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[KiloKAHN]

Raisin Bran obviously had a positive experience with Dr Betz. He should be allowed to post his point of view without being accused of doing marketing for his doctor. If you disagree with the positive opinion of Dr Betz, then post in Dr Betz's thread in the doctor section and people can read both points of view and form their own opinion. Let's not clutter Raisin Bran's diary with accusations, please.

[Uppland]

What kind of permit do you expect to get from your meetings with a psychiatrist Uppland if I may ask? Are you doing this to get the treatment in sweden?

No I meant I need to see a doctor that confirms I'm in need of a psychiatrist and then the state will give me free sessions. There aren't just drop in state shrinks, not even here. They're only available when people need to see them.

[Raisin Bran]

Re: KiloKAHN

Thanks Kilo, I appreciate the support of a moderator. My lengthening has been pretty successful so far, and I'm just trying to pay it forward giving people some tips and advice that I wish I had been given prior to surgery. However, any chance of having a positive discussion here is hurt when we have to deal with this constant aggressive attacks and criticisms that aren't even relevant.

- Raisin Bran

[Metanoia]

Raisin Bran obviously had a positive experience with Dr Betz. He should be allowed to post his point of view without being accused of doing marketing for his doctor. If you disagree with the positive opinion of Dr Betz, then post in Dr Betz's thread in the doctor section and people can read both points of view and form their own opinion. Let's not clutter Raisin Bran's diary with accusations, please.

I agree with you but only under the condition that he really writes about his experience and doesn't continue to spread lies about other patients. Further he should give some proof that he is really a patient. So far his writing looks quite suspicious. He never even mentioned one date in his “diary”. And his post on the old forum makes him look even more suspicious. Therefore Kilokahn please consider the facts before giving him the benefit of doubt.

[KiloKAHN]

I agree with you but only under the condition that he really writes about his experience and doesn't continue to spread lies about other patients. Further he should give some proof that he is really a patient. So far his writing looks quite suspicious. He never even mentioned one date in his “diary”. And his post on the old forum makes him look even more suspicious. Therefore Kilokahn please consider the facts before giving him the benefit of doubt.

Raisin Bran didn't say anything about MasterHY in this forum, so whatever he posted on the old forum isn't really relevant to his diary here, imo.

Regardless of any controversy that has happened with the doctor, it's not something that should be taken out on the patients who happen to have a good experience with him.

Raisin Bran has also verified with me that he is a real patient of Dr Betz, so any doubts about his legitimacy should be put to rest.

[alps]

@Kilo,
how? may I ask?

I am not taking sides but am just curious.

@Raisin,
good to see you here man!

[Metanoia]

Raisin Bran didn't say anything about MasterHY in this forum

In regards to my MasterHY post in the old forum, I just wished to remind people that a person's lengthening experience is typically unique to only themselves. People read about all these issues in that post, and they could actually start to believe that if they work hard, exercise, stretch, and do everything right prior to, during, and after lengthening, they might have all these problems that MasterHY has mentioned. There are 4 patients now at Elke's house, including myself. I have seen many other patients come through the house, staying for various periods of time. I can promise you that of all these patients, no two situations were identical or even similar. I did not attack him personally or criticize his problems, so I question the validity of your points. Being in Germany for some time now however, I am aware of who MasterHY actually is, what his situation was, how his stay at Orscholz was, and the things he's avoided disclosing in his posts, so as to craft a one-sided story.

No further comment Mr. Moderator.

[KiloKAHN]

No further comment Mr. Moderator.

He didn't say anything about MasterHY until you brought it up, so...

[Metanoia]

He didn't say anything about MasterHY until you brought it up, so...

So what? So you he is allowed to distort the truth? You just don't want to admit your mistake.

[KiloKAHN]

So what? So you he is allowed to distort the truth? You just don't want to admit your mistake.

