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[erenyeager1]

Good work, what's your current proportion btw?

I look normal according to other people. You tend to get out of proportion if you are under 5'6 and you do more than 10 cm. It really depends on the individual, like if you have a really long torso etc. I'd suggest you photoshop yourself to see how it will look like, which I did.

Hey! I just wanted to chime in and say thank you for the AMAZING diary.

I'm looking to do 7+cm femur with Paley as well (169cm->176cm). I'm starting preparing NOW for a surgery sometime next year. I've got the money already set up for it (also in tech), I just need to figure out logistics, improve my flexibility, and lose weight (~187-190lbs, also into weight lifting). Family will host me in west palm beach for as long as I need (3-4 months right?).

You've inspired me. Thank you so much for this.

No problem! I stayed for about 100 days. I didn't really weigh myself before I could go weight bearing but right before the surgery I was around 190lbs. I definitely lost some weight during the process, which all come back (I am almost 200lbs now) now that I am also taller. Also I heard that they may be using a new nail that allows you full weight bearing right out of the surgery. I'd suggest you send them an email or a call to figure that out.

For exercising, it sounds like I should:
- Stretch the crap out of my legs (specifically hams, quads, hip flexors)
- Get great at dips and pull ups
- Lose a ton of weight.

Any other highlights I'm missing?

Yeah these would be helpful. If you have a walker at home you can try walking around with it. Out of surgery you will get one from the hospital that looks like this one on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-10210-1-Lightweight-Adjustable/dp/B001HOM4U2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2RBQW207G06CT&keywords=walker&qid=1696345995&sprefix=walker%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-5

I almost passed out the first time I tried to use the walker 1 day post op. I remember the nurse catching me and putting me back on bed. It wasn't scary because he was watching the whole time but I remember it very clearly.

[erenyeager1]

Today marks my last day of this journey. As I am typing this, I am on an Uber to the Palm beach airport with my girlfriend. Shout out to her for being with me throughout this journey since 2021. I did rod removal on Wednesday. The surgery went well. I could bear weight immediately afterwards but I am still mostly walking with walker just to be careful. I should be back to complete normal in 6 weeks. Overall, everything is very smooth. I got what I wanted. I heard they are going to do lengthening with the new Max nails starting end of February. Weight bearing makes a huge difference I have to say. I got my two rods in my suitcase as a souvenir. I will hang them up on my wall.

This will be my last post on this forum. I am grateful for the information and supports I got from this forum when I was researching and actually doing it. Without this space I probably won’t have the courage to do it. Hopefully my diary can help you too.

[Beemer m3]

can i ask u a question before u go. after paying the dr paley the surgery cost. did u have to pay additional hospital bills? like staying in the hospital stuff like that? still looking to do my next surgery in the usa but hospital cost can creep up on you.

[erenyeager1]

can i ask u a question before u go. after paying the dr paley the surgery cost. did u have to pay additional hospital bills? like staying in the hospital stuff like that? still looking to do my next surgery in the usa but hospital cost can creep up on you.

Not really additional hospital bills. The extras I paid for are wheelchair, walker, and some drugs. My insurance covered a lot of them, since doctor will provide a prescription. If you have someone taking care of you instead of hiring a caregiver, it will save you most of the extra costs. You really just need somebody to make sure you don't faint or slip and fall, and occasionally help you move around just in the first few days. I was pretty independent starting week 2 but it made me feel safer with someone around me, in case something happens.

[erenyeager1]

It's been over 1 year since rod removal. Most folks who did the surgery around the same time as me also have gotten their rods removed. Life is fully back to usual. I snowboarded this season for the first time since the surgery, and it was great. I am no athlete, so not really sure how much it impacts my sports, but I was able to pick up most of my snowboarding skills after about 3 green runs and 1 blue run, since my center of weight has changed post-surgery. I do think I walk faster than before now that my strides are slightly bigger. Nobody could tell I did this surgery, so they are usually surprised when I tell them.

I still recommend that you save up enough money before doing the surgery, like at least the amount of (the surgery + room and board + care giver cost for 2 weeks) * 1.5. You don't want to be stressed during the recovery time, which will really hurt your mental state and then potentially physical state. And there's not really "too late to do it". I've seen/heard of people in 30s, 40s, and even 50s go through it. You really want to make sure that the other aspects of your life, friends, family, career, financial states, etc, are in a good and healthy place before doing this procedure.

[UncleE]

Did it really take you 6 weeks to get back to normal activities after you had the nail removed?