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Author Topic: Starting LL next week  (Read 6027 times)

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MB_PLL98

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Starting LL next week
« on: July 01, 2014, 07:49:55 AM »
Hey guys I'm new to this forum, so this'll be my first post. I decided to make an account on here so that I could read and talk to people who are doing LL or will be doing LL. I am a 16 year old female and I have to get Limb Lengthening. I am not getting LL done cosmetically because I don't necessarily agree with it. Anyway my story is different than all of the stories I've read on here so far. Unfortunately my left leg is an inch or so shorter than my right leg. We don't know why other than the fact that on my left leg I am also Knock Kneed where my leg curves inward at the knee, and I have flat feet. In January I found out that my left leg was shorter by about an inch than my right leg, and that it was causing me to have a 20 degree curvature in my spine causing me to have Scoliosis and it's been painful and annoying for me over the last few years. My back hurts a lot, it pinches up and tightens up and I can't hardly move for a few days, and my legs touch when I walk and get tired really easily (mostly my left leg, although I've improved with that). I first went to my doctor about my legs a few years ago, my doc sent me to PT for awhile but it didn't work. I waited awhile to go back to her and at that point I was having more back pain. She wanted me to do PT again but I didn't feel it would be helpful (because of her reasoning) so she sent me to a Podiatrist. The Podiatrist couldn't help me so I got sent to a Surgeon of some sort. That Surgeon couldn't help me either so I was going to get sent to one of his "Surgeon Friends" but our insurance wouldn't let me and I got sent on our local Army Base (which was fine for me). I'm glad I met my Orthopedic Surgeon on base, he's been amazingly helpful so far. For months I had to wear an inch of insole in my boots (would only work in my UGGS, but ruined them by stretching them out) and also got a lift in my Nikes (unfortunately) and did PT again like he told me. I found out last Wednesday (June 25th, 2014) that I was going to have surgery on July 7th . I will have my left femur lengthened with the Precice LL I think. My surgeon also has to operate on my Tibia, since it's deformed and if we don't fix my issues soon, then I'll have to have a hip AND knee replacement by age 50.The last few years have been really difficult for me physically and emotionally. The shoe lift was difficult for me as was the look of my leg because I was and currently am uncomfortable wearing skirts, shorts and dresses because of my leg (I can hyperextend both my legs and the hyper extension makes my left leg look gross). Physically it's been hard for me to stay in shape (I've managed) but I have many setbacks because of my back, the curvature of my leg and the hyper extension and exercises that kill my back and leg.
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So that's my backstory. I'm pretty nervous for the surgery and experience. I don't know what to expect with any of it but I completely trust my Surgeon. Anyway I'm in pretty good shape (5ft 3in & 117 pounds) and I'm pretty happy with myself, except for my leg. What is some advice you would give me before and after my surgery? What should I expect? How painful (considering I've never broken,fractured or sprained anything in my life haha) I don't know what my pain tolerance is also. I plan on updating this throughout my LL experience and debating on doing youtube videos.
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GeTs

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Re: Starting LL next week
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2014, 10:18:31 AM »
To the OT: try to get in contact with other LL patients , that will make your experience more positive and will help you from being lonely the whole time, if you follow every instruction your doctor gives you there shouldn't be anything to worry about, thats all I can help you with, most guys on this forum are more insecure than you,but they still manage to do it by staying united or sharing their experience, this might help you as well
« Last Edit: July 01, 2014, 12:34:59 PM by Admin »
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MB_PLL98

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Re: Starting LL next week
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2014, 08:51:04 PM »
Hallijah, thank you for your response. I have done everything that my doctor has told me to do and I see him tomorrow for my PreOp. He seems to be confident that everything will go well and that makes me feel better, but I’ll still worry about it until it’s over with. Hopefully I’ll be able to do things still this summer, I had a lot planned. Seems I won’t be able to do 90% of it but I need this surgery and it’s something I’ve always wanted. I think that I am looking at the situation wrong, so I’m trying to be more positive about all of it. I know that most guys on this forum are more insecure than I am, but they are also insecure for different reasons than me. I haven’t had a great time the last couple of years, especially this year already. Teenage girls can be mean, especially when you’re different than them with a messed up leg and weird looking shoes.  I’m glad there’s a forum like this for people to talk about LL because it seems to help the person on their LL journey. I plan on continually updating this with my experiences to help others and to share ideas etc, so hopefully like you were saying I won’t feel lonely the whole time. You can share all you want with your friends, but if they aren’t going through it or never will go through LL then they won’t understand as well as someone who is about to do LL or already did. Again thank you for your response, I wasn’t sure if anybody would actually respond, but I figured I’d give the forum a try.
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shortkid

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Re: Starting LL next week
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2014, 11:29:37 PM »
You will get a good amount of responses :) Anyway good luck with your surgery! Wishing you a speedy recovery!
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Classical

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Re: Starting LL next week
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2014, 04:43:52 AM »
Don't worry, you will go through this process just fine!
I am currently doing tibia external LON lengthening. It's been a rocky road for sure, but mostly bearable. I would imagine with your current physical condition, you are already suffering a lot, and I don't see the surgery to be more unbearable than what you already have gone through. Precise is a lot easier to tolerate than external. Your journey should be a lot smoother than mine  ;)
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MB_PLL98

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Re: Starting LL next week
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2014, 06:07:18 AM »
@shortkid: Thank you! And good luck with yours if you’ve gotten it yet (or for whenever you get LL) :)

@TheRisingShorty: I wish you the best of luck with your LL surgery whenever you get it! Keep us updated with your LL experience. And yes, I’m honestly pretty nervous haha. It really caught me off guard. I was a candidate for surgery for all these months but I didn’t think I would actually be getting the surgery so quickly.

@Classical: I’m sure I’ll be fine, I just have a bad habit of worrying about stuff too much, especially since I didn’t think I’d be getting surgery so soon. Ouch! I heard the external devices hurt more, makes sense. I’m glad I’m going with the internal device. And yes I have been suffering a lot with my back and leg, and sometimes it gets very painful (my back) and I never know when it’s going to happen (it almost always hurts, but it locks up on me and I can’t hardly move). In the end this surgery will be worth it and I won’t have to worry about getting a hip and knee replacement when I’m older, hopefully haha. How long have you been doing tibia external LON lengthening and when do you want to stop?

Thank you for all of the great responses guys! I really appreciate it  :)
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