There's no mistake. He didn't bring up MasterHY until you did. Anyway, Bran doesn't want a flame war to start in his diary and it's pretty much a given that one will happen with two very opposing views on the same doctor. I know you had problems with the surgery with Dr Betz and I'm not saying that you can't post about your opinion of him or the complications others got, but do so outside of Bran's thread.

[Metanoia]

There's no mistake. He didn't bring up MasterHY until you did. Anyway, Bran doesn't want a flame war to start in his diary and it's pretty much a given that one will happen with two very opposing views on the same doctor. I know you had problems with the surgery with Dr Betz and I'm not saying that you can't post about your opinion of him or the complications others got, but do so outside of Bran's thread.

Ok i won't post my opinion here. But he will get flames if he lies about other patients because that has nothing to do with opinions. There is a difference between statements about facts and opinions. As long as we all agree on that there won't be any disturbance from my side.

[Raisin Bran]

Re: KiloKAHN

It's great to see how many views this diary has already gotten in less than 2 days. A large number of patients and/or family members that I've met just follow along with these diaries, and unfortunately do not post anything. So, I'll paste my single comment on here from the old forum, in order to give context to what I'm being unnecessarily criticized for.

"Hello, I should preface by saying that this is my first post on this forum, and I'm hoping to increase my post count, so that I can start a thread in the near future.   I am a current patient of Dr.   Betz, and I'm nearing the end of the lengthening process.   In reading this post and the responses that have been given, I would like to sincerely ask people to consider the negative experiences of others with skepticism.   Almost everyone has had a process that is unique to himself/herself, and the issues of one person do not apply to most.   If anyone has any concerns about Dr.   Betz and the lengthening process at this point in time (mid-2015), feel free to reply to this post.   Thanks for reading this long response."

After this post, I have not received any responses on that forum. So, I stopped posting there. This is the last thing I will say about this topic, and I hope people can see that it was an unbiased, uncritical response to the MasterHY diary.

Re: SAD

Appreciate the warm welcome. I'll answer your question for you though. I provided sensitive information about my surgery, in addition to pictures of my mid-lengthening x-ray, medication, and crutches. These pictures included a tag with my account name for further verification. When I complete my lengthening, I will try to post the 3 x-rays I would've had in the beginning, middle, and end stages, in this diary.

- Raisin Bran

[Raisin Bran]

Day 95

I am now 7 days of clicking away from completion. I had initially calculated that I would need 100 days of clicking to reach my final goal of 10.4cm (~ 4in). My initial gap after surgery was 5mm, and I started clicking on January 25th. My nail (13mm) has 15 clicks for 1.05mm and the first 6-7 days of clicking were gradually increased until I reached the regular amount of 15 clicks daily.

As I'd mentioned in an earlier post, I started taking occasional days off when I reached 9cm. Before 9cm, I did not skip a single day of clicking 15 times. Today, I'll be going to my physiotherapy session with Peter Woll, and I probably won't click afterwards, since I clicked yesterday and I'll click tomorrow. On these physio days, I like to focus entirely on improving my stretches, walking, and motor functions, both during and following the session with Peter. After 9cm, my legs began to feel pretty exhausted if I clicked after these exercises. So, I've been skipping my clicks on those days. I have physio tomorrow as well, but I'll definitely click to avoid missing 2 days in a row.

I'm not sure when I'll be finished, but even with a few days off, it should be some time by the end of next week. I'm at ~9.7cm now.

I've convinced another patient at Elke's house to start posting on my diary as well, so you should see his posts here later today.

- Raisin Bran

[september14]

Hey everybody,

İ am an another patient who is staying with Bran in Elke's place.İ decide to write something about me , so you can read 2 different stories because we know that it is hard to get some informations about patients.So both of us will try to help you about your questions and explain our situations.İ will start to write in the evening.

[Alittletooshort]

Hey bran,
Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
How much money did you spend for the surgery and the aftercare so far?
Keep us updated, the majority of us really appreciates the fact that you take your time to write all this.
Cheers!

