I'm Not Dead!I apologize that I didn't update my diary as things were occurring in my LL journey. Soon after my first post, things started becoming many times more difficult. I've experienced a lot of pain and suffering- with a long way to go but here I am, still alive!
Beginning of the LL NightmareI first began lengthening at a rate of 1mm per day. After about one week, I began distracting 1.5mm per day. When I reached 3cm, I took an x-ray which showed that I was at risk for pre-consolidation. Dr. Kulesh told me he suspected that he will have to bring up my distraction rate to 2.5mm per day. I was so shocked and never heard of anyone lengthen so fast. I asked if he was going to see what Dr. Solomin thought since I was so skeptical about his opinion. He responded that he would discuss it with Dr. Solomin that day to make sure he wasn't crazy. I was still nervous but at least even he realized that what he was asking me to do was out of the ordinary. Later that night I received an e-mail confirming that both Dr. Kulesh and Dr. Solomin agreed that I should begin lengthening at a rate of 2.5mm per day. I knew I wasn't going to have it easy anymore.
These were the xrays:
https://imgur.com/a/mhc2I1P (Album)
Pain & More PainIt was extremely painful and uncomfortable. All I had was what was basically ibuprofen and these shots I forgot the name of that would be given through your butt. Both stopped helping me after 2-3 days. The weather was also getting hotter. With the pain and heat combined, the discomfort was at a whole different level. After a week of distracting 2.5mm per day, I wasn't able to endure lengthening so fast any longer and Dr. Kulesh allowed me to lower my distraction rate at 2mm per day until I finished lengthening and began the correction phase. I honestly wasn't able to tell the difference between 2.5mm and 2mm, the pain still felt just as bad. I officially stopped lengthening at 6.2cm and I thought that the pain would finally slowly go away. I thought wrong. After the hexapods were installed on my frames to begin corrections, I was even more uncomfortable. To make my situation worse, I was unable to do corrections on my own so Dr. Kulesh's assistants would have to turn for me. Typically you would turn throughout the day, but since I couldn't do them myself, Dr. Kulesh had to have my entire turning schedule done all at once each day. I don't know how I endured all that pain and discomfort. I guess it was because I had no choice but to get through it.
Here are x-rays and pictures of my frames during corrections:
https://imgur.com/a/TkaerrB (Album)
NailingFinally! It was time to remove the frames. I was told I would be the first in the operation room. They wheeled me out early in the morning and I sat on the stretcher outside of the room I'd be having surgery in. I was so early that I didn't see any of my doctors until an hour later. At that point I lost so much weight that my back and ass was bony so it wasn't comfortable laying on that stiff stretcher. They didn't start my surgery until two hours later and I was moaning in pain waiting. I just kept telling myself that the frames were coming off that day so I just had to bear the pain until then.
After all the waiting, it was time to put the epidural in my spine. This was a huge challenge having two frames on my femurs since they kept me stuck laying on my back. It took four people to lift me sideways and put in the spinal epidural. I probably don't need to say this was extremely uncomfortable. Everything I experienced was uncomfortable; some was just more uncomfortable than others... Several minutes after I saw Dr. Kulesh and Dr. Solomin come in, I knocked out.
My experience this surgery was a bit different than my last. In my initial surgery, I was able to remember the very last thing I saw before knocking out. Also, when I woke up last surgery, I was woken up in the operation room and remember being wheeled back to my hospital room. This time, I don't remember exactly when I knocked out and when I woke up, I was already in my room, extremely weak, and in a pool of blood. However, its the most comfortable I ever felt in the last few months since I was still on the anesthesia.
About three days later, I got my spinal epidural removed. I didn't want anything sticking inside my body, so I also asked the nurse to remove my catheter later that night. I was peeing blood the first couple of times after I had the catheter removed. It was also extremely painful to pee for several days but the pain progressively went down. I really can't get a break from this journey...
Here are some pictures and xrays after nailing:
https://imgur.com/a/4PzNptS (Album)
Going Home!10 days after nailing, I took an Uber Black to a really nice hotel. It was my first taste of luxury in months! The Uber Black driver picked me up in a nice Mercedes and LITERALLY picked me up and put me in the car since the nails weren't weight bearing. He was extremely professional and helped me a lot. I stayed at the hotel for two nights and was able to order and eat anything and everything I wanted! I had AC and felt like I was in heaven compared to being at St Elizabeth's.
I took another Uber Black to the airport who also helped me by literally picking me up from my wheelchair to get in and out of the car. After checking in, flying home was almost effortless. Uncomfortable but effortless since I got pushed to everywhere I needed to go. I was also first on every plane so I could get settled before everyone started coming in. I bought seats that was one class below first class to get extra leg room since my ROM was still fairly bad. Flying home with my broken femurs actually felt easier than when I was flying to Russia.
Comments•I planned on spending $13k USD but ended up spending roughly $18k USD; still spending money on PT, x-rays, etc. at home.
•Everything looks good, I got xrays, blood work, ultra sounds at my hospital in America - just working on ROM, leg strength, and nerve pain at the moment.
•Still not fully weight bearing; I'm waiting to take my next x-rays and hope I can weight bear by then.
•I've actually been home for a few weeks but I'll update my situation at home another time.
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Topic: Bilateral Femur Lengthening with Dr. Kulesh & Dr. Solomin (Read 9528 times)