Hey guys, thanks for the support above. Been a few months since I’ve been on here.
I’m doing alright, I have a few issues. I’m walking normally and can do pretty much all normal things. I rode an electric scooter downtown for an hour, went skating rink (went very slow and was tricky to keep balance, but I always sucked at skating anyways, didn’t fall or anything).
I don’t really do anything physically intensive, just normal life and work. Longer walking for 30 min or one hour isn’t an issue. There are still some things I can’t really do, like if I sit on something very low I need just slight hand support to get up, looks completely normal and most people do it like taller and overweight people. But this was something I didnt do before ll. Not sure if cause of biomechanics change or strength. Maybe both
My concerns are though that I have pain in only my left leg top screw sites, especially if I press on the specific area. I’m pretty sure my bones are fully consolidated by now but I haven’t even had the willpower to go get an X-ray in months lol. It’s not a huge issue, I feel discomfort in the area here and there.
Not looking towards removing rods and screws but I think I have to do that asap as soon as it’s safe, which could be a long while.
My right leg is doing great, I feel like it’s 60% of what it is pre ll in terms of strength. Could be more and probably run if left was the same, because I’d be able to do more exercises like squats etc without my other leg tiring early. My left leg however feels much weaker and I would say 40% of pre LL strength. It makes slow progress. Also I haven’t really been doing much physio in last couple of months. My rom is normal and I feel like it doesn’t help. I need strength building exercise and my left leg kind of prevents me from that. I can walk up / down stairs unassisted normally and jog very slowly but I feel discomfort in the area if I do that time after time. Pretty sure screw is backing out or something. I really need to go see my doctor and I think I will soon, it’s just far and the real reason it’s pretty awkward seeing them lol. I’m pretty sure the weakness is coming from my left hip from the extra surgery, but I’m not a doctor.
Still doesn’t feel real that I did this, and being shorter feels like a distance dream even though it was a matter of months. Life goes back to normal for me and I forget the suffering I took except when I reread my diary it reminds me of the severe pain at times.
May or may not do tibia in future. Probably not. This has really cured so much neurosis for me. It’s a small insecurity I have now instead of a giant hole. But it did come with a heavy price. I don’t think I’ll ever be as physically strong as before. Even if you do 5cm. It takes a toll, and it can be depressing at times, and can make you feel like less of a man. Like around New Years some drunk guy called my girl a bi*ch at a party and after an exchange of words I had to let it go because I would be defenseless if something broke out. Really bothered me for a while. I hope in the future obviously i would be a lot more capable, but I don’t think I’ll ever be where I was at before LL. Regardless of my height before LL I did wrestling for years and years and was at a point where I was able to easily manhandle my friends that were bigger and taller than me. Of course there would still some amount of the population that could overcome you, it was a comfort knowing would’ve been a small fraction.
I don’t think any other cosmetic change comes with a heftier price. 3 inches for me was definitely life changing, but both good and bad. When I say 60% of pre LL strength on my right leg, that was me being a lazy fk and working out once a week. I used to be able to run or deadlift 50% aprx more in high school running track and wrestling than as an adult, so after LL depending on amount I don’t think you could ever be more than 60-75% of your full potential. Most people are fine with that. It only bothers them in their head. Had I not done LL I highly doubt ever in my adult life I would ever end up having time to run miles and train for hours on a daily basis anyways.
Would it be nice to be a couple inches taller, sure, but I would even say that at 5’10 or 6ft etc.
How I know that it really cleared my neurosis is that when I think of doing tibia, I have no motivation or care for it. I just think “meh it would be pretty nice to be a couple inches taller, but I have little motivation to go through all that again, even if it was free”. While my mindset of doing femurs was basically desperate to find a way, regardless of the pain and large amount of money. I have never done anything crazier in my life.
Last thing I wanna mention is weight. I weighed 127 before and weighed 143. Besides height I don’t where the weight came from. I was always skinny and am slightly less skinny from all the food etc I ate and lack of exercise but look close to same as before LL. Probably from lack of exercise. Im sure some came from new bone and the nails, but not 15+ Pounds