Diary: Stryde Femurs with Dr. Paley September 2019

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Hey man,

try CBD.
I was a heavy insomniac on medication and cbd is the only supplement that made me stopped, magically, overnight.  I sleep better now and I will sure be using this to calm me and ease the pain without any mind-altering effect.  Not sure why nobody here seems to be using this.

Some researches even claim that it helps bones grow stronger and fuse faster in trials...  hopefully it doesn't fuse too fast

Good luck with the pain, it should get better very soon.

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DO NOT b depressed my man!! You waited your whole life for this
Instead I advise to pickup a fun hobby. This is the only time in your life where you can become a gamer with NO guilt. I gamed all day yesterday 8 hours blew by

Regards to pain: ya man first 2-3 weeks r known as hell weeks
Walk only when u need to
Let inflammation go away
Take pain meds

Take tylenol pm to help u sleep that   will knock u out
But ya dude 2-3 weeks sucks
Just do as little as u can to keep the inflamation down

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Any update sir?? 

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3 Week Post Op Update- 1.4 CM

It's been exactly 3 weeks since my surgery and things have been getting better everyday. Just had my first post op visit with Dr. Robbins (he does the surgery together with Paley) and I'm exactly where I should be, lengthened about 1.4 CM, legs are symmetrical. Seeing that x ray with your legs longer as an indicator of progress is a great motivator. With 1.4 CM under my belt I don't 'feel' taller, but I think once I cross that 1 inch threshold things will change. Things have been challenging but you feel the progress, above all else, IMO this is a mental challenge.

Pain

Week 2- This week was tough but you power through it. Pain hovered around a 3 to 4 throughout the day, peaking at a 5 or 6 that I would attribute to acute post surgery pains. You're sore, weak, and still adjusting to LL life, everything feels foreign, and every movement amplifies the pain. The highest pain points for me were around my knee, where I'd get a shooting, throbbing pain randomly throughout the day. Definitely difficult but manageable with OTC Tylenol, you just grind through it.

Week 3 - Pain gradually gets better day by day, probably averaged a 2 to 3 throughout the day. The post surgery acute pain starts to fade away during this week and is replaced by a dull pain that I would describe as more annoying than painful. Imagine coming home from an all day long hike on a hill with a steep incline with your legs tired and sore- this is how it feels all day. After a couple weeks of LL experience under your belt, your mind gets sharper, you learn how to manage the pain, what movements hurt, and you adjust and adapt.

As I kick off week 4 of my journey, it's getting better and I'd say I'm at a 1 or 2 throughout the day, sometimes 0.


Sleep

I'm averaging about 5 hours of sleep a night. Restlessness, which I would describe as more of a nagging discomfort rather than a pain,  will wake you up after 2 or 3 hrs. I'm unable to sleep on my sides, and have to stay fixated on my back with my legs straight so tossing and turning isn't an option.

When I wake up, instead of fighting it, I'll just stretch, or warm up my legs, and ease back into sleep.

I don't feel sleep deprived yet, but we'll see how it goes as the 5 hr nights start to compound.

Tip: Heat pads work wonders with helping me sleep. The heat is really soothing and numbs the pain and nagging restlessness. Tylenol PM has also been a great aid.

Mobility

I'm still using my walker, but I'm moving around just fine at a decent pace, with a good gait and a proper heal to toe action walk. When using my walker, I'm limiting the amount of weight I put on the walker/arms, and just using it as a guide/balance/safety more than anything. I would say I'm putting about 90% of my weight on my feet now. In the next few days I'm going to try to move to a cane.

Getting up from a seated position has gotten way better since week 2. Earlier, I had to rely entirely on my upper body to get up from a seated position, now I primarily use my legs with a little help from my arms.

I consciously try to walk around at least 3x a day to 1) build strength and 2) increase blood flow to help prevent the risk of blood clots / pulmonary embolism (scary stuff that can lead to death.) I also find that walking around is good for the mind.

