Good day LL'ers!
I receive some great questions from community members regarding the CLL procedure and I have to tell you....I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS SO MUCH. By submitting questions; it gives me an opportunity to reflect on my experience and there by post my feedback on the forum. It helps others so much. Members, people need so much help...we're all vulnerable and we all NEED and WANT assistance. If we bound together...we can get through anything. Note, we don't have to be related, or even longtime friends to simply say... I'm here to help and be there the best you can afford. Okay, here are a few questions from a member and I wanted to answer them publicly so that we could all benefit from the feedback. The identify of the individual who submits any question to me will be 100% confidential.
How bad are the scars?I know that this depends on a few factors. One of those factors being on the surgeon abilities to maintain efficient, clean cuts. My Doctor is of North Hollywood and his name is Dr. Mahboubian. Hollywood is probably the most vanity emphasized place in the world... My scars are extremely minimal and I would hope that other doctors follow suit. Here is a picture of my markings below...(only 50 days post op). This level of marking will barely be visible to the eye after several months to a year; especially if you're using a scar reducing ointment. As a "dude", i sorta like scars. lol. I know that females are very concerned about this; so I hope this relaxes you when it comes to the subject. One item to note is that there is one additional marking on my butt, where the nail was put in. It is similar looking to the marking below but a bit longer.
https://imgur.com/LlAWyy3Will I be able to wear a bathing suit later down the line after having surgery? Absolutely! Rock those sxxy long legs and those lines will barely be visible after several months/1 year.
Do your legs feel heavy with the nails still in place for consolidation? You do not feel the nails at all. The nails are surprising light weight and the body supports them extremely well as the nail supports your bone.
Were your It bands loosened during your surgery & if so do you feel you’ve lost any stability? My IT bands were released/lengthened and it is important to note that the four primary CLL Doctors that are performing this surgery release your IT band; even for the most flexible. I personally do not notice a difference. IT Band released is a surgery that is often performed on top athletes to help increase their flexibility and relieve pressure on these areas. Even with my IT Band cut, I still feel the pulling in that area..so just imagine if I had not released the IT band. I would have been wound very tightly.
Where did you go for your physical therapy & for how many days a week & how long were your sessions? I will keep this confidential for my privacy however, I simply looked up a 5 star PT clinic that was local to me and I explained my surgery and they got to work. They are very professional and serious. I recommend researching the best local PT in your area and signing up with them. Keep in mind that PT costs will be included for most health insurance. If you live or are staying next to your Doctor's offices, he likely has a dedicated or partner PT that you can work with as well. The LL doctors are orthopedic surgeons who perform services for clients on for many issues outside of CLL and can refer you to their local support. My PT stretches me out well and provides a 10 minute deep tissue massage to help remove restriction in my muscles. Massage is a must. Sessions are about 45 minutes of stretching and 10 minutes of deep tissue massage.
Did you do pool sessions & if so how soon? How long after surgery were you in need of home assistance? I did not do pool sessions; but that would be interesting! I will say that since the new nails are completely weight bearing; you may not need the pool gravity limitation for your situation. You're able to place full weight on the Stryde nails with no worry.
After surgery, I recommend using a home health PT for up to the first 3 weeks. Keep this in mind...just because the nail can bear your weight; doesn't mean you are going actually be able to stand up and bear your weight for the first few days and it could be up to a couple of weeks. Home PT helps keep you safe during the immediate post surgical time period. They will review your home or place you stay at for accessibility and advise you on what assistive devices you can order. Additionally, they will perform stretches and exercises with you. With the help of home PT, you'll be up and moving by the 2nd or 3rd week and ready for an outpatient clinic. I know that it feels appealing to have a home PT for the entire process; but my opinion is that after the first 2/3 weeks its best to go to a facility with lots of staff, resources, equipment and you get out of the house...which is vital. The CLL process is long and fresh air, people, and activity is a great way to help you push through this process with greater ease.
Do you return home from the hospital or spend a few days in surgical aftercare. Once the surgery is completed (With great success!), you will stay in the hospital for about 2 or 3 days. The hospital staff wants to monitor you for situations such as Compartment syndrome and any other post surgical complication. It's a nice thing also to just take a few days with rest and special care. This period allows you to focus on your recovery. Let me add that I recommend that you hire a van transport to take you home from the hospital. There are many wheelchair and/or other disability transport services. This helps to ensure your safety during the initial post surgical period.
Gents and Ladies, let me know if you have other questions. If you prefer to ask me questions privately, feel free to send me a message. I may post answers to the community but I will NEVER reveal who asked the question.
Thank you and talk soon,
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Topic: A few general questions answered regarding CLL (Read 473 times)