Quote from: CCMidwest on July 21, 2016, 03:28:45 PMYou sound very prepared and organized. Looks like you've done everything possible to be ready!
Good luck to you.
Thanks CCMidWest. Fingers crossed, really. I'm a total geek gal 
Quote from: dream_catcher on July 14, 2016, 09:44:46 AMDr.G actually prescribed aspirin for us to take twice a day since the 10th day after the surgery.
Hi Dream_Catcher,
How are you doing? I got to the bottom of all these blood thinners and aspirin. It's because Doc G doesn't want the bone to fuse/heal too fast. That makes absolutely sense. He also prescribes Xaralto, in case fusion comes too soon.
So depending on how each of our bodies react to broken bones, it's either slow down healing or speed up healing 
How's your rate of fusion? Because I heard that the faster it fuses, the less clicks, the more painful, right? It's counter intuitive... in the beginning, when it's fusing slowly, easier to click more and less pain.
Scaaaaaaaared..........!!! 
Quote from: Unicorn888 on July 22, 2016, 07:41:21 AM
How's your rate of fusion? Because I heard that the faster it fuses, the less clicks, the more painful, right?
Shouldn't we click more if the bone is healing faster? I mean, otherwise it would fuse before you reach your desired height. Right?
Quote from: NoRegrets on July 22, 2016, 07:50:05 AMShouldn't we click more if the bone is healing faster? I mean, otherwise it would fuse before you reach your desired height. Right?
Hi NoRegrets,
I haven't started but I understand that lots of clicking in the beginning, and as one passes 4cm-6cm, clicking slows down and bone is fusing, apparently tighter to click then and can get painful.
I'll definitely share what I do. Did my last workout today. Was coached on using Riser Walking Frames, all Doc G's required exercises and stretches to do at home.
Quote from: Unicorn888 on July 22, 2016, 12:52:04 PMHi NoRegrets,
I haven't started but I understand that lots of clicking in the beginning, and as one passes 4cm-6cm, clicking slows down and bone is fusing, apparently tighter to click then and can get painful.
I'll definitely share what I do. Did my last workout today. Was coached on using Riser Walking Frames, all Doc G's required exercises and stretches to do at home.
Hi you,
Makes sense!
25th july will be a great day for you 
At 9am the morning of July 25th, I got a call from Guichet saying that he didn't have my HIV/serology test results (!!!). I had sent him everything by email, handed him test results when I saw him in person and emailed the entire set of results to his physio, Filippo, as well. I said I had done all his tests and I'll reprint hard copies of everything before surgery and hand it to him AGAIN!
I didn't even know which hospital to go to, Filippo (physio) told me Nottingham Place, so I went at 10am to check in. My name was not on file, they had me wait for an hour while they scrambled around to get me registered. I think paperwork is not Guichet's strong suite. (Princess Grace Hospital has 2 buildings - Nottingham Plc main hospital and 30 Devonshire St which is Guichet's office).
Then, I received another call from Guichet saying that he didn't have my complete payment. I said it was wired last week and he said he didn't see it and that he had to cancel my surgery. I was starting to stress out and called my bank. They couldn't retrieve nor issue a wire transfer receipt/confirmation since I did it online (how stupid is that? who knew?) but wrote me 2 emails confirming that my money has been transferred. Guichet said 2 patients had not paid, so he wasn't taking any chances.
He told me to bring him the balance of £40k in cash to 30 Devonshire St just to hold as deposit, and he will refund me my cash when my wire goes through (he said he cannot accept large sums of cash). But I had already checked into the hospital and had my butt peeking out of my gown by then. Guichet said he had other patients he was seeing before my surgery, and will walk over to confirm my test results and last minute paperwork (really last minute!).
It was already noon, and my surgery was due to start at 2pm. He came and gave me more paperwork to sign and complained that my dental exam was not comprehensive enough etc etc etc. Then he asked me for the cash, and I said I already wired him, I wasn't going to do it twice. He said we had a deal, that I had to bring cash otherwise, he can't trust my word about the wire transfer. I tried showing him my online banking account and the emails HSBC sent me. He went livid and stormed out of the room. He said I should be penalized £10k more for late payments of less than 30 days before surgery.
A few minutes later, Guichet called me from downstairs saying that if I agreed to pay £24k directly to Princess Grace Hospital to cover my hospital stay/surgery/contingency by credit card (which he would normally include in his overall package), he'll take the risk and surgery could proceed (we were missing some £25k). Thank goodness, I was able to charge that amount to my amex without any fuss. It took all of 5 seconds to complete via phone, and imagine how many BA Avios points I'd be collecting with my long legs
He came back again at 2pm saying that he's just finished his consultations and prepping the other 2 candidates for Tue and Wed's surgeries. I'm sure he was missing paperwork for them too. He told me the operating theatre had just been liberated and that they're cleaning now, wished me good luck and that he had my guichet nail in his backpack. I asked him if he had dropped it on the street and any 3 second rule cannot apply!!! He was in a good mood by then. I asked him if he had anything to eat since he was running around like a mad hatter. I was starting to get worried. He said he had a snack!