Flexibility

Maintaining a disciplined PT / Flexibility routine is key. Stretch, stretch, stretch like it's a full time job. It's a constant battle to not get stiff, and to stay ahead of the curve you've got to stretch hard. If you take a break from stretching, you definitely feel it and pay the price through stiffness and challenging sleep. I'm stretching 3x a day, with each session bordering 1 hour and experimenting with more sessions / lower duration. The Paley PT's took my measurements last week and I'm doing above average with my range of motion, but I feel like it's going to be an uphill battle from here the more I lengthen as I can feel the stretches start to get more difficult the more I lengthen.

The PT's at Paley will give you a variety of exercises to do at home which focus on strength and stretching. Personally, I'd dedicate more of your time to stretching rather than strengthening as you get most of your strength back simply from walking. As I'm doing this alone, it's difficult to get a full stretch by yourself, so when I'm at Paley's PT and tell them to push me to the limit.

After stretching you feel much better- you just feel a lot looser, way more mobile and get a little sense of accomplishment.

Mood/ Mindset

Like I said earlier, for me, above all else this is a mental challenge. The physical pain is tough but you just grind through it. Mentally, this process will test you, especially if you are doing it solo with no contact with friends/family like I am. LL is a journey with a huge transition/adjustment where you have several WTF am I doing moments. Imagine going  from pre-LL w/ a relatively happy life, where you get a sense of purpose and accomplishment from work, dopamine hits from seeing friends/sxx with women/going out/working out, to going to this LL life where every day is the same, you sleep, wake up, stretch, go to PT, eat, stretch, eat, sleep, repeat....... huge transition.

You're isolated, and have to actively train yourself to not let things get to your head. I haven't had a good dopamine hit since this journey started, and the highlight of my day is either PT or hanging out with other LL people at the hotel. You want time to go faster but the pain/stiffness/lack of sleep just makes time feel a lot slower.

Pre LL I considered working remotely, I'm glad I didn't. It would be hard to be a high performer at work while doing LL as the process puts a strain on you mentally with the lack of sleep, medications, and dull pain + the unpredictability of when the pain will hit. I think my performance would definitely suffer had I decided to work remotely.

Tip: The best remedy to prevent getting lost in your head is staying busy and active around other peopld. I would not recommend doing this alone like I am. If you can do it with a friend or family, definitely do that. The best aids in helping the time go by is being social. My source has been hanging with other LLers here at the hotel. I'm going to try to transition to other activities like books/hobbies but you are just tired and dealing with dull pains to get really excited about anything.

Welp that's it guys. The best part about this stage is you get a sense that things keep getting better day by day, and you are starting to see the progress with the lengthening.

In my next update I'll try to go over recommended purchases for the LL journey based on my experience so far.

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 TheAlchemist ..... great update.... your in safe hands and doing well... every millimetre counts:)
Stay strong... my friend.

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I don't know how you can sleep on your back with your legs straight, that'd cause me pain, I always sleep with a pillow under my knees otherwise I couldn't. but so far you're doing great man week 4 you'll feel much better keep going bro cheers

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Quote from: TheAlchemist on September 23, 2019, 03:29:43 PMAlright LL fam, it’s been nearly a week since my surgery and I’ll try to recap the journey so far.  So far so good , I’m doing well and in good spirits.  I’ll recap surgery day and the days after.

SURGERY DAY 0 -  9/17/19
To my surprise I was able to sleep the night before surgery despite having so much on my mind. Woke at 4:30 AM, went straight to the shower and washed myself off with a pre surgery antibacterial soap provided by the Paley team. As instructed, no food and limited water the night of surgery (cutoff was midnight the night before surgery.)

Ordered a Lyft and got to the hospital at around 6 AM as instructed. Cherished every step I took around the hospital as I knew it would be a long time till I’d be comfortably mobile on my own two feet again.

Mood/ Mental State: For the most part anxious and ready to get the show on the road. So much planning and anticipation over the past year for this moment, although there was much to be fearful about, I kept thinking about what awaits me on the other side of the finish line of this journey, what life will be like a year from now, living a happy, healthy life, and continuing to contribute to the world without the constraints of my personal mental issues surrounding my height. There is a thin line between excitement and fear/anxiety, and with this positive mindset I felt energized and excited, I truly felt like I was moving forward.

