Quote from: DoingItForMe on January 08, 2016, 10:36:18 PMProgress in terms of getting my strength back has been very slow. I'm going to start using my elliptical machine more now to try to gain it back. It doesn't appear that my strength will increase from just doing day-to-day activities.
If I could turn back time and given the choice between doing this surgery or not, I would still do it. Curing my height neurosis is a great feeling. It might not cure it for others, but at least for me, I don't feel short anymore. I mean, I know I'm still shorter than average, but at least I don't feel short anymore. That's the important part.
But if I could turn back time and do one less inch or 2.5 cm less, would I? Perhaps.
As much as I like adding that extra inch to get 3 inches, I probably should have stopped at 2 inches. That last inch was the hardest to get, and screwed up my athleticism the most. I know this because the last inch was where things started getting really tight, and my flexibility suffered the most. It's why my muscles are so tight right now. While I think it's possible to do 8 cm, I really do feel like I hit a limit, and shouldn't have tried to. I rather have a better recovery than that extra inch. I did not know that my recovery would be this bad. I thought that I would be walking normally by now, but nope, still walking like a penguin and can't go down stairs without holding the handrail. I can kiss competitive sports goodbye, because my muscles feel like they're stretched too much to give me much flexibility.
I currently have a 170 bpm heart rate from just walking, when I used to only get that when running. My stamina is really bad. I only lasted on the elliptical for 5 minutes on the lowest resistance before I started getting tired. I used to be able to stay on that thing for an hour or two.
Would doing just 5.5 cm mean that I'd have a 100% recovery? I don't know. But I do know that my legs would be probably be in a much better shape than now. Would it have cured my height neurosis, though... probably. 5'8" isn't that bad of a height, really. I remember that when I was at the 2 inch mark, I already felt tall enough. Stupid me wanted to get the most out of the surgery, because I've been quite the overachiever all my life. I thought I was doing myself a favor. But instead, I'm sitting here still with aches and pains in my legs and wondering if I should have stopped earlier.
That's two 5"6 guys now (you and Shyshy) who have said they felt satisfied with their height after 2 inches.. 5"8 is extremely common. I'd say it's nearly as common as 5"9.. It's also only a mere couple of centimetres off of 5"9 so you wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference.
You gave it all you had though. It's in your blood Doingit.
! I have been following your diary for a month 
. You are great! You are an inspiring LL patient. I’m sure you are going to get through it. Just keep doing PT and exercises.