Quote from: Great321 on October 23, 2019, 11:32:23 PMToday I started to just use one crutch inside the house for safety reasons. I feel safe enough. It's easier to have one hand free to open doors quickly and carry things around.
@TwinMusicom: Since I have a German passport I didn't need to apply for visa. I'm pretty sure that Dr. Giotikas assistance can help you with your questions though. They are really responsive. Overseas health insurances are also easy and cheap to get.
In Greece you won't need to speak Greek to get by. But of course understanding "Good Morning", "Hello", "Ok", "Bye", "Thank you", "You're welcome" will be helpful and they will appreciate your efforts.
Thanks!!!
1. Oh? In most rooms/places you'll be there will be at least one English speaker usually then?
2. You didn't need any Greek to recognize signs/get around ?
3. Do you ever go outside your room to explore a bit? I'd be personally a bit afraid to walk around in a walker for STRYDE patients, seems like nothing you can do if a pick pocket comes
Dr. Giotikas - external tibia/Stryde - Diary 2018/2019
Quote from: CodyTheDog on October 24, 2019, 12:03:21 PM1. Did you have to do the LATIN surgery because of an emergency? What was the reason they gave?
2. Do people doing internals ever have to do the LATIN surgery?
1. my bone growth was too slow and I didn't want to stay in external frames more than 10 months
2. LATN surgery IS internal nailing
Quote from: CodyTheDog on October 24, 2019, 12:08:52 PMThanks!!!
1. Oh? In most rooms/places you'll be there will be at least one English speaker usually then?
2. You didn't need any Greek to recognize signs/get around ?
3. Do you ever go outside your room to explore a bit? I'd be personally a bit afraid to walk around in a walker for STRYDE patients, seems like nothing you can do if a pick pocket comes
1.Whatever Dr. Giotikas provides, you can be sure to be able to speak English with someone. Not all the taxi drivers or not all the drivers of the wheelchair accesible vehicle will be able to speak english but the taxi drivers only need to know where you want to go and that's managed by the APP "BEAT", the driver's hired by Dr. Giotikas will already know where you need to be, one of them only knew basic English
2. no. google maps offers street names with latin letters. The App "BEAT" (for taxis) is also connected with google maps. athens is tourist friendly
3. I stayed in Alimos and with the help of someone I was taken to the seaside where I walked a bit. Athens is just as safe as any other big city. But don't worry as long as you aren't in a very shady corner you won't be in danger. I felt safe. The people are very friendly.
I decided to walk completely unaided from now on at home. Outside I will use at least one crutch. Every day walking gets easier. Next week I will get shoe insoles to finally treat my flat feet. (that I had before LL and that causes me pain in the feet during walking)
Hi Great321,
Your diary is a reality check to anyone planning to get externals only, and goes to show how significant a nail is verses frames. In a month after getting the nail you are now walking unaided and it just goes to show the power of nails whether its IM nails or Stryde itself.
I feel sorry for those who make mistakes and have complications because of it. I know you are more than well aware of what you did wrong but I want to say I think when your bones fully consolidate you'll feel much better about it. I think because of the mistakes you made it impacted your feelings towards LL very negatively. This surgery is so much more powerful than I can even process so I just want to say I'm sorry for your lost time and I'm happy for the progress you are now seeing.. seems like it's only going up from here. cheers
Quote from: Great321 on October 25, 2019, 09:01:25 PMI decided to walk completely unaided from now on at home. Outside I will use at least one crutch. Every day walking gets easier. Next week I will get shoe insoles to finally treat my flat feet. (that I had before LL and that causes me pain in the feet during walking)
If you were an American going to Greece, and you wanted to have certain things already there when you get there, how would you go about it? The thing is, an apartment or air bnb might get the package significantly before one gets there and there is the issue of whether that place has an area to store the stuff. I am trying to get a sense of what is good to bring. I heard that a grabber (did you find one useful?) to help pick stuff up https://www.amazon.com/RMS-2-Pack-Inches-Grabber-Reacher/dp/B00UZHYXHO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=grabber&qid=1572472518&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVDI0MUExN1RJNjNDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzc4Nzg2MVpSNUlWWFpXS01PTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTkwNzU2MTJLVUNOTTFLNU9BMSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= could be useful though it seems like certain things would be cumbersome to bring on a plane
What are some objects that you would definitely have ordered to the place and not bring if you had no one going with you to help you?
