Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Disobedient]

you must be counting the hours right now... 

all the best BD

[BilateralDamage]

you must be counting the hours right now... 

all the best BD

Approximately 15 days 9 hours 51 minutes and 25 seconds to go 

Thanks Diso!!

[Medium Drink Of Water]

Sounds great, BD!  We'll definitely be rooting for you.

[BilateralDamage]

Sounds great, BD!  We'll definitely be rooting for you.

Thanks MDoW

I'm going to be posting a lot of videos on my PT and stretching regimen.  Something the community really needs to see!

[KiloKAHN]

Good luck with your surgery and lengthening. This should be really interesting to follow after reading about your consultation with Dr Paley. How much stretching daily have you done for prep?

[programdude]

If I go with Paley we may be pretty similar. I am in extremely good shape, young, and believe I'd be a quick recovery too.

Depending on when/if I go we might even be there at the same time.

Just to clarify, Paley has expressed that malfunctions of the PRECICE will be covered, included in the cost if they occur, right?

[BilateralDamage]

Good luck with your surgery and lengthening. This should be really interesting to follow after reading about your consultation with Dr Paley. How much stretching daily have you done for prep?

Not as much as I would have liked to.  I received an injury a few months ago that made it difficult for me to stretch without pain, and I'm just recovering now so I missed out on a lot of good stretching time.  I'm still relatively flexible and can touch the floor easily, but I wouldn't recommend anyone going into this surgery without stretching your hammies and quads (daily) leading up to it.

If I go with Paley we may be pretty similar. I am in extremely good shape, young, and believe I'd be a quick recovery too.

Depending on when/if I go we might even be there at the same time.

Just to clarify, Paley has expressed that malfunctions of the PRECICE will be covered, included in the cost if they occur, right?

If the PRECICE nail malfunctions and doesn't lengthen, Ellipse Technologies will cover the cost of nail replacement and surgery fees.

If your bones pre-consolidate, you will have to cover up to 15K for the surgery to re-break your bone.  In the rare case that you need a bone graft, the cost is 30K.

If you break your nail by over-exerting yourself, I'm assuming you would have to cover nail replacement, anesthetic, and hospital costs.  Not sure if Paley charges his fee in this case.

--

I wanted to link to this post by Stadiometer: http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=650.msg10615

VERY important and a good point he made (one that I completely missed!)  The PT can be covered by your U.S. insurance, just call and check that his institute takes your insurance.  I'm going to call tomorrow to see if they take my insurance because that will drop my costs tremendously, even while I'm covering the co-pay.  Stay tuned.   Huge thanks to Stadiometer!

Also, the 5K discount mentioned in that thread is true and applicable (has nothing to do with old forum  either).

[programdude]

Thanks for this info, its what I needed to hear. I had heard rumblings about PRECICE failure's and would definetly not feel good about cutting another massive check just to get what I paid for. The PT stuff is very interesting- It sounds like it is covered 100% by my insurance, although it sounds like I only get 60 outcalls a year. Not sure if there's a place in the area where I could do incalls.

This in conjunction with the discount could make Paley much more affordable than I'd thought. Just to confirm, this kind of PT is consider rehabilitative PT right?

[Moubgf]

Programdude, you feel like a smart and cool person.

Any tips on how to get money online or any way possible? If you have any job, i repeat anything i would gladly take it.

Job is not an option since im not going out there again it's too vicious and i im here so that i can get LL then get a job as a confident person who is more than likely to engage in social interactions.

[programdude]

What kind of savings do you have?

I want to be discreet so I can't say exactly what I do, but its very related to aesthetics and not too much to do with programming(ok I do build websites).

I think LL is affordable in general, but I do feel safer going with the best. I'd say shoot for bejing if you are having money troubles- I would probably go with them if I was only doing one surgery to be honest, but I think femurs internally followed by external tibias for a smaller gain is the smartest way to go about things.

[Moubgf]

What kind of savings do you have?

I want to be discreet so I can't say exactly what I do, but its very related to aesthetics and not too much to do with programming(ok I do build websites).

I think LL is affordable in general, but I do feel safer going with the best. I'd say shoot for bejing if you are having money troubles- I would probably go with them if I was only doing one surgery to be honest, but I think femurs internally followed by external tibias for a smaller gain is the smartest way to go about things.

I wasted all my savings and money gained on weed these last 2 years as self medication and escapism...it worked wonders but as it is obvious i am still where i left off. And then i found out about LL  . So am kinda depressed but there is light at the end of the tunnel and i am a lion i will do alot of things to get what i want. but unfortunately social interactions for now is my kryptonite.

That Beijing place you mentioned thats dr.xia right?. yes that seems like an amazing place. I like chinese people in general very intellectual an calm aura. What do you think the total price will be there though.
Why does everything have to be so damn expensive. Not everyone was born with a job from a contact or something. There is people who actually struggle that don't even have a job.

