Yellowspike - Dr. Guichet, Internal Femurs, Late 2014

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Quote from: EndGame on April 19, 2016, 01:07:01 AMYellowSpike, thank you for doing your diary.  I hope you manage to avoid a gap in your resume.  I've seen people kinda paper over a gap by only including the years and not the months for the dates on the jobs on their resume.  That's easier to pull off if one is 30+ and has 3+ jobs on the resume.  I don't know if you've experienced being out of work and trying to find a quality job in one's field of choice, but in case you have not I'd mention from my experience it's very stressful, regardless of height.  I think you mentioned potentially wanting to move to a new job anyway, so perhaps a new employer would be flexible on start date and you could get a good 3+ month window.  I'm curious, if you didn't have to contend with limited time for tibia LL, would you want to do more than 3.5-4mm?  Hope whatever path you take, things go smoothly 

Interesting point. I'm in my very early 30s, and I'm on my third major job, but fourth overall (had a short-term gig right out of college). So maybe I could pull off what you just said. My only concern is that it's a lot easier to get a new job (and a better salary)if you have a job. There's the possibility of working from home and I think my current firm offers up to 6 months temporary disability...but I don't know. I don't know what I'd tell people (it's a smaller firm, so everyone kinda knows you, although that was sorta the case at my old firm), and my role is super important and busy. So I just don't know how I'm gonna pull it off.

In response to your question, even if I had more time, I don't think I'd go past 4cm (about 1.5 inches) because I have to worry about proportions. But if I were 5'9" now at least, I'd honestly be happy.

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What is your wingspan?Are you worried about wigspan when you say ''proportions" or just everything included?(siting height,fem/tib,arms etc)

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Quote from: Peaceout on April 19, 2016, 02:41:22 PMWhat is your wingspan?Are you worried about wigspan when you say ''proportions" or just everything included?(siting height,fem/tib,arms etc)

My wingspan is between 172 and 173.

I'm just concerned about torso/legs proportions. Doing a bit on tibias (up to 4cm max) will actually improve my tib/femur proportions (though they look fine now after 7cm on femurs). Now, just have to watch torso/leg proportions. As long as I wear pants that sit below the waist, I look fine when I tuck in my shirt. Another 3-4cm shouldn't alter this too much, but still get me to a height I'm comfortable with. But I likely won't go above 4cm for both recovery time's sake, as well as torso/leg proportions.

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will the screw be inside you forever or you will remove it?

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Quote from: YellowSpike on April 19, 2016, 01:08:25 PMInteresting point. I'm in my very early 30s, and I'm on my third major job, but fourth overall (had a short-term gig right out of college). So maybe I could pull off what you just said. My only concern is that it's a lot easier to get a new job (and a better salary)if you have a job. There's the possibility of working from home and I think my current firm offers up to 6 months temporary disability...but I don't know. I don't know what I'd tell people (it's a smaller firm, so everyone kinda knows you, although that was sorta the case at my old firm), and my role is super important and busy. So I just don't know how I'm gonna pull it off.

In response to your question, even if I had more time, I don't think I'd go past 4cm (about 1.5 inches) because I have to worry about proportions. But if I were 5'9" now at least, I'd honestly be happy.

Thx! Appreciate response. It's tough to use a temporarily disabled option when one is integral to the firm. It certainly will bring up the questions of WHY/WHAT, which few want to answer. I can do that myself and probably will have to, but you brought up a GREAT point, the possibility of working from home. I work on a computer and have some calls throughout the day but telecommuting is what I usually do. How realistic is it to try to work at home or hotel while lengthening? Clearly time off for PT mid day needed, but that's only an hr plus transportation in West Palm. I feel like I could do say 9-5 computer work with 2 hours for stretching in the middle. Cooper did something like that when doing femurs, before the troubles in Spain, working at home during lengthening. Program.dude made it sound like it was too hard to concentrate to work, learn a language, etc. And if you go back to Dr G won't you have like 6 hours of tough daily PT making work really tough while there? Guess I'd like to be able to work but thinking it's really a case by case basis of how much pain you have...?

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Haven't logged in/checked this site in a while. Just wanted to share my thoughts on a few things, as time has been passing.

I've been getting more comfortable with being 5'8". It's of course still not ideal. I still wish I was taller. But...I've been opening myself up more to see other men that I've known (and knew before the surgery)...and I've been seeing that there are several men I know who are below 5'7" who are living great lives. All the things that I want, actually. Yeah, maybe their wives aren't 10s (some are attractive, though), and I know they take sh*t for their height...but they're living their lives and are happy.

I have always been a perfectionist. Unfortunately, perfection really doesn't exist. It is unattainable. And most people that we wished we looked like just won the genetic lottery and were born that way. Yeah, we can exercise and starve ourselves and do surgeries into oblivion...but we'll never be "perfect" like some of these people. It's just not possible. I'm lucky to be solidly above average in looks as well as intelligence and success. And I'm telling myself more and more that that's enough.