[Raisin Bran]

Re: september14

Hey man, good to finally see you on here. Can't wait to see what your diary's going to be. I can only imagine, lol.

Re: Alittletooshort

Cost analysis was a big part of my decision making process before surgery. I've met patients who were fortunate enough to have their families pay for the surgery and/or recovery. I've also met patients who were able to pay for the surgery and/or recovery themselves. I had some savings set aside from working after I completed college, so I was able to pay for myself. My currency is in dollars, instead of the euro, so I really had to think about how much was needed. The femur surgery with Dr. Betz, including 2-3 week hospital stay, was like 49,028 euros, which was roughly $58k for me. I had to purchase the medication, so that was another 800 euros, I think. Physiotherapy sessions, massages, and rent totals about 2500 euros a month. My final budget was $80k, and with the way the US dollar is improving against the Euro, I will finish having spent closer to $75k after 6-7 months.

Personally, I think this is the best option available to patients of Dr. Betz, who have the available time and budget. Luckily, I was able to take off a lengthy period of time from my job. My focus has completely been on this surgery and a quick recovery during this time, and I believe that is why I have had success with my process. Same goes for september14, but I'll have him tell you about that if you ask him.

- Raisin Bran

[Raisin Bran]

Day 96

I forgot to post the diary entry I had written yesterday, so I'm posting it this morning.

Today, I am 6 days from the conclusion of clicking. My current height is roughly 9.8cm. I had a physiotherapy session with Peter earlier in the day. My left quad is still at the minimum 90-95 degree flexion, while my right quad is almost perfect. My heel can practically reach my butt on the right side, but I definitely avoid overstretching it at this stage. The significant difference in the quads is unexplainable, and neither Peter nor I have been able to understand how it could've happened. It just became like this somewhere between 4-6cm. The front of my thighs, though, are extremely hard and rigid. I purchased an electric massager over Amazon.de and as my thighs have gotten more solid, it has worked less effectively.

My hamstrings are fine, but I have a sensitive area on the back of my right knee. The knees can be a common issue for patients who lengthen past 8cm, so I am happy that this issue isn't too bad in comparison. The condition of my hip flexors is solid, and the rectus femoris (quad muscle) is decent as well.

I have tightness in my right IT band, which I've been working on with Peter for many months. It can cause my left hip to be a bit higher than my right hip, especially when I'm walking. Also, when I stand straight with my feet together, the left foot is a little bit off the ground sometimes. However, I can bring my left hip/leg completely down now if I stretch a little. This is the biggest issue that I currently have, and I hope that it can become much improved after my clicking is over. It has not affected my ability to walk with a straight posture and it isn't too noticeable now, but I still don't feel completely natural in my movement.

Anyway, I'll post tomorrow about Day 97. Thanks for reading.

- Raisin Bran

[Uppland]

How did you become so knowledgeable about muscle anatomy and function Bran?

[Raisin Bran]

Re: Uppland

Peter Woll, bro. Lol, I'm like a sponge with everything he tells me, and I always have constructive questions for him. Plus, it helps that I had some academic knowledge about anatomy from my university studies and from developing my workout regimens the past few years before my surgery.

It is very valuable knowledge to have because issues in hamstrings, ITBs, general quads, glutes, adductors, rectus femoris, etc. can eventually lead to issues in your condition, such as duck a**, wide legs, locked knees, bent back, drop steps, etc. So if you notice an issue somewhere, you know exactly where you need to work harder at.

- Raisin Bran

[Raisin Bran]

Day 97

Today, I am 5 days away from being finished. I clicked 15 straight in the morning after breakfast. Throughout my process, I've played around with the manner of clicks many times. I've alternated between a complete 15 clicks in the morning/early afternoon, 5 clicks split 3 times a day, 10 clicks in the morning/5 in the afternoon, and 5 in the morning/10 in the afternoon (my favorite for physiotherapy days). Lately, I've gone back to the usual 15 clicks all at once. Some patients might prefer clicking at night, but the few times I tried this, my muscles felt really tight and would cramp up during my sleep. You can never sacrifice a good night's sleep for anything. Continuous movement and/or stretching after I click has always worked for me.

