Today, I'm greeted first thing in the morning by a friend's text. "I'm so glad to hear you're better, so are you off your crutches already?"
I cannot tell you how often I get assaulted by this question, "Are you off your crutches yet?" (YES! I'm Oscar the Grouch 
)
What I want to yell at the whole world is - getting off my crutches is not an indication that I've healed! I can walk without crutches if needed (I'll post an old one on Instagram - which looks like I'm auditioning to be in MJ's Thriller music video)...
The laymen's benchmark for recovery is walking without crutches... but we, LL patients are often plagued by further recovery ailments like bones that won't join (non-union), muscle or soft tissue shortness (quads/hamstrings/pelvic/IT bands...), lordosis, scoliosis, muscle atrophy, lifetime hip/knee/joint/back/nerve pains etc. that would not rule out further surgeries required.
I guess what I'm trying to say is... dig a little further beyond getting off one's crutches - to understand how much more time is needed to re-acquire proper walking gait, full bone consolidation, rebuilding muscle mass, pre-LL level athletic ability; not to mention a successful nail removal and full recovery from that too (because even nail removal has its host of complications...)
That said, when contemplating LL surgery, I hope you'll build enough buffer recovery time to overcome the above and more... it's not simply just about getting off your crutches.
It might save you from the 'ideal' timeline that might get perpetually delayed - to return to jobs, loved ones, social life etc. that could result in life-changing consequences.
UNICORN - Dr. Guichet Internal Femurs 8cm - Summer 2016
Im just curious what your ortho will do with your legs. Are they gonna leave 10 cm do a bone graft and them mach the other leg? Or are they gonna short it and mach the shorter leg which you will stop clicking?
Quote from: doomsday on August 19, 2017, 11:39:04 AMIm just curious what your ortho will do with your legs. Are they gonna leave 10 cm do a bone graft and them mach the other leg? Or are they gonna short it and mach the shorter leg which you will stop clicking?
Right now, they want to do a biopsy on my right leg to see what's going on in there. She said while they have me on the operating table, they'll also do a bone graft using my hip bone + cadaver bone chip.
She says she'll try her best to maintain my current length, if possible since she doesn't want to exchange nails yet. Although she has never bridged a gap above 5cm so she says it's very experimental.
However, should I not consolidate after this cursory bone graft, she'll have to go in there again and exchange nails to trauma ones. That'll entail additional reaming of 1mm which could stimulate callus growth and consolidation. While doing this, she'll probably shorten the gap by 1-2cm or more.
She's trying to avoid having to shorten my left leg too which currently stands at about 8.5cm
Hence, we're staring at Aztec's pyramid here in terms of the various steps we have to climb to finally get my right leg gap of 9.8cm to consolidate.
Quote from: Unicorn888 on August 19, 2017, 11:44:39 AMRight now, they want to do a biopsy on my right leg to see what's going on in there. She said while they have me on the operating table, they'll also do a bone graft using my hip bone + cadaver bone chip.
She says she'll try her best to maintain my current length, if possible since she doesn't want to exchange nails yet. Although she has never bridged a gap above 5cm so she says it's very experimental.
However, should I not consolidate after this cursory bone graft, she'll have to go in there again and exchange nails to trauma ones. That'll entail additional reaming of 1mm which could stimulate callus growth and consolidation. While doing this, she'll probably shorten the gap by 1-2cm or more.
She's trying to avoid having to shorten my left leg too which currently stands at about 8.5cm
Hence, we're staring at Aztec's pyramid here in terms of the various steps we have to climb to finally get my right leg gap of 9.8cm to consolidate.
She says that they use Precice specifically to avoid this issue. Because should a lengthened gap not produce sufficient calluses to join together, they'll simply reverse and shorten the gap and wait for further healing.
This reverse mechanism and constant monitoring of calluses joining are exactly what I lacked during my lengthening process.
Not only was my nail non-reversible and unstoppable, my lengthening schedule was left at 1mm+ per day until almost the end when it was reduced to 0.6mm. I got to 7.1cm in approximately 60 days.
In hindsight, I wish I owned my lengthening process better by hounding my doctor more until I get proper answers instead of leaving my fate in his 'capable hands'.
This is my mistake that you should not have to face if you're reading this.
Unicorn888 I'm sorry you have to endure all this pain. I think you could have avoided the disaster using Precise, but how could you have known before surgery? I wish you good luck I sure you will have because you DO go in the right direction
Quote from: Datum on August 20, 2017, 01:14:36 AMUnicorn888 I'm sorry you have to endure all this pain. I think you could have avoided the disaster using Precise, but how could you have known before surgery? I wish you good luck I sure you will have because you DO go in the right direction
Yeah, this is the learn-as-you-go lesson 
I do hope that potential LLers take the time to compare nails, doctors and get second opinions to everything.
And that they will realistically evaluate their personal circumstances like age, gender, race, smoking/non-smoking, tolerance to pain (racheting vs. magnetic), cosmetic surgery insurance, spare finances for complications, support network and even employment situations.
Own your lengthening process, play devil's advocate and don't take a doctor's word as gospel. We have realized that it's the high monetary stakes in the LL business that attract a certain kind of doctor. It's rampant in this industry and par for the course.
Pre-op, I had signed paperwork acknowledging that an LL process could entail further costs and complications; little did I know one year later, I'd be looking at a runaway lengthening with equally painful runaway costs.
I hope things improve for you Unicorn. Run away nails can be disastrous. Did you end up trying Exogen? Your new doctor seems good. Might be worthwhile asking her about Zometa shot. Good luck with everything.
Quote from: EndGame on August 21, 2017, 03:10:05 PMI hope things improve for you Unicorn. Run away nails can be disastrous. Did you end up trying Exogen? Your new doctor seems good. Might be worthwhile asking her about Zometa shot. Good luck with everything.
I know, I'm deathly scared of what lies in the future for me 
Yes, have been doing Exogen since a month now, will have new xrays this Friday.
Thanks for the Zometa suggestion, I'll definitely look into it. It appears to be a bisphosphonate drug and I've been taking Risedronate since a year with little effect.
I've a friend who had an almost miraculous healing from a leg fracture and she's in her 60's. She was treated at a top hospital in China using alternative medicines.
They gave her tien chi/qi (panax notoginseng), not to be confused with any other kinds of ginseng. Apparently it's known for improving vascular health and bone healing... will try too 
Another former LLer recommended AlgaeCal, am trying that now as well
Hi, unicorn.I'm pretty confident you will recover perfectly. Now you're in expert hands, and this the right track toward your improvement.
I will always be grateful to you.
If you didn't bother to share your story, I would have go to that greedy incompetent money-sucker, without knowing the difference between reversible and not-reversible nail (which is a fundamental factor in minimixing risks).
Your generous witness will save many people from an horrible experience.
I thank you and wish you all the best. Please, keep us updated. We're all hoping for your happy ending
How did these accidental clicks happen? I thought you have to twist the leg quite a bit for each click.
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