Surgery Prep:
They wheel you into the pre surgery room where the nurses take your vitals again and proceed to have you undress into your hospital gown and store your belongings in a security locker. 
Then one of the nurses shaves your legs around the surgery site.
They have you fill out a bunch of paperwork providing consent and defining liability, scary morbid stuff to read through, I scanned through it, said a prayer (not at all religious) and signed them.
Then, the anesthesiologist comes by and walks you through the process. I opted to go with a spinal block instead of an epidural to avoid the catheter, in hindsight am glad I did.
They put the IV in you, about a half hour later the anesthesiologist comes back and give you the “happy juice”, which contained fentanyl. I’m not here to glamorize drugs but there was in instant hit of immense euphoria, calmness, and a general happy numbness flowing throughout my body…my eyes rolled to the back of my head and a smile formed from cheek to cheek. It was an amazing high. Fentanyl is powerful stuff, and I can see why it’s an epidemic. A few seconds later the lights went out……

Surgery:
Woke up in a new room. Dazed and disoriented. Not knowing where I was, what time or date it was, or why I was there…..until an attractive blonde nurse comes in and informs me my surgery is done and was successful, its late afternoon, and I’m in recovery. I slowly gather my thoughts and am thankful to be alive and healthy. They take my vitals and I’m in good health. A feeling of immense gratitude and positive emotions fills my body.

Pain and other rehab: Virtually no pain. At a stand still pain is a 0. When you move your legs around pain is maybe a 1. The anesthesia lingers in your system for 24 hrs of so. On top of that, you are on a combination of Taradol, Tylenol, and Oxy.
Your lower legs are wrapped in an automated sleeve that intermittently squeezes and applies pressure to promote blood circulation.
Your thighs / femurs are elevated  wrapped in ice pad to help with the swelling.

Exercises: The PT comes in and teaches you three movements to help promote blood circulation and stimulate your muscles

1)   Toe/heel flexes – point your toes towards and your outwards 20x.
2)   Quad stretches- straighten out your leg so that the back of your knee makes contact with the bed (your legs tend to slightly bend.) 20x
3)   Squeeze your butt cheeks 20x

I was able to do all the above relatively easy, and did a few leg raises and 90 degree knee bends while laying down. PT and nurse were impressed.

Food: They bring you standard cafeteria food for dinner, a decent mix of protein ( meat), veggies and dessert.  I didn’t get any morphine so I didn’t feel nauseous at all and was able to clean my plate. Your body needs calories after experiencing so much trauma, so even after this meal, I was still hungry and ate a protein bar I packed which hit the spot.

Going to bathroom: I was able to urinate on surgery date relatively easy. As I mentioned earlier, I opted to not use an epidural and therefore I did not need a catheter. I felt the urge to pee the night of surgery. At this point the anesthesia is still in effect and your bodily functions are still slowly coming back, so with a little more effort I was able to pee into a urine bottle. Made a little mess but you learn as you go. 

Mood / mental state: Post surgery your body is  recovering from significant trauma. Although you don’t feel it thanks to the meds, you are constantly dipping in and out of sleep. I would say I’d be awake for 1 to 2 hrs, fall asleep for 2 to 3 hrs, and repeat.

Hospital Care: The nurses are great. They check on you frequently, probably every hour or so, and take your vitals every 4 hrs. My biggest fear for the surgery was fat embolism, and the nurses coming in, checking my vitals, seeing my oxygen levels at optimum levels, really eased my concerns.

Surgery Day Tips:
1)   Pack a long phone charging cord, at least 10 ft. Your bed is quite far from the power outlet in your hospital room.
2)   Pack tons of snacks and meal replacements. The hospital feeds you decent cafeteria food 3 times a day, but I personally don’t feel like it’s enough. you’ll be starving post op and your body will need calories and protein. I packed a bunch of protein bars and Cliff bars which helped a lot. 
3)   If you are hiring a care taker, you will NOT need them during your hospital stay as the round the clock service from the nurses is more than enough. You can call the nurses at your will, but they pop in frequently enough that I felt safe and watched over.
4)   The nurses won’t proactively provide you with oral hygeine care. Ask them for a tooth brush and mouth wash and they’ll provide.

Wow...didn't expect the surgery day recap to be this long, I'll follow up with recaps on the subsequent days later today....

1. Thanks!!! For people who are not from West Palm Beach (ex: most people don't happen to have a house there), how much money would you budget for the entire process (surgery, apartment cost, everything) etc?