I took one more betadine scrub shower before walking down to the operating theatre. There I met his anesthetist who told me that Guichet is hyper and thrives on adrenalin. He functions best this way, he said. "The doc is a genius, just wait and see". But I was really stressed out by then, I was just growing numb from the sheer shock of it all (learning how to take long yogic deep breadths would help RIGHT NOW). I asked if the spinal morphine injection was going to hurt and he said he'll give me an IV diazepam to relax me before that happened. All went well, IV went in, diazepam really chilled me out (I felt like I was in Fiji under a coconut tree) and the spinal injection was a mere sting. I also didn't want a catheter and he said they didn't do it unless patients can't pee later.
Wooosh I woke up and it was laaaaate! Around 9pm and everyone's gone or I'm dead...
Quote from: Unicorn888 on July 29, 2016, 01:46:46 PMAt 9am the morning of July 25th, I get a call from Guichet saying that he didn't have my dental exam. I had sent him everything by email, handed him test results when I saw him in person and emailed the entire set of results to his physio, Filippo, as well. I said I've done all his tests and I'll reprint hard copies of everything before surgery and hand it to him AGAIN!
I didn't even know which hospital to go to, Filippo (physio) told me Nottingham Place, so I went at 10am to check in. My name was not on file, they had me wait for an hour while they scrambled around to get me registered. I think paperwork is not Guichet's strong suite.
Then, I get another call from Guichet saying that he didn't have my complete payment. I said it was wired last week and he said he didn't see it and that he had to cancel my surgery. I was starting to stress out and called my bank. They couldn't retrieve nor issue a wire transfer receipt/confirmation since I did it online (how stupid is that? who knew?) but wrote me 2 emails confirming that my money has been transferred. Guichet said 2 patients had not paid, so he wasn't taking any chances.
He told me to bring him the balance of £40k in cash to 30 Devonshire St, and he will refund me my wire when it gets through. But I had already checked into the hospital and had my butt peeking out of my gown by then. By this time, I was starting to panic. He said he had other patients he was seeing before my surgery, and will walk over to confirm my test results and last minute paperwork (really last minute!).
It was already noon, and my surgery was due to start at 2pm. He came and gave me more paperwork to sign and complained that that my dental results were not complete etc etc etc. Then he asked me for the cash, and I said I already wired him. He said we had a deal, that I had to bring cash otherwise, he can't trust my word about the wire transfer. I tried showing him my online banking and the emails HSBC sent me. He went livid and stormed out of the room. Guichet called me from downstairs saying that if I agreed to pay £24k to cover my hospital stay/surgery/contingency by credit card, he'll take the risk and surgery could proceed (we were missing some £30k). Thank goodness, I was able to charge that amount to my amex without any fuss.
He came back again at 2pm saying that he's just finished his consultations and prepping the other 2 candidates for Tue and Wed's surgeries. I'm sure he was missing paperwork for them too. He told me the operating theatre has just been freed and that they're cleaning now, wished me good luck and that he had my guichet nail in his backpack. He was in a good mood by then. I asked him if he had anything to eat since he was running around like the mad hatter. I was starting to get worried. He said he had a snack!
I took one more betadine scrub shower before walking down to the operating theatre. There I met his anesthetist who told me that Guichet is hyper and thrives on adrenalin. He functions best this way, he said. The doc is a genius, just wait and see. But I was really stressed out by then, I was just growing numb from the sheer shock of it all. I asked if the spinal morphine injection was going to hurt and he said he'll give me an IV diazepam to relax me before that happened. All went well, IV went in, diazepam really chilled me out (I felt like I was in Fiji under a coconut tree) and the spinal injection was a mere sting.
Wooosh I woke up and it was laaaaate! Around 9pm and everyone's gone or I'm dead...
You'll be alright
You'll be allright unicorn. He's a good doctor and the best in Europe.
All those paperwork issues are worse in other places I know...
J
When I first returned to my room, I was in great form. The anesthesia made me itchy (or maybe because my skin is sensitive to hard detergent) but I had NO PAIN. I was able to pull both knees to my chest and monkey around. I was ecstatic! It ain't so bad after all, you pussies!
Then as 10pm crept up and the anesthesia wore off, I started feeling heaviness in my leg like you've hiked 12 hrs and tried to lie down, when elephants came and had a grand picnic sitting on your legs, then gradually climaxing to LEGS ON FIRE! I felt every millimetre of nail cast inside my bones, I was crucified! It hurt and I could not hold it in, I started moaning aloud waaay into the night (bad porn style) and nurses gave me rounds after rounds (of 4 hours) of Tramadol 100mg and Codeine drips. I didn't sleep a wink as I couldn't move my body without my femurs erupting and spitting molten lava. Finally, around 6am, I dozed off in exhaustion, only to wake up 60 minutes later.
J+1
I had zero appetite, the painkillers didn't make me nauseous, which is good. 3 bites of breakfast, 5 bites of lunch etc. I was just looking forward to more painkillers and counting down to the end of each 4 hour segment.
