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[fujitora]

This is awesome news!
I'm only one inch taller and it already feels great, 2 inches must feel like day and night. But I imagine you're probably used to it already after all this time.
I'll have to wear one of my monorail fixators for another 2-3 month (4,5 month in total). I think I could never live one year in frames.
So you have my respect.

Enjoy your new height and hopefully new life, you have earned it!

Hey Chris, Thanks man. Hang in there buddy. I've read your diary and I can assure you that you have the right mind set to take this journey. I'm sure you'll pull it off and that day is not for long.
As per 2 inch gain, I don't notice it because I haven't been around anyone who were part of my past life. I've been living in a cave (isolation) since I started this journey. I'll have to wait until I meet them to truly notice some difference.

Congrats man! Enjoy new height!

Hey, Thanks Buddy.

[Asdfgh]

Wow.. I was reading your posts and great that you are finally normal without any fixaters. How do you feel about your new height, doe's 5cm make you feel better now? I m also an indian with 160cm height, planning to have my surgery soon with DR suhas shah in Mumbai. Can you give me any suggestions about the doctor if you know please? Wish you all the best and success in your life!

[fujitora]

Expectations for those who're considering India for this surgery::

Here are some suggestions for those who cannot afford the top tier orthopedic surgeons and decide to come to India for this surgery.

Disclaimer:
All the information that I shared below are based on my personal experiences and I don't intend to speak ill of anyone. My only intent in writing this post is to enlighten prospective LL'ers  to have the right expectation when they come here.

• Don’t rely on your doctor completely. It's fair to expect him/her to perform the surgery well, but after that you’re mostly on your own.
• Be prepared to face people (hospital staff, patients etc.) who would come to know that you broke your legs for height increase. Doctors here don’t understand what privacy means. They take your pictures and share your personal details without your consent. I told my doctor multiple times to not tell anyone about my height increase thing and to refrain from taking pictures, but he just doesn’t care. To make things worse, sometimes he just used to talk openly in the reception in front of all the patients, and boast proudly that he increased my height by 2 inches. He doesn’t see how embarrassing it is, so be prepared to deal with it. When his patients knew this, some of them used to frown on me and few others used to give me moral lectures. Man, this was the toughest.
                          It happened with couple of other doctors too, they were trying to take pictures during my consultation. I had to politely yet assertively reject such attempts. Discuss this with your doctor beforehand so that you don’t have to deal with such nonsense.
• Be well informed on how to handle issues and complications that can arise during this journey, particularly about physiotherapy and lifestyle. Speaking to fellow LL’ers on the forum will definitely help a lot in this aspect. If possible, stay in touch with someone because you never know what issue would arise. I owe much of my success to the kind folks who shared their experience on this forum.
• Improve your arm strength. You should be able to carry your entire body weight on your arms - you can check this on your bed, rest your palm on the bed and lift your body in the air. If you can do this, you have enough strength for this surgery.
• Be prepared to have verbal confrontation if needed. You may have to fight for basic things which are otherwise your right. This is needed when you don’t get a logical response from your doctor or anyone in his/her team. For E.g. when they say things like “Don’t worry”, “Everything will be alright”, “Let us do our job”.
        Make sure they tell you everything before they do something to you. Also, some of the folks who work under doctors are so unprofessional and have bad bed side manners. They might irritate you by giving moral advices, or not treating you properly when you really need them, or when they yell/shout at you for asking questions, they might me speaking on the phone while inserting needle inside your body, or laugh out loudly and crack jokes during the operation. These things might look exaggerated but unfortunately these are unofficially accepted norms and a way of life in India.
• Be prepared to wait for hours during consultations. Usually, when I used to go for check-ups, I had to wait for 2 hours. Some doctors were kind enough to give you special consideration, based on your situation.
• Be prepared to wait for hours for medical reports like X-Rays, blood tests etc.
• The doctors that I met were used to dealing with local folks who’re not that tech savvy. So when you meet them, tell them about the forum and that you’ll be posting everything on the forum. This will most likely improve the quality of your consultation and treatment. It’s like telling them “Don’t screw me. If not, I’ll write a bad review about you on a popular forum”. It also means “Treat me well, and I’ll make sure everyone knows about you”. In India, you’ll find a doctor across every street. So online reviews are considered very precious to distill out the quality ones. So you can use it as a tool to get quality service.
• Stay active, not passive. E.g. Don’t expect the doctor to call you and ask how you’re doing, or do anything extra that benefits you. You have to take the initiative about your condition and discuss any anomalies with your doctor. Doctors here are used to the phrase “everything is alright” just to avoid additional work. Sometimes they say “It’s not necessary”, which means they’re too lazy to do it even though it benefits you. E.g. I had a shattered piece of bone in my right leg. I begged multiple times to fix it with a screw. He never did it, because of which I had to spend 45 days more on these bulky frames. So be prepared to fight with your doctor when they neglect you.
• Be wary of the air pollution in India. If you intend to stay long, I would advise to get an air purifier.
• Crowd roads and hospitals.
• People staring at foreigners and guys who have metal rings around their legs
• If possible, avoid being the nice guy or kind guy. Kindness is generally perceived as weakness here. Be clear of your agenda before having discussion with doctors, and don't let them manipulate you. Be assertive, loud and clear in your conversations
• Last but not the least, if you want to know how you would feel after the surgery try these things. Wear 10-15 kgs ankle weights on each leg and try to stand up and walk. This gives you a physical perspective of your legs after LL, when you just start to walk (which was 9 months post op for me). To get a psychological perspective, spend an entire day in a wheelchair without putting any weight on your legs. This includes brushing your teeth, going to toilet, taking shower, getting into a cab, going to hospital (you can go to your friend’s house to simulate the feel) etc. I’m sure the experience would be surreal and might make you think twice before you do this surgery.