Also i will be lengthening my tibia since that is safer for me, thinking about mobility while being bed ridden for 4 month. Femurs inside have alot of blood thingy going on and is the biggest muscle on the body. You should think twice before messing with that.
unless it's internal method than it's all good.


i don't know man i just feel lost as it is. been looking now for the last 2 weeks ways to get loan from banks. Not asking for much just 100 000:- Hell people take out 200 000:- just to buy a fast car.

[programdude]

I want to say a few things.
First is that even if you feel hopeless, self improvement can do wonders. I'm 5 8 which is taller than several here, but I had a rough childhood in general. I was plagued by headaches and depression and therefore did awful in school. My family was/is very poor so I knew college wouldn't be realistic. I was blessed with facial aesthetics which got me girlfriends etc. but my confidence and life trajectory was shi*, but then I thought outside the box, got in shape, and started a business. I have a new audi, good income, friends, and a satisfactory love life. I also have about 160k saved so I can put it towards this operation. Now, if you had asked me even two years ago if I thought I would be in a good place, or in a position to spend this much to change my height the answer would be absolutely not.

But the other thing I want to say is that LL will NOT fix your life just like that. Sort of like how I thought getting in shape would fix my other insecurities but nope here I am wanting my height upped. You will not suddenly have all the things you want in life just because you are taller. Therefore I don't believe LL is something you should take a loan out for. You should get yourself to a place you are more happy with, have the cash outright, and do it as an addition to an already good life.

But at the end of the day it is a personal thing. I don't know how tall you are or how much it bothers you. If your life is in ruin because of it then maybe I'm wrong and it is worth it. I just know that I've gotten where I am by avoiding debt at all costs.

[BilateralDamage]

Mis-interpreted what Stadiometer said, please refer to his following post:

To avoid confusion please re-read the original post:

The savings I describe above come from having a private physical therapist who accepts your health insurance come to your home/hotel, or you go to their center instead of having your physical therapy at the Paley Institute.

Patients are not required to have their physical therapy at the Paley Institute, it is offered to cosmetic patients as a way to increase safety by having physical therapy from therapists who have a tremendous amount of experience with limb lengthening patients.

It is my understanding that cosmetic patients can not have their physical therapy covered by their health insurance at the Paley Institute.

I called the office and they said I would have to confirm with Dr. Paley if I could use my own PT and have it covered by insurance.  Their concern is that because my injury is caused by cosmetic reasons, that I won't be able to get PT covered.  I just emailed Dr. Paley and will update with his response.  I'm also going to see if he recommends against hiring a PT that isn't experienced in handling LL patients.

[ThickButt]

Hey there BD,

I was wondering if you could go into the payment/financing a bit more. Did you pay it as a lump sum, or did you finance? Paley is on top of my list right now, but I don't know if I can scrounge up $170,000 to pay all at once. If you went down the financing route, how much are you paying monthly?

Thanks, and good luck with your continued recovery!

[Cooper]

Mis-interpreted what Stadiometer said, please refer to his following post:

I called the office and they said I would have to confirm with Dr. Paley if I could use my own PT and have it covered by insurance.  Their concern is that because my injury is caused by cosmetic reasons, that I won't be able to get PT covered.  I just emailed Dr. Paley and will update with his response.  I'm also going to see if he recommends against hiring a PT that isn't experienced in handling LL patients.

Will love to hear about PT options...I do have coverage as well.

[BilateralDamage]

Paley's exact words:

I highly recommend against that. it would almost be a waste of time to work with PTs who don’t know limb lengthening.
Worry less about the cost and more about the safety.

It sounds like it is possible but he's highly against it.  I'm inclined to agree with him and will stick with what I have.  But I'm sure he'll allow it if you're still interested.  Email him to find out the costs saved.

[Cannibal]

For this kind of money and the fact that you're 5'8 you should go for 4 inches and hit the 6'0 spot. Then you're set for life.

[programdude]

Paley's exact words:

It sounds like it is possible but he's highly against it.  I'm inclined to agree with him and will stick with what I have.  But I'm sure he'll allow it if you're still interested.  Email him to find out the costs saved.

I wonder if he'd be more ok with me doing a month with the specialist PT's, me seeing exactly what needs to be done, and using my 60 outcalls to get PT done with me guiding them.

I think I will set up that consultation once I hear back from him and see what he thinks is the best strategy.

[programdude]

double post

[Jean]

My conversation with Dr. Paley about this topic during my consultation...

Me: My plan is to lengthen at home. I'd feel more comfortable being at home and having my family there to help me.

Dr. Paley: We prefer our patients to stay here in West Palm Beach during the lengthening as it provides the safest atmosphere for the patient, but If you want to go home then we have some safety guidelines you have to follow. After surgery you have to stay here in Florida for 2 weeks. During those 2 weeks we will record your physical therapy sessions so you can bring those recordings back home with you and show your physical therapist. When you leave Florida you will have a prescription for your physical therapy. Along with your physical therapy you will have to stretch 2-3 times per day on your own. You will also have to return here to Florida every 2 weeks for x-rays and check ups with me during your lengthening. If you are not willing to follow these guidelines I will not perform surgery on you.   