Filippo came to visit and tried to get me to do a leg lift on my own, I was howling when he made me move an inch. He said I had to hop on that bike soon or else I'll be in more pain later. I tried, but I couldn't do anything. I was petrified!
Here I am, lying helplessly with 2 broken legs, nails all over my bones, screaming in pain, and I had asked for it. I had no right to complain or even whimper. I spent the day just trying to survive, blankets tugged up to my chin, relishing my pain. I couldn't listen to music nor watch tv. Everything was blurred, by PAIN. I have to say, it is a cathartic feeling in some ways, because a lot of the pain we harbour inside us are not manifested. Hence, opening hell's gate to the haunted basement of my soul is like getting fairy godmother to do some spring cleaning in the deepest darkest me. And soon enough, hopefully, this superficial bone pain will morph into my real ugly pain, and get exorcised! Then I get a reassuring shoulder tap, "miss, you need to pee"
It took me 15 minutes to raise my ass high enough to slip the bedpan under me and about 40 minutes to feel the rush of relief! (it was an Olympian feat and I scored ugh 3.8 for missing half my bedpan). I'm a chick with no male paraphernalia, voila! I've said it. I even used the back of a pen to tickle me privates to see if it would encourage a leak. Beware to all those who unsuspectingly chew on pens! Every tiny movement hurt. I couldn't touch an eyelash without feeling pain shooting down my hips. So I thought, staying ABSOLUTELY still was best. No movement, no pain. It worked and I lolled off gently into the setting sun.
I was suddenly jolted awake by a pair of hands violating my legs. Guichet sidled up from nowhere and yanked my legs HIGH and tugged them against my chest (he reminded me of Dracula). I screamed like I've never screamed before. He then twisted them left and right to click 3 sets for me (within 10 seconds for all 3!!!). Went over to the other side and did the same. Then he said, let me watch you! Arrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhh! I wished I had tears to cry but I was dehydrated from all that porn. I pleaded for my life, "please mister"... and he started screaming, "...You said you were strong willed and determined, and now you're capitulating at the first hurdle!!!". He made me do scissors leg lifts and knee tugs high high in the sky. I hadn't had time to form a tear when he vanished into the hallway, just as he had appeared. No VISITORS AFTER 10PM Mister!
Quote from: Unicorn888 on July 29, 2016, 02:20:34 PMJ
When I first returned to my room, I was in great form. The anesthesia made me itchy (or maybe because my skin is sensitive to hard detergent) but I had NO PAIN. I was able to pull both knees to my chest and monkey around. I was ecstatic! It ain't so bad after all, you pussies!
Then as 10pm crept up and the anesthesia wore off, I started feeling heaviness in my leg like you've hiked 12 hrs and tried to lie down, when elephants came and had a grand picnic sitting on your legs, then gradually climaxing to LEGS ON FIRE! I felt every millimetre of nail cast inside my bones, I was crucified! It hurt and I could not hold it in, I started moaning aloud waaay into the night (bad porn style) and nurses gave me rounds after rounds (of 4 hours) of Tramadol 100mg and Codeine drips. I didn't sleep a wink as I couldn't move my body without my femurs erupting and spitting molten lava. Finally, around 6am, I dozed off in exhaustion and woke up 60 minutes later.
J+1
I had zero appetite, the painkillers didn't make me nauseous, which is good. 3 bites of breakfast, 5 bites of lunch etc. I was just looking forward to more painkillers and counting down to the end of each 4 hour segment.
Filippo came to visit and tried to get me to do a leg lift on my own, I was howling when he made me move an inch. He said I had to hop on that bike soon or else I'll be in more pain later. I tried, but I couldn't do anything. I was petrified!
Here I am, lying helplessly with 2 broken legs, nails all over my bones, screaming in pain, and I had asked for it. I had no right to complain or let loose a whimper. I spent the day just trying to survive, blankets tugged up to my chest, embracing my pain. I couldn't listen to music nor watch tv. Everything was blurred by pain.
Then, the nurse asked me to pee. Another mountainous challenge, took me 15 minutes to raise my ass high enough to slip the bedpan under me and about 40 minutes to feel the rush of relief! (it was an Olympian feat) Every tiny movement hurt. I couldn't touch an eyelash without feeling pain shooting down my hips. So I thought, staying ABSOLULTELY still was best. No movement, no pain. I lolled off gently.
I was suddenly jolted awake by a pair of hands violating my legs. Guichet sidled up from no where and yanked my legs HIGH and tugged them against my chest (he reminded me of Freddie Kruger). I screamed like I've never screamed before. He then twisted them left and right to click them 3 sets for me. Went over to the other side and did the same. Then he said, let me watch you! Arrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhh! I wished I had tears to cry but I was dehydrated from porn acting. I pleaded for my life, "please mister"... and he started screaming, "you said you were strong and capable, and now you're surrendering at the first sign of trouble". He made me do scissors leg lifts and knee tugs high high in the sky. I hadn't had time to form a tear when he disappeared into the hallway.
Well, you forgot to say " Please, be gentle ".
(Just how many times have you edited your post? lol)
Be strong
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