All the best!

[fujitora]

Wow.. I was reading your posts and great that you are finally normal without any fixaters. How do you feel about your new height, doe's 5cm make you feel better now? I m also an indian with 160cm height, planning to have my surgery soon with DR suhas shah in Mumbai. Can you give me any suggestions about the doctor if you know please? Wish you all the best and success in your life!

Hey, Thanks buddy. I don't know much about Suhas Shah. But if you can afford him and cost of living in mumbai, I would go to Parihar. All the best.

[alps]

fujitora's had it tough, but made it through!

I just hope his experiences with doctors aren't representative of all doctors in India. Accepting a cosmetic patient and then disagreeing with the motive behind the surgery is pure nonsense.

What everyone wants to know if it was all worth it for you, though

[682]

Fujitora, thank you for sharing your experience with great detail, it truly is appreciated.

Your advice on what to expect for those considering the procedure in India is honest and ought to be read by any prospective patient considering going there, personally, if I were to consider undergoing the procedure, your information on what to expect would be enough to make me rule out India entirely as an option whereas others may not. I appreciate that you have provided clear cut and in depth answers of what to expect to inform prospective patients and then leave it to those who have read it to do what they wish with that information, to make an informed decision rather than personal recommendation or condemnation with no elaboration as to why.

[Body Builder]

So in a few words, avoid India at all costs.
It is obviously the worst country for anyone to do LL. After all we are doing this to become taller, not cripples due to irresponsible and incapable doctors.
And the strong majority of LL'ers who had terrible results came from India.

Fujitora you had a tough LL journey but you did it.
Keep strong!

[fujitora]

fujitora's had it tough, but made it through!

I just hope his experiences with doctors aren't representative of all doctors in India. Accepting a cosmetic patient and then disagreeing with the motive behind the surgery is pure nonsense.

What everyone wants to know if it was all worth it for you, though

Yes man. I took my first step yesterday with crutches. I could feel the strength and was confident that I can walk without support. However, I didn't want to rush. I'll wait for couple more days and then start taking full weight. I'll let you know once I go back to my previous life if it's all worth it or not.

Fujitora, thank you for sharing your experience with great detail, it truly is appreciated.

Your advice on what to expect for those considering the procedure in India is honest and ought to be read by any prospective patient considering going there, personally, if I were to consider undergoing the procedure, your information on what to expect would be enough to make me rule out India entirely as an option whereas others may not. I appreciate that you have provided clear cut and in depth answers of what to expect to inform prospective patients and then leave it to those who have read it to do what they wish with that information, to make an informed decision rather than personal recommendation or condemnation with no elaboration as to why.