I have faith I will eventually recover 100% (including athletic abilities). I've recovered well so far. I may or may not need a bone graft on my left leg. I've upped my intake of Calcium supplements and now only smoke occasionally (although I was only having 1-2 per day, didn't think that'd make such a big difference). And I've been eating very healthy, and physically look the best I ever have. I've been trying to stretch every single day, and that seems to have almost gotten rid of the right knee pain I was having. As of about a month ago (maybe more), I can comfortably touch the floor with the palms of my hands. I had been lazy with stretching for a long time, but try to do it every day now.

I don't regret the surgery one bit. I think I needed to do it. I always hated my height with a passion. And getting through the ordeal I think made me stronger and more appreciative of the little things. But I will say...I feel sort of bamboozled by certain diaries (ShyShy comes to mind). Nothing on him in particular or anyone...but certain diaries that make it seems like you can do this surgery and recover overnight (including running/sports, etc.) I feel are kind of lying. Granted...I had to work right after I ended lengthening, and all that sitting I'm sure set me back (and I did make all the effort I could to re-learn walking and such). But this sh*t takes forever, and there is sort of a "Pandora's Box" element to LL. You can be as healthy as a young spring chicken...but that does not guarantee you a complication-free ride. Femurs are supposedly usually fine, and I might need a left bone graft (not sure if I do, yet, have to wait it out a bit). I stopped smoking before the surgery and went back to having 1-2 a day last summer. I don't believe that's what did it (Dr. Rozbruch said ratcheting rods are particularly rough on healing). But on all accounts, I was a healthy and relatively young guy when I did this.

Aside from the left screw pain (which will go away once I get the screws out - might tie this in with the bone graft, if I need it), the possibility of a left leg bone graft (remains to be seen) and just general muscle tightness (which has made great strides, my walking feels pretty much effortless and free now - jogging isn't bad either), I am totally fine. I have no real pain aside from the left screw, and my right knee pain is virtually gone now. I don't regret this. My proportions are fine (especially now that my quads are nice and muscular again), and no one has ever commented on them. Obviously my proportions are less than perfect (duh), but when you're below 5'7"...the pros of being a little taller I think do outweigh the cons.

Even though I am confident I'll eventually fully recover from this, I'm not sure tibias are in the cards for me. After the rods come out/possible bone graft, I want to be done with this sh*t. There comes a point where you just have to make efforts to choose to be happy. And I am working on that. I am getting more comfortable with 5'8" as my final height. It will likely continue to be a struggle, but it has been getting easier. There's more to life than this sh*t. I have to see how I feel when the rods come out and where I'm at with my life. But no longer am I in the mindset of "I'm definitely doing this" with tibs.

And let me tell you - no matter what the "successful" diaries tell you...recovery from this (while definitely possible) takes a lot longer than you are lead to believe. And while you're recovering...it's hard to live all facets of your life completely normally. LL and minor complications (like my left screw pain issue) become like these annoying mosquitos that won't leave you alone. You can live your life...but these things can weigh on you after a while.

I still think the world of Dr. G and recommend this surgery, especially if you're below 5'7" and do it with a great doctor. But do not expect a ShyShy-like recovery. I think he (and others who have supposedly recovered "overnight") just got really, really lucky. I know he worked very hard (I did too), but he is not the norm. Expect that you will likely not be completely normal for (flexibility, running, general pain/tightness, etc.) around 2 years out, if not more.

Sorry in advance if I don't respond to any PMs or posts. Trying to avoid this site as much as possible. Happened to see a few recent posts, and just thought I'd weigh in. Just my thoughts for now. If you do this, think very, very carefully about the recovery.

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Hey Yellowspike,

good to see you're still posting! Although you want to avoid that forum for "us" it's extremely helpful to have someone stay around, at least occasionally.

And of course i have a question for you:
Did you have any longterm side effect from medication or the trauma of surgery? something like the loss of sexual function or libido for example?

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glad to hear you're doing well yellow!  If you can live a happy life without having to go through another LL on your tibias then that's great.  you've already accomplished so much.

completely agree on what you've said about recovery. the whole journey takes way longer than just a few months and most people underestimate how long it really takes (myself included).

If it's not too much trouble, could you elaborate on needing a bone graft?  Is it because the bone on your left leg is not fully fused all around or is it fused and the consolidation/density of the new bone isn't good enough?  Would really appreciate it just so I know what to look out for in my own xrays...

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Hi Yellowspike

Thank you very much for your diary. I am a similar starting height to you and am very excited about potentially being 5ft8(I've always wanted to be atleast 5ft7). Your diary has really given me a better idea of what to expect, Thank you.

Perfectionism is a serious a problems and is something I have suffered from.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Imperfectionist-Self-Acceptance-Perfectionism/dp/0996435409/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465333232&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+be+an+imperfectionist

This book helped me a lot with understanding perfectionism and the potential issues that arise due to it. One thing it mentioned is sort of "number perfectionism" where people get obsessed with being a certain height or weight and how to deal with this.

Check it out

2 years of not getting back to normal doesn't sound great.

I am getting it in London like you, any London related advise for me?

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I was fortunate to have been able to meet Yellowspike a couple months ago.  I can tell you that his walking looked perfectly normal.  His proportions were definitely in a normal range. 

YS, I am glad that you are getting close to accepting your current height.  But if not I'll be ready to do LL with you next year bro