2. Which apartment did you choose in the end and why?

Thanks

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Day 27 Post Op Update - 2 CM

Mobility - Transitioned from a walker to crutches and cane a few days ago. Mobility is much better in terms of speed and endurance. Yesterday I was able to move around my hotel floor, lobby, and pool area on a cane which felt amazing after being glued to the walker for the past few weeks....feeling a bit sore so resting a bit today and staying on crutches.

Pain - Primary source of pain is knee pain occurring 3 to 4 times a day. Would describe as a shooting pain at a level 4 or 5  on top of, and around, the knee cap that lasts for 5 or 10 second- I'm able to get pain relief through icing the knee. Other than that, starting to feel a bit of stiffness but pain is manageable at a 1 or 2. I'm only on Tylenol throughout the day and Tylenol PM before bed.

Sleep - I'm continuing to average 5 or 6 hrs a night. Tylenol PM + heating pads helps a lot.

Physical Therapy - Continuing to stretch 3 to 4 times a day w/ an emphasis on stretching hamstrings and quads. I've eased up on the strength exercises as walking alone feels sufficient for building strength. The Paley Physical Therapists all say my flexibility and strength is above average at this stage. Trying to keep it going.

Mood/ Mindset - Starting to hit that point where days feel a bit monotonous. Life feels like a never ending cycle of stretching, resting, pain management, sleep, repeat. I think it's a rough patch because I'm approaching nearly a month post op which feels like a considerable amount of time, yet don't have the satisfaction of feeling taller yet. I think that will change in the next week as I cross the inch threshold and start to feel taller. 

My goal this week is to spend 20% to 30% of my day on productive activities (career, reading, music production) to help feel normal and pass the time.

Adjusting my goal to 7.5CM.....hitting 7.5 CM will be life changing! Everyday is a step closer....

 

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Quote from: CodyTheDog on October 13, 2019, 06:46:36 PM1. Thanks!!! For people who are not from West Palm Beach (ex: most people don't happen to have a house there), how much money would you budget for the entire process (surgery, apartment cost, everything) etc?

2. Which apartment did you choose in the end and why?

Thanks

1. For bilateral femurs I would budget 150% of the surgery cost for everything (around $150k.) This includes a little cushion in the event you have to pay for unexpected medical costs which would be wise to have. Thankfully everything has been textbook so far for me but you never know.  If you are doing this solo in WPB expect to spend anywhere from $7 to $10k on a hotel/housing and another $3k on a caretaker for the first few weeks. 

2. I ended up staying at the Homewood Suites out here. Primary reasons were costs and access to shuttle transportation to and from Paley PT. A big bonus is there are a good amount of other Paley patients here that you can hang with for support and to help pass the time.

Quote from: Movie on October 08, 2019, 09:22:20 PMI don't know how you can sleep on your back with your legs straight, that'd cause me pain, I always sleep with a pillow under my knees otherwise I couldn't. but so far you're doing great man week 4 you'll feel much better keep going bro cheers

You're right bro, I tried the pillow below the knees and it helped a lot. Thanks man! 

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Quote from: TheAlchemist on October 13, 2019, 07:07:57 PM1. For bilateral femurs I would budget 150% of the surgery cost for everything (around $150k.) This includes a little cushion in the event you have to pay for unexpected medical costs which would be wise to have. Thankfully everything has been textbook so far for me but you never know.  If you are doing this solo in WPB expect to spend anywhere from $7 to $10k on a hotel/housing and another $3k on a caretaker for the first few weeks. 

2. I ended up staying at the Homewood Suites out here. Primary reasons were costs and access to shuttle transportation to and from Paley PT. A big bonus is there are a good amount of other Paley patients here that you can hang with for support and to help pass the time.

You're right bro, I tried the pillow below the knees and it helped a lot. Thanks man!

Thanks! " and another $3k on a caretaker for the first few weeks.  "

1. Roughly how many weeks of paying for a caretaker is common? 3 weeks? Four weeks?

2. Where do people typically find their caretaker?

3. What advice would you have for choosing a caretaker?

I'm trying to create a giant spreadsheet of everything, just trying to get a rough idea.