Thanks man. I made this post in the right spirit and you couldn't have said it better.

So in a few words, avoid India at all costs.
It is obviously the worst country for anyone to do LL. After all we are doing this to become taller, not cripples due to irresponsible and incapable doctors.
And the strong majority of LL'ers who had terrible results came from India.

Fujitora you had a tough LL journey but you did it.
Keep strong!

Thanks Man. I completely agree that India is not an ideal option for this journey, especially for westerners. However, I'm pretty sure that many would still consider it, in spite of all the warnings.  The pricing and cost of living here makes it very enticing. The post I made is dedicated for those.

[fujitora]

Back to regular life, Things are not as wonderful as I had expected

Hi, I went back home and got to meet my family and few very close friends. This might sound unbelievable but none of them have noticed that my height is increased. In fact, unless I stand very close to them, I don't notice it either. I left markings in my room before I began this journey. I now stood at the same place and cross checked. The difference is so small, it's barely visible. I went out shopping today with one of my friend who is 5'2" (an inch shorter than my old height) and he has not mentioned even once that I look a bit taller now. I felt little sad that my 1 year effort is worth nothing. I wanted someone to notice so that I can satisfy my ego. For those of you who asked me in the past if this journey is worth it, I would say it isn't for 5 cm gain. It's barely noticeable and the price you pay and the risk you take would be absurdly high to justify the gain.

What stands out more is the fact that I'm walking slowly and carefully, and the braces that I wear inside my trousers. I told them that I got into an accident and they believed it. They don't even doubt that I did something like LL because my height gain is not noticeable. Honestly, I don't even know how to react at this point. Should I be happy that they don't suspect that I did LL, or should I be pissed that my height gain is not evident ?

[TIBIKE200]

How tall is 165cm in india?


 And that sound strange as 5cm is an evident difference... Maybe you didn't gain 5cm?

[google42]

Back to regular life, Things are not as wonderful as I had expected

Hi, I went back home and got to meet my family and few very close friends. This might sound unbelievable but none of them have noticed that my height is increased. In fact, unless I stand very close to them, I don't notice it either. I left markings in my room before I began this journey. I now stood at the same place and cross checked. The difference is so small, it's barely visible. I went out shopping today with one of my friend who is 5'2" (an inch shorter than my old height) and he has not mentioned even once that I look a bit taller now. I felt little sad that my 1 year effort is worth nothing. I wanted someone to notice so that I can satisfy my ego. For those of you who asked me in the past if this journey is worth it, I would say it isn't for 5 cm gain. It's barely noticeable and the price you pay and the risk you take would be absurdly high to justify the gain.

What stands out more is the fact that I'm walking slowly and carefully, and the braces that I wear inside my trousers. I told them that I got into an accident and they believed it. They don't even doubt that I did something like LL because my height gain is not noticeable. Honestly, I don't even know how to react at this point. Should I be happy that they don't suspect that I did LL, or should I be pissed that my height gain is not evident ?

well you did this for your self right? be glad that people don't know about your leg lengthening and just because they don't say anything about it doesn't mean that they don't notice anything at all. I bet they do notice something.

I think doing something like 7-8 cm would be worth it.

[fujitora]

How tall is 165cm in india?


 And that sound strange as 5cm is an evident difference... Maybe you didn't gain 5cm?

India has quite diverse demographics in terms of height. But where I stay, 165 is pretty average. Most men here are around 162 - 170 cm.\

I'm starting to suspect if I haven't gained 5 cm. I checked my height in Delhi before leaving and it was good. I would have to check here again to see if anything has changed.

well you did this for your self right? be glad that people don't know about your leg lengthening and just because they don't say anything about it doesn't mean that they don't notice anything at all. I bet they do notice something.

I think doing something like 7-8 cm would be worth it.

I don't know man. I've gone through quite a bit of complications, including ballerina in my left leg. So 7-8 would have been impossible for me. Right now, I'm on high and my feeling haven't settled. Perhaps I need to take more time and let these thoughts settle.