My total is ~9.9cm now. I am planning to have my final x-ray this Tuesday, along with another patient who recently arrived at Elke's and has finished clicking (exactly 10cm) recently. After I get my x-ray back, I'll try to upload my initial, middle, and final x-rays to this diary.

I spent a solid 20 minutes on the bike today, without resistance and limited breaks. It is really a surprise each time I have to raise the seat another level. It takes my brain at least a few minutes to comprehend this. The bike is very helpful with the quad/hamstring flexibility of my weaker left leg. I can just feel the leg loosening up more every minute that I'm cycling.

Tomorrow will be Day 98. Wish me luck and I appreciate any comments or feedback. Additionally, make sure to check out the diary of my housemate, september14. This guy is literally the perfect patient. Just sleeps, eats, and exercises. His amazing recovery and form is something that I always strive to emulate.

- Raisin Bran

[Uppland]

That's great Bran I'm sure you'll make a swift recovery but could you perhaps upload some of the routines you used to prep for surgery, or at least point to where I could learn more about this sort of stuff.

I would like to be as well prepared as possible, just as you and your friend are.

[Raisin Bran]

Re: Uppland

Before I begin this post, I'll just say that if you can find the workout programs for Insanity, P90x, or P90x3, they have some excellent workouts and stretches that can prepare your core strength and leg flexibility. Before the surgery, I was doing the Pilates and Yoga workouts from P90x3, the 60min+ Yoga stretch from P90x, the Max Cardio Conditioning and Core Cardio and Balance workouts from Insanity, and the isolated Ab programs from each series.

Now, on to the yoga stretches. If you can hold each of these stretches/poses well for at least 40-60 seconds, then you should be great in terms of flexibility for hamstrings, quads, glutes, flexors, lower back, and the core. The big keys for these stretches are to always use proper form and not to cheat (swinging, bending knees, etc.) You should work your way up to the perfect stretch/pose.

WARRIOR I



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/warrior-i-pose/

WARRIOR II



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/warrior-ii-pose/

WARRIOR III



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/warrior-iii-pose/

**THE WARRIOR TRIO SHOULD BE THE STARTING SETS FOR ANY ROUTINE**

CRESCENT LOW LUNGE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/low-lunge/

CRESCENT HIGH LUNGE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/high-lunge-variation/

RESTING HIGH LUNGE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/high-lunge/

PARTIAL CORE TWIST



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/bharadvaja-s-twist/

FULL CORE TWIST



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/marichi-s-pose/

ALTERNATE FULL CORE TWIST



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/half-lord-of-the-fishes-pose/

WIDE HIP STRETCH



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/bound-angle-pose/

FLAT WIDE HIP STRETCH



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/reclining-bound-angle-pose/

EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/extended-side-angle-pose/

REVERSE SIDE ANGLE POSE



*I LOVE THIS POSE, HITS EVERYTHING PERFECTLY, JUST LIKE WARRIOR*

http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/revolved-side-angle-pose/

EXTENDED TRIANGLE POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/extended-triangle-pose/

HALF MOON POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/half-moon-pose/

CORE SHREDDER POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/full-boat-pose/

SIDE STRETCH POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/intense-side-stretch-pose/

CLASSIC TOUCH TOE POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/big-toe-pose/

FLOOR TOUCH TOE POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/head-to-knee-forward-bend/

STANDING SIDE LEG LIFT



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/extended-hand-to-big-toe-pose/

FLOOR SIDE LEG LIFT



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/side-reclining-leg-lift/

FLOOR FRONT LEG LIFT



*USING A TOWEL OR A BAND TO PULL THE FOOT DOWN IS VERY HELPFUL IN THIS STRETCH*

http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/reclining-big-toe-pose/

