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[curious162]

Okay, I am posting this to help anyone who is interest in Surgery in Canada.

Male 162 cm
Lengthening Femur using Precice 2.2 to the maximum possible height of 8 cm.
From Toronto, Ontario

Surgeon: Dr Marie Gdalevitch
https://cllcenter.com/
Montreal, Canada

*No worries if you cannot speak French, most can speak English

Aug. 4
Arrived in Montreal. Booked an airbnb stay for 30 days.

Aug. 5
EKG test - the nurse came to my place. Took a blood test.

Aug. 6
Covid-19 test - the same nurse came. The OR requires the covid test to be negative 48 hours before surgery

Aug. 8
Surgery - put into a IV sedative. Like a time machine, I wake up with 2 broken legs in a some pain. Felt nausea and vomited several times. Given medication for vomiting and pain. The nurse will ask to walk after you wake up and I needed to go to the washroom. So I walked there as best and frightened as I was.
Tip - If you are in pain, let the nurse know!

Before the surgery, my plan was to perform this twice to increase my height by 6 inches. After the surgery, I think I am going to wait until the Precice Stryde or a stronger wait bearing nail comes back. This is my first time being put to sleep for surgery. Even though the nurse said I was progressing better than most, I still felt this surgery is intense and the commitment is a lot. I have come to appreciate and empathize with those who has had surgery and the agony they go through.

My opinion of Dr. Marie Gdalevitch is that so far, she has exceeded my expectations. She is highly talented and has put together a caring team.

[curious162]

Aug 9.
Transported to another clinic to stay for another night. Met the physiotherapist, Corey who taught me how to exercise my legs. I had been stretching before the surgery and that made it easier. I was not in any pain, but was not comfortable with my situation. Corey said my current condition is very good because I am pretty flexible already able to to walk.

Aug 10.
Discharge from clinic. Corey came again to see me and teach me how to use the crutches for the stairs and how to get in the car. I had to also purchase a lot of pills to take home. One thing I had to learn and accept was to inject my stomach with a blood thinner. If you don't like needles, you will have to learn and it does get easier as time goes on. Once I got home, a nurse came to visit to make sure that I am okay. My place had stairs and the parking is on the street. It was a challenge, but I made it. Nurse also asked me what my pain level was between 0-10. I told her 0. I did not feel any pain. So I gave my honest answer. She was quite surprise because on average there is some level pain. But maybe it is because I am on painkillers and the stocking wrapped around my legs was more uncomfortable than painful.

Tip 1: Rent a place without stairs, especially if you are planning to do this on your own  Lucky for me, I have someone with me who helped me do this. The stairs is a concern because I could easily fall.

Tip 2: Only use the crutches for the stairs because the walker is more stable. I learned the hard way and tried to get up from bed using the crutches. Stupid idea and almost injured legs doing so.

Tip 3: Make sure parking is 24hours private. I had street parking that requires the car to move daily. Lucky for me, I brought someone with me that could help me move the car.

Tip 4: You will be given a lot of pills. But if you are Canadian with medical insurance, make sure you bring your health plan, a lot of it is covered.

My opinion of Corey is that he is caring physiotherapist. He has exceeded my expectations.

[curious162]

Aug 11
Physiotherapy begins. Corey was impressed with how flexible I was. I also received the ERC machine that is used for distracting my legs. One thing I didn't like is that there is no immediate way to know it is working. Only the x-ray which occurs every two weeks. Learning how to use the machine was easy.

Aug 16.
Distraction does not begin until a full 7 days after surgery. 4 times a day, 0.25mm each time. Minimum 4 hour spread between distraction. The ERC machine , although easy to use, is not ergonomically designed. It stabs against my stomach as I struggle to hold the ERC machine in the correct position. Something, I will just have to live with.

Tip 1: Stretch as much as possible before your surgery, many months in advance. The more flexible your legs are, the easier it will be for physio.

Tip 2: Strengthen your arms before the surgery. After the surgery, your arms becomes your legs. Your arms will be needed to lift yourself from bed using minimal quad muscles.
 
Tip 3: It is normal to have purple legs due to the blood thinner injection.

Tip 4: You will adapt to the needling yourself on the stomach nightly. Eventually the pain become bearable and the fear disappears.

Tip 5: With the abundant of medicine I needed to take, painkillers, stool softeners, anti-inflammatory, it was hard to keep track. Just remember the blood thinner is vital. Painkiller is also needed. Stool softener if you have not made any bowel movement or if you bowel movement still feels like golf balls. Anti-inflammatory is mandatory.

[Dirona]

Thanks a lot for writing this diary! I am a Canadian too and I am strongly considering Dr. Gdalevitch.. Did she discuss complications with you and did you get complete reassurance from that she will treat them if they do arise?

[canterk]

thanks for sharing your experience. I think this is the first diary for dr. marie in this forum

best wishes!

[karin123]

How could you walk with precice nail? it is not even a full weight bearing nail..

[KrP1]

what's the price?

[google42]

Any updates on this?

[scandinavian15]

Any updates?

[saltedchocolate]

How could you walk with precice nail? it is not even a full weight bearing nail..

my guess is he/she was not that heavy and only did partial weight bearing.

[Zenki]

Any updates..?

[Cookie Girl]

Price ?

[wantingtobetaller]

Thank you I read all of your diaries.

[Staystrong]

I'm curious about how have you been?
Is everything ok with your surgery or there are some complications?
Are you happy with Marie Gdalevitch?

[ati]

Hi, Are you ok? why you are not answering any questions or posting anything? Should be worried about your surgery outcome? You exaggerated too much on Doctor and physio's expertise but they gave you the remote and syringe to do everything on your own. that is not a very well cared situation. Now you are disappeared from this forum that you started yourself. That is a telling story in my opinion.

[Staystrong]

Agree, don't understand people who create topic and then get lost!

[Ted68]

Agree, don't understand people who create topic and then get lost!

If he is a serious person... that means he got complications or he just died !
...But, I am pretty sure he is just another fickle one...