[TIBIKE200]

I am saying it is evident because when I wore for the first time an inch insole in my boots, everyone noticed

[Chris]

Don't be sad, Fujitora
I'm very positive that nobody has noticed your new height, or isn't sure about it, because you were gone for almost an entire year!
I was lengthening at home and my peers met me again after 2-3 month.
As you probably know, I could only lengthen one inch, and the shorter people instantly noticed the difference in my height, whether they knew about my LL or not.
Some time before my surgery, I met a friend again whom I hadn't seen for like two or so month and he than said something like "I thought you were taller", ouch!
That hurt, but it also showed to me that many people can't remember ones real height because they have the blessing to not have to think about height in their daily life.
So again, don't be sad. It was worth it! Don't let your experiences fool you.
Depending on where you live, you're probably taller than the short girls now (1st win) and one step closer to getting more respect from other males (2nd win 50%).

[onemorefoot]

Maybe you have experimented subsidence. I know for sure according ti Many diaries that you can lose like .5-1 cm after the removal of the fixators, that is the reason why is recommended overlengthening to your goal. Dr Franz give us an explanation about that thing.

[Body Builder]

Fujitora 2 inches is a good gain but for me it is the limit where you worth to do LL or not.
I keep telling people here that lengthenings like 3cm is a joke and don't worth at all the money, the risks and the pain of LL but there are still people here who think that even so small amounts will make a difference.
They won't.

That said, I think that 2 inches make a visible difference, not much but still it worths to do LL for it. But not less than that.
Maybe you are still shorter from the men of your family and your friends and thats why they haven't seen the difference.
If you were about the same height before LL, I'm sure they would have understood this difference.

But the think that you should only care about is if you are happy with your new height. If yes then nothing else matters. If no, maybe you should think about a femur LL too and go for 6-7cms more.
Everything its up to you.

Keep strong !

[Chris]

there are still people here who think that even so small amounts will make a difference.

Regarding that, I reckon that everyone is talking past each other.
A visible difference in ones height and a difference in ones life seem to be confused a lot.
For instance, 2-3cm is not really worth the money, time, pain ect. and it is not a life-changer but the difference in height is proven to be visible.
4-5cm is more worth the money, time, ect. and it may be a life-changer, depending on how tall you were before. The difference in height will be more visible of course.
>5cm is even more worth the money, time ect., but it is not that save anymore, problems with proportions and bio-mechanics can be expected.
Then a second surgery is advisable which can make 2-3cm in one segment worth the money time and pain again.

[fujitora]

I am saying it is evident because when I wore for the first time an inch insole in my boots, everyone noticed

@TIBIKE200 - Yeah, I always had strong feeling that 5 cm should be evident. May be it is evident but no one chose to comment because I'm already limping a bit. Or I might have lost some height due to subsidence. I would have to check my height again to be certain.

Don't be sad, Fujitora
I'm very positive that nobody has noticed your new height, or isn't sure about it, because you were gone for almost an entire year!
I was lengthening at home and my peers met me again after 2-3 month.
As you probably know, I could only lengthen one inch, and the shorter people instantly noticed the difference in my height, whether they knew about my LL or not.
Some time before my surgery, I met a friend again whom I hadn't seen for like two or so month and he than said something like "I thought you were taller", ouch!
That hurt, but it also showed to me that many people can't remember ones real height because they have the blessing to not have to think about height in their daily life.
So again, don't be sad. It was worth it! Don't let your experiences fool you.
Depending on where you live, you're probably taller than the short girls now (1st win) and one step closer to getting more respect from other males (2nd win 50%).

@Chris - Thanks for your kind words man. I think you do have a point. May be the other short guy that I went out with doesn't care about height so much. I lost a lot of weight and I'm limping a bit when I walk. Perhaps that's the reason why people around me don't want to aggravate me further by making comments about my height.

Maybe you have experimented subsidence. I know for sure according ti Many diaries that you can lose like .5-1 cm after the removal of the fixators, that is the reason why is recommended overlengthening to your goal. Dr Franz give us an explanation about that thing.