SPINAL MOVE POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/cat-pose/

*THE NEXT THREE STRETCHES HAVE DIFFERENT ANGLES AT THE PELVIS, IF YOU CAN DO THE UPWARD DOG PERFECTLY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE SPHINX OR COBRA ANYMORE*

SPHINX POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/sphinx-pose/

COBRA POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/cobra-pose/

UPWARD DOG POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/upward-facing-dog/

*THE NEXT SEVEN POSES SHOULD BE DONE IN CONTINUOUS PROGRESSION, EACH ONE FOLLOWS THE NEXT IN MOVEMENT*

CHILD'S POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/child-s-pose/

EXTENDED CHILD POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/extended-puppy-pose/

DOWNWARD DOG POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/downward-facing-dog/

FLAT STAFF POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/four-limbed-staff-pose/

PLANK POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/plank-pose/

BRIDGE POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/bridge-pose/

UPWARD PLANK POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/upward-plank-pose/

*NOW, THIS FINAL POSE IS MY FAVORITE. IT BUILDS STRENGTH ON ALL THE AREAS WE SHOULD WORK ON. FYI, TRY TO PUT YOUR KNEES AT 90 DEGREES, IT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER*

ELECTRIC CHAIR POSE



http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/chair-pose/


For any comments or feedback, feel free to post in this thread. I hope this visual post can help future and former lengthening patients to improve their condition.

- Raisin Bran

[Uppland]

Wow, thanks Bran you're a big help to all of us.

[Taller]

That last one looks like it would be very hard with lengthened femurs, from a biomechanical standpoint, as you'd be far more inclined to fall backwards due to the change in your center of gravity (it moves further back for squats).

[Raisin Bran]

Re: Taller

You're absolutely right. This compiled list of stretches is to develop the optimal flexibility and range of motion in the lower body, prior to surgery. At my current point in lengthening, I can only do several of these stretches with moderate success due to my lack of flexibility. Even after I'm done clicking, there will still be a few of these stretches that I'll have to avoid due to instability. As you mentioned, my favorite, Electric Chair, is completely out of the question, unless I use the support of a wall behind me.

- Raisin Bran

[Raisin Bran]

Day 98-101

I had skipped my posts the last few days because of a lack of things to mention in each individual day. Therefore, I decided to compile everything into a single post. Today is Day 101. On Day 98, I reached the 10cm point. If I recall correctly, my nail (13mm) can lengthen up to 12cm. However, my plan has always been 10.4cm, which is 4 inches. Honestly, the final 4mm does seem to be a bit of an odd addition, but I promised myself that if my condition at 10cm was positive, I would continue on for these 4 more days. I've resolved this extra portion as just providing me some additional peace of mind. Once I return back to the states, if someone asks me how much I've grown, I can simply say 4 inches.

I've stopped skipping days for rest, so Day 99 was 10.1cm, Day 100 was 10.2cm, and Day 101 (today) is 10.3cm. I haven't included the hundredths digit in my lengths, but from my calculations, Day 102 will be exactly 10.44cm.

I had my x-ray exam earlier today at the Komfortklinik. After I got to look at the image of the nails, bones, and bone development, I felt very reassured. My screws were straight, my nails were perfect, and I was developing a noticeable bone bridge on the outside of each leg. Additionally, the IT band tightness on my right leg had relaxed a great deal since my last x-ray. My hips were almost at an equal level, with just a slight rise on the left side. I was hoping to correct this issue after the conclusion of clicking, but I'd definitely made significant improvements with the ITB these last 5 weeks. This was all great news. Dr. Betz was unable to see me at the hospital, but he informed us of this ahead of time. Instead, he will come by Elke's house later today or tomorrow to discuss the x-ray and visit the other patients there.