It's a very straightforward, no nonsense, safety first approach with Dr. Paley. It probably would be better for me to have PT with therapists at the Paley Institute, but I really want to lengthen at home and the $15,000+ saved on PT and accommodation fees is just an added bonus.

[KiloKAHN]

Hey BD, how are you feeling as the days draw closer to your surgery date? Getting nervous?

[BilateralDamage]

Hey BD, how are you feeling as the days draw closer to your surgery date? Getting nervous?

A tad nervous but most of all... this is feeling more real than anything!  I already had my car shipped and on Monday, I'm finally flying down to Florida and moving into the Homewood Suites.    I'm excited but also a little weary of just how difficult it will be not to have the full standing and walking capabilities of my legs for the next few months.. I have a few meetings I'll be flying out for so I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be functional enough for them (and the flights).  Right now, I'm not taking for granted any little things my legs do (like being able to jog to the bathroom when I really need to use it! )

To add some more notes on sentiment before surgery, I was very nervous about my family finding out about my LL.  My family likes to keep track of everything I do, so I had to construe a lot of deceitful stories to make me leaving the state for the summer make sense.  They ate it all up and I'm in the clear, but it does feel wrong of me for lying to them.  I had considered coming out and telling them all about my surgery, but I realized the price saved in living costs and support I'll receive isn't worth the life long judgment I'll face.  When I'm dating girlfriends, marrying, having kids, towering over family, etc.. they'll know in the back of their minds it's a lie.  To me, it makes sense that I'm doing this surgery, but to them, they'll never fully comprehend.  So I'm on this one alone!

As far as loneliness goes, I've always been both an extrovert and a person who really takes solace in his personal space.  So I'm not worried about getting lonely this summer.  Also, I'm really excited for the change of scenery.    I'm viewing this summer as an opportunity not only to improve both physically and the way I perceive myself, but as also an opportunity to meet new people and enjoy the summer sun.

[Blackhawk]

When is your surgery?  Most of my family lives in other states so I shouldn't have a problem disappearing for a few months as long as I can call them.  But I plan on doing 7 cms and I think they may notice that when I see them.

[BilateralDamage]

When is your surgery?  Most of my family lives in other states so I shouldn't have a problem disappearing for a few months as long as I can call them.  But I plan on doing 7 cms and I think they may notice that when I see them.

This Thursday!!! 

My pre-OP consult is on Wednesday, where I'll also find out my exact surgery time.

[Blackhawk]

That's exciting!!  Congrats and best of luck to you!

[programdude]

How'd you go about scheduling your consult? I tried the online form but it doesn't seem to have worked.

[BilateralDamage]

That's exciting!!  Congrats and best of luck to you!

Cheers!

How'd you go about scheduling your consult? I tried the online form but it doesn't seem to have worked.

Try his email or the institute's #.. 561-844-5255

--

and now... Big D's Day Is Here!!

Surgery is tomorrow.  No eating after 12 AM, scheduled to be there by 6 AM tomorrow and my surgery will take place around 8 AM.  I decided to take the epidural route (easier, no side effects like drowsiness that are associated with constant influx of drugs via IV).  I will wake up with probably minimal pain, but eventually the epidural will wear off and I'll apparently feel like I was hit by a truck.  Surprisingly, I'm not worried about the pain.  But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. 

A few concerns:

• I'm going to have to leave during the middle of my lengthening for a few meetings in different states.  How will I balance my lengthening and these meetings?  I've yet to figure that out.
• I have 2 disc herniations in my back that I discussed with Dr. Robb (John) at my pre-op today.  He's worried about them.  They had another patient who had a sciatica that caused her lengthening to be much more painful that it normally would be.  The reason being, in a sciatica, the nerves that are already being compressed (causing pain) are now being stretched, which can possibly result in additional pain.  At my bi-weekly consults, they'll be monitoring how well/poorly my lower back responds to lengthening.  If they think my safety is in danger, they will stop my lengthening.  Do I regret lifting too much and herniating discs?  Hell yes! 

Otherwise, I'm still more excited than ever for my LL journey.  I promise to document anything important for you guys to be aware of.  I also promise to update my diary after my journey is complete.  Not too frequently though, I have to get out and enjoy the height. 

It's been a hectic past few days!  From packing, shipping car, moving to Florida, working at the same time, it's been crazy to say the least.  Right now I'm scrambling to arrange my apartment to be easily accessible for when I'm crippled.  I also stocked up on a lot of microwavable foods and canned goods because I know I'm going to be too lazy to put effort into cooking after surgery.

Wish me luck 

[mediocre]

All the best! I could only imagine how you are feeling.

Cheers!


--

and now... Big D's Day Is Here!!

Surgery is tomorrow.
Wish me luck 

[KiloKAHN]

Hope you don't encounter any issues with your back, but at least you're getting treated by one of the most renown orthopedic surgeons and should have more confidence in any issues being caught right away. Man, I'm envious of you getting your surgery done with Dr Paley. 

[OldieButGoldie]

Good luck Big D !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[theuprising]

Good luck, wishing you all the best for your operation.