@onemorefoot - I haven't ruled out this possibility. I would get my height checked to be sure.

Fujitora 2 inches is a good gain but for me it is the limit where you worth to do LL or not.
I keep telling people here that lengthenings like 3cm is a joke and don't worth at all the money, the risks and the pain of LL but there are still people here who think that even so small amounts will make a difference.
They won't.

That said, I think that 2 inches make a visible difference, not much but still it worths to do LL for it. But not less than that.
Maybe you are still shorter from the men of your family and your friends and thats why they haven't seen the difference.
If you were about the same height before LL, I'm sure they would have understood this difference.

But the think that you should only care about is if you are happy with your new height. If yes then nothing else matters. If no, maybe you should think about a femur LL too and go for 6-7cms more.
Everything its up to you.

Keep strong !

@BodyBuilder - I was a cm shorter than my dad before LL. Now I'm 4 cm taller than him, and the tallest in my family. What made me surprised is the fact that my father didn't notice it at all. On top of that, even the short guy that I went out for shopping with was just 5'2" and he hasn't said a thing about my height. I'll get my height checked again. Then I would get a clear picture as to what's happening.

Regarding femur lengthening, I'm already at the peak of my proportions.So if I push further, I would look like a spider. Also, femur lengthening would have to be done with internal nail which is totally out of my reach financially. So I'm not considering such a thing at this moment.

[Penguinn]

I respectfully disagree with some of the things you said, them being:

- "India as a whole is bad." I didn't experience the invasion of privacy and irresponsible behaviour from Parihar at all, but I understand the generalization since most Indian doctors have proven to be awful.

- "2 inches isn't noticeable." 2 inches is a lot, especially for a 5'2 or 5'3 guy in India. With my duckass I'm less than 3" gained(let's say a little over 2.5") and it's a massive difference! You're sad about your friends not noticing, but if I were you I'd be happy. This means you can pretend like you were never 5'3 and just move on and live as a taller person. I wish nobody would notice I grew, but my height was one of my most memorable features so I'm sure it'll be brought up. I'm genuinely very surprised you say going from 5'3 to 5'5 in India wasn't worth it.

- "165 is average". It isn't for those that live in cities. India's average height is listed as 164.7 or something because it takes into consideration all the poor villages and the population under the poverty line, people you will never meet or socialize with. While 165 would be above average in say, a village, for male city dwellers especially of our generation, I strongly believe the average is at least 5'7. However 5'5 is nothing to bitch about. It's like being between 5'7 and 5'8 in US- kinda short, but not enough for you to be sad about it. Unless you live in Punjab, where the average height is 6'8.95.

Your 5'2 friend didn't mention your height because maybe he doesn't wanna talk about it? When I was 5'2 and one of my 5'2 male friends grew to 5'5(naturally), I didn't bring it up...goddamn traitor.

This is just my opinion, but I would advise against another LL. You say you can't afford internals and you'd look off proportions wise. You've struggled like anything and achieved a height you can most definitely live with. Don't fk it up with another surgery.

[fujitora]

See my responses in green.

I respectfully disagree with some of the things you said, them being: Sure man, feel free to express your opinions.

- "India as a whole is bad." I didn't experience the invasion of privacy and irresponsible behaviour from Parihar at all, but I understand the generalization since most Indian doctors have proven to be awful. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Parihar and I consider you to be quite fortunate to have been operated by him. You have been quite fortunate to be with your family through out this journey. However, that makes you less susceptible to realize the true despairs of LL, as you're always taken care by your family and they can fight the ugly fights for you if/when needed. Many LL'ers, including me, decide to stay away from their family for this journey. For them, they would have to fight all the battles themselves.  My post was intended towards people like them so that they can be prepared for what's coming and plan accordingly.I do agree that there are great doctors in India, but that reason is not sufficient in my opinion to make India an ideal choice for LL. When you're away from home crippled and helpless, a lot of strangers get into your life intentionally or unintentionally. All I'm saying is that those strangers are usually not so kind and understanding in India