I can't wait to start feeling relief from the muscle tightness associated with clicking after I finish tomorrow. I should expect some noticeable change in my legs, in regards to flexibility and range of motion, roughly 10 days after I finish. I am very fortunate that I do not have to work on fixing any underlying issues with my condition, such as wide legs, duck ass, etc. Therefore, I can focus solely on recovering my former mobility, strength, and coordination.

Also, a new removal patient is at the house now. He came earlier yesterday and plans to stay for an entire month. His surgery is next week. He had stayed the entirety of his lengthening at Elke's house, working with Peter Woll. To hear him and Peter tell it, the start of his lengthening period was very difficult. He had a lot of mass (muscle/fat) in his thighs. Unable to click by himself after surgery, he needed to have his initial clicking done under anesthesia. Later on, he developed very wide legs as well. If you were to look at him now, however, you could've never guessed that he'd had such difficulty in lengthening. He lengthened a full 10cm with the 13mm nail and his condition is just fantastic. It is definitely a confidence booster to see these remarkable success stories.

Tomorrow is the conclusion of my lengthening process. Wish me luck.

P.S. I hope prospective patients who read this diary will try to follow the yoga breakdown I provided earlier. You don't have to attempt all of them, but mastering some of them will definitely be useful prior to lengthening surgery.

- Raisin Bran

[Uppland]

Yeah man that yogu stuff was super useful although I haven't tried allof them yet.

[ouroboros]

Congrats Bran!  Sounds like all your hard work and preparation paid off.  I admire your realistic goal setting approach to the whole process.  I think everyone should be as strict and vigilant as you to do everything in their power to put the odds in their favor when leg lengthening.  Please continue to update your diary through your recovery process and share your insight.

[Raisin Bran]

Re: Uppland

Happy to here that. Keep it up man, incremental improvement in flexibility is the path to success. As the say, Rome wasn't built in a day. Let me know if you need anything else.

Re: ouroboros

I appreciate the positive remarks. You've grasped the mindset that all patients need to have to succeed. Like you said, you have to do everything in your power to put the odds in your favor. Honestly, I came into this lengthening experience expecting just one big constant war. However, it wasn't that at all. It was many individual battles, each one forcing you to adjust and adapt your methods in order to persevere through. A few weeks of a strained groin, another few weeks of wide legs, then IT band tightness, etc. Just as you think some issue or difficulty has resolved itself, something else pops up. I think the people who end up having long-term problems are those who can not understand and/or accept this concept. They focus on a few things, and lose sight of the many other parts that need just as much attention.

- Raisin Bran

[Raisin Bran]

Day 102 - LAST DAY!

Today is my last day of clicking. As I'm writing this, I have reached the apex of my journey, 10.44cm. As you can imagine, I am very glad to be finished. Although I've reached the top of the mountain, I have to deal with my descent down now. The recovery process will definitely be easier than the lengthening period, but there is still much work remaining.

Earlier in the afternoon, I had a 1hr physiotherapy session with Peter Woll. It was the last physio I will have during lengthening. I discussed my x-ray results with Peter, and he was surprised that I had more bone growth on the outer portion of the femur than the inner. Typically, patients will see a bone bridge on the inner portion of the leg because the muscles are more prevalent in this area. He even showed me some pictures of x-rays from previous patients on his phone as further evidence of this growth. Regardless, this was not an issue for my level of bone consolidation.

At the end of our session, I showed Peter the improvements I'd made in my right ITB. I could stand with both legs closed and straight, back straight, heels down, and shift my entire body weight onto each leg pretty well. He was a bit shocked at this dramatic change in my ITB during the lengthening phase, but I told him I had been working on this constantly. I did not do a specific exercise for the IT band, but I focused on lowering the left heel every time I would stand up, and balancing my weight evenly on each leg every time I would walk. On a negative note, I have developed a very slight lordosis in my lower back. It was imperceptible until Peter showed me in the mirror. However, it is there and can develop into a larger issue if it is ignored. This will be a new issue to focus on for the next few weeks.

