?
In general Petite women are so cute. I want to protect them. I like women your old height like Natalie portman herself
I respect you a lot though. You were very brave when you decided to do this surgery to be respected at work. I admire you too.
I hope you are doing well.

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Quote from: SAD on August 26, 2016, 04:35:39 AM
I have never heard of anyone having to be made to wait for such a long time for the bone to heal and then begin distraction again. What would the risk be if you corrected the alignment, re-inserted a nail and began extending it right away?


He can't do it right away. The fracture has to heal. The bone must be stable. Guichet knows what he is doing. In MM case it was different. She was made to wait for more than one year and had several unsuccesful surgeries (surgeon's lack of ability, bad decision taking, hardware problems). In my opinion the difference between the 2 doctors is Guichet knows what he is doing. If not I promise I will apologize to Monegal.

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Quote from: LLuser1 on August 27, 2016, 07:27:29 PMUnicorn, its so funny you lived in the same building as Natalie Portman. I like her a lot. Was she nice?
In general Petite women are so cute. I want to protect them. I like women your old height like Natalie portman herself
I respect you a lot though. You were very brave when you decided to do this surgery to be respected at work. I admire you too.
I hope you are doing well.

Yes, she's very sweet but it's not like we borrow sugar and cry on each other's shoulders   Just extremely pretty!

And no, I'm not doing this for work, I actually quit my job and retired.  I'm really doing this because it's been a childhood dream that could never be realised, no matter how many nights I stayed up** and wished and wished and wished.
** Note to self : Sleeping makes one taller, not staying up wishing to be taller!!! 

I remember that even for my 16th birthday, I wished that I would wake up taller, and of course, I did grow taller...horizontally!   Thanks a lot cake! 

The other thing too is that sometimes it's nice to dedicate some time to oneself.  I never had the time to do any self-improvement anything as I was always so busy, and even through sheer pain now, it's all 100% ABOUT ME, yay!  FOR ONCE!

So yes, I get to be selfish, vain, shallow, superficial, foolhardy... but I am doing something for l'il 'ol me   and that's the start of a journey of self discovery and self love.

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You trade too? Wow! That's another thing we have in common. It's so great to meet somebody who shares the same thoughts, even if only on the web. Can I ask you how old are you? I would be happy to be 160cm, then I could wear high heels. I would  surely being better than I am now. It's incredible you lived in the same building as Natalie Portman She's so beautiful and a great actress. I never thought she looked 12 years old, at least not on the screen.

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Oh, about the questions I have, some of them came to my mind.

I'm not in my best shape. I'm very skinny, but I have a very sedentary life, I spend too much time sitting in front of the pc, so that I have also developed back pain and slow blod circulation. Do you think that, if somebody is not trained to any workout, it will take more than 1 month of pre-op to develop the right conditions for the operation? Also, if one has a back defect such a lordosis, because of the much time spended seated, do you belive the dottor require the problem to be solved first, in oder to start the lengthening?

Finally, what about dental examination? I know it is to prevent bacteria  infections during the operation, but I wonder if I should to go to the dentist to assure I'm caries free and maybe do a dental cleaning.