- "2 inches isn't noticeable." 2 inches is a lot, especially for a 5'2 or 5'3 guy in India. With my duckass I'm less than 3" gained(let's say a little over 2.5") and it's a massive difference! You're sad about your friends not noticing, but if I were you I'd be happy. This means you can pretend like you were never 5'3 and just move on and live as a taller person. I wish nobody would notice I grew, but my height was one of my most memorable features so I'm sure it'll be brought up. I'm genuinely very surprised you say going from 5'3 to 5'5 in India wasn't worth it. I agree with you on this one. May be I should stop bitching about people not noticing and be happy that I can start fresh. May be I had higher expectations in terms of how these 5 cms would translate physically. I'll wait for couple of months and then revisit if my opinion has changed.

- "165 is average". It isn't for those that live in cities. India's average height is listed as 164.7 or something because it takes into consideration all the poor villages and the population under the poverty line, people you will never meet or socialize with. While 165 would be above average in say, a village, for male city dwellers especially of our generation, I strongly believe the average is at least 5'7. However 5'5 is nothing to bitch about. It's like being between 5'7 and 5'8 in US- kinda short, but not enough for you to be sad about it. Unless you live in Punjab, where the average height is 6'8.95.
May be I wasn't clear but my intentions align with your comments. All I meant was that I feel average for 165 in my town, where most males are between 162 and 170.

Your 5'2 friend didn't mention your height because maybe he doesn't wanna talk about it? When I was 5'2 and one of my 5'2 male friends grew to 5'5(naturally), I didn't bring it up...goddamn traitor. Lol, It happened to me too. When I was in 10th standard, one of my friend who was the same height as me grew to 5'6" and I always felt awkward to mention it. Generally short guys avoid conversations about height because it makes them feel insecure

This is just my opinion, but I would advise against another LL. You say you can't afford internals and you'd look off proportions wise. You've struggled like anything and achieved a height you can most definitely live with. Don't fk it up with another surgery.
Yep, My first surgery is a necessary, but second one would be a luxury. I'm quite certain that I would never do a second surgery.

[Asdfgh]

Hi,
I'm just a bit worried now because my height is also 160 cm   
And you are saying it didn't help much after gaining 5 cms.
 I'm planning to go for only 6 cms since I don't want any problems in future. I'm from Hyderabad. All the people i see are atleast around 167 and above.
Could you please recheck your height again and see whether you gained 5 cms fully. And maybe if you do work out and get a good shape it will help you a lot. How do you feel when you look at yourself in the mirror and compare your previous height.

[fujitora]

Hello Everyone -

How is everything. I logged in after a long time. Feels good and somewhat bizzare to be back. Will post a detailed update soon.

[fujitora]

Hey guys, How have you been. I hope some of the old friends who have been around since last year have starter their journey.

Let me answer the most obvious questions -

Walking:
Yes, I can walk. I can climb. I can walk for hours in any kind of surface - flat, upstairs, downstairs, uphill, downhill, you name it, without any pain.

Jumping:
I can jump, but not for long and not as good as pre-LL.

Ballerina:
No ballerina when I walk, but dorsiflexion is as good as pre-LL.

Running:
I cannot run. I tried once and it was very painful.

[Vendetta113]

Hmm, it's been a long time since I logged in, too.

Anyway, you said it's painful when you run; can you describe that a little more in depth? Do you think it could've been better with good physiotherapy? And what hurts exactly, the bone or muscles/veins?

[Andy]

Expectations for those who're considering India for this surgery::

Here are some suggestions for those who cannot afford the top tier orthopedic surgeons and decide to come to India for this surgery.

Disclaimer:
All the information that I shared below are based on my personal experiences and I don't intend to speak ill of anyone. My only intent in writing this post is to enlighten prospective LL'ers  to have the right expectation when they come here.