According to Peter, I should be able to do physio training without the crutches in 3-4 weeks because of the 13mm nail and my current condition. I can't wait until my mobility is strong enough for me to put away the crutches. My long term plan is to stay in Germany for a full 3 months of recovery. I think 3 months should be more than enough time for me to regain my old form.

Since my lengthening phase has concluded, I will post less frequently in my diary now because my days will be less eventful. Instead of daily updates, I think I will post every 3 days, regarding my progress. Of course, I will always be available to answer any questions or requests within 24 hours. Feel free to reach out to me in this thread.

- Raisin Bran

[Raisin Bran]

Day 110

It's been 8 days since the conclusion of my clicking. Apologies for not updating my journal according to the writing timeline I had given. When nothing of consequence transpires over the course of many days, I suddenly lack the initiative to write another entry. However, as it's been more than a week now, I do have a few things of interest to write about.

Dr. Betz came for a visit to Elke's house last Friday, which was a few days after I had finished. He discussed the positive results of the x-ray with me. Everything he said was pretty much in line with my earlier statements about my x-ray in the last post: solid bone development, bridge formation in the inner leg, nails and screws in perfect condition, and equal lengths between the two legs. My initial femur-tibia percentage was an uncommon 86%, and my final percentage is 70%. Although 86% is closer to the average of 80% than 70% would be, my proportions look fine in my opinion and in the opinions of other people I have asked. As I've mentioned before, I wear all my pants at hip level, before and after surgery, so that definitely allows me to get away with the lower percentage.

As far as the other patients in the house, Dr. Betz met with each of them as well, and gave his points of praise and/or concern. The LL user, september14, was there too, but Dr. Betz had very little to say to him because of his very positive condition. He is a testament to the benefits of youth, exercise, and short-term human hibernation, lol.

The worst patient was this Asian girl (femurs) who was just completely delusional about her physical issues. Dr. Betz was very worried about her because she would only do exercises that she was already good at, such as quad or hamstring stretches, and avoided working on her major problem areas, such as the hip flexors and IT bands. At less than 3 cm, she had already developed a bad duck a**, wide legs, no bone growth, and much more. Just terrible. Even worse, she would not listen to the advice of current patients or professionals, like Dr. Betz and Peter. Her mindset is that she has all the time in the world to get better, on her own terms. She would say things like, "It's fine if I need 3 more years to walk normal." Fortunately, she left the house recently, so we don't have to see this walking tragedy ever again. I only mention her as a strong example of what not to do for future and current patients. Always listen to the advice of your doctors, trained professionals, and successful patients. Their combined knowledge is much greater than your own.

Also, my medication is almost finished. I still take the various painkillers and a blood thinner, but I have significantly lowered my intake since last week. Hopefully, when I have run out of meds, I will feel fine without their assistance. Of course, I still need my daily intake of calcium and magnesium, which I can buy without a prescription.

In terms of my current physical condition, I don't feel much different than during the lengthening phase. It has just been 8 days. Every few days, the areas of weakness in my legs changes and that does feel very strange. You get used to standing straight a certain way to leverage your weight on a part of your legs, and when things randomly change, that former area of strength suddenly feels stiff when you try to walk afterwards. This is more of a nuisance than an issue though. Today, when I woke up, my quad and hamstring muscles felt looser when I touched and massaged them. This is definitely an important development that I'd been hoping for. Also, the nerve sensitivity on the back of my right knee is mostly gone, which is a big relief in my everyday routine.

In conclusion, I'm feeling better and I can't wait to get back the parts of my function that I had lost in lengthening. I will try to write an update soon, but I don't want to promise a time frame. However, it should be more recent than this last 8 day hiatus. I appreciate everyone who reads my diary and hope that you continue to read and post.

- Raisin Bran