• Don’t rely on your doctor completely. It's fair to expect him/her to perform the surgery well, but after that you’re mostly on your own.
• Be prepared to face people (hospital staff, patients etc.) who would come to know that you broke your legs for height increase. Doctors here don’t understand what privacy means. They take your pictures and share your personal details without your consent. I told my doctor multiple times to not tell anyone about my height increase thing and to refrain from taking pictures, but he just doesn’t care. To make things worse, sometimes he just used to talk openly in the reception in front of all the patients, and boast proudly that he increased my height by 2 inches. He doesn’t see how embarrassing it is, so be prepared to deal with it. When his patients knew this, some of them used to frown on me and few others used to give me moral lectures. Man, this was the toughest.
                          It happened with couple of other doctors too, they were trying to take pictures during my consultation. I had to politely yet assertively reject such attempts. Discuss this with your doctor beforehand so that you don’t have to deal with such nonsense.
• Be well informed on how to handle issues and complications that can arise during this journey, particularly about physiotherapy and lifestyle. Speaking to fellow LL’ers on the forum will definitely help a lot in this aspect. If possible, stay in touch with someone because you never know what issue would arise. I owe much of my success to the kind folks who shared their experience on this forum.
• Improve your arm strength. You should be able to carry your entire body weight on your arms - you can check this on your bed, rest your palm on the bed and lift your body in the air. If you can do this, you have enough strength for this surgery.
• Be prepared to have verbal confrontation if needed. You may have to fight for basic things which are otherwise your right. This is needed when you don’t get a logical response from your doctor or anyone in his/her team. For E.g. when they say things like “Don’t worry”, “Everything will be alright”, “Let us do our job”.
        Make sure they tell you everything before they do something to you. Also, some of the folks who work under doctors are so unprofessional and have bad bed side manners. They might irritate you by giving moral advices, or not treating you properly when you really need them, or when they yell/shout at you for asking questions, they might me speaking on the phone while inserting needle inside your body, or laugh out loudly and crack jokes during the operation. These things might look exaggerated but unfortunately these are unofficially accepted norms and a way of life in India.
• Be prepared to wait for hours during consultations. Usually, when I used to go for check-ups, I had to wait for 2 hours. Some doctors were kind enough to give you special consideration, based on your situation.
• Be prepared to wait for hours for medical reports like X-Rays, blood tests etc.
• The doctors that I met were used to dealing with local folks who’re not that tech savvy. So when you meet them, tell them about the forum and that you’ll be posting everything on the forum. This will most likely improve the quality of your consultation and treatment. It’s like telling them “Don’t screw me. If not, I’ll write a bad review about you on a popular forum”. It also means “Treat me well, and I’ll make sure everyone knows about you”. In India, you’ll find a doctor across every street. So online reviews are considered very precious to distill out the quality ones. So you can use it as a tool to get quality service.
• Stay active, not passive. E.g. Don’t expect the doctor to call you and ask how you’re doing, or do anything extra that benefits you. You have to take the initiative about your condition and discuss any anomalies with your doctor. Doctors here are used to the phrase “everything is alright” just to avoid additional work. Sometimes they say “It’s not necessary”, which means they’re too lazy to do it even though it benefits you. E.g. I had a shattered piece of bone in my right leg. I begged multiple times to fix it with a screw. He never did it, because of which I had to spend 45 days more on these bulky frames. So be prepared to fight with your doctor when they neglect you.
• Be wary of the air pollution in India. If you intend to stay long, I would advise to get an air purifier.
• Crowd roads and hospitals.
• People staring at foreigners and guys who have metal rings around their legs
• If possible, avoid being the nice guy or kind guy. Kindness is generally perceived as weakness here. Be clear of your agenda before having discussion with doctors, and don't let them manipulate you. Be assertive, loud and clear in your conversations
• Last but not the least, if you want to know how you would feel after the surgery try these things. Wear 10-15 kgs ankle weights on each leg and try to stand up and walk. This gives you a physical perspective of your legs after LL, when you just start to walk (which was 9 months post op for me). To get a psychological perspective, spend an entire day in a wheelchair without putting any weight on your legs. This includes brushing your teeth, going to toilet, taking shower, getting into a cab, going to hospital (you can go to your friend’s house to simulate the feel) etc. I’m sure the experience would be surreal and might make you think twice before you do this surgery.

All the best!

Hi, I couldn't help finding pleasantly funny the style of your writing, although I totally respect and sympathize your ordeal there. Congrats on making it through and thanks for sharing!

[montahn]

how is your life going now ?? any problem while walking ??