New X-rays
It's been about 7 weeks since my LATN surgery. These are my new X-rays. I haven't talked to Dr. Giotikas about them yet. I definitely see more bone growth which makes me happy. The nails look slightly bent (they look smiliar to Jolien's nails so I don't know if it's something to worry about). Which worries me though is the right side view. The nail doesn't look like it's completely inside the tibia. It would explain one thing. Sometimes (not every time) when I stand up after having sat for a longer time there's a pain exactly in that area that lasts just a few seconds. Also since a few days I feel some pain in my right shin (left side, around the middle area of the upper tibia) when I walk or do a certain PT exercise. For longer walks I use one crutch again. By putting a bit more weight on that one crutch again the pain does not appear. Maybe it's gone again as today it didn't hurt when I walked unaided but I want to be cautious. I noticed that now I can walk stairs upwards completely unaided (without holding onto the rails) and now it doesn't matter anymore with which leg I make the first step. My sleep is normal although it got a little bit more difficult to fall asleep because to lie with bend knees gets uncomfortable after a few minutes unlike a few weeks ago. The problem isn't about the knee caps or where the incisions were made but rather the area right above the knees. Maybe it's some muscle pain since I do PT. Also I feel like my calves are getting bigger again. I don't want them to get too big. I might use some compression stockings as Dr. Lee recommended.
Right Front view:
https://i.imgur.com/VWU3IJ7.jpg
Right Side view:
https://i.imgur.com/WPW1TJD.jpg
Left Front view:
https://i.imgur.com/XZ28xtQ.jpg
Left Side view:
https://i.imgur.com/ionumMH.jpg
Quote from: dreamingtall on October 29, 2019, 04:19:18 AMHi Great321,
Your diary is a reality check to anyone planning to get externals only, and goes to show how significant a nail is verses frames. In a month after getting the nail you are now walking unaided and it just goes to show the power of nails whether its IM nails or Stryde itself.
I feel sorry for those who make mistakes and have complications because of it. I know you are more than well aware of what you did wrong but I want to say I think when your bones fully consolidate you'll feel much better about it. I think because of the mistakes you made it impacted your feelings towards LL very negatively. This surgery is so much more powerful than I can even process so I just want to say I'm sorry for your lost time and I'm happy for the progress you are now seeing.. seems like it's only going up from here. cheers
I totally agree with you! I don't recommend fully externals to anyone. But I will summarize my thoughts and recommendations another time. Thanks!
Quote from: SpeedDialer on October 30, 2019, 09:56:19 PMIf you were an American going to Greece, and you wanted to have certain things already there when you get there, how would you go about it? The thing is, an apartment or air bnb might get the package significantly before one gets there and there is the issue of whether that place has an area to store the stuff. I am trying to get a sense of what is good to bring. I heard that a grabber (did you find one useful?) to help pick stuff up https://www.amazon.com/RMS-2-Pack-Inches-Grabber-Reacher/dp/B00UZHYXHO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=grabber&qid=1572472518&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVDI0MUExN1RJNjNDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzc4Nzg2MVpSNUlWWFpXS01PTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTkwNzU2MTJLVUNOTTFLNU9BMSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= could be useful though it seems like certain things would be cumbersome to bring on a plane
What are some objects that you would definitely have ordered to the place and not bring if you had no one going with you to help you?
I will try to think about this soon and write about it.
Your bone growth looks good. I don't believe you'll need graft or will have problem of non-union.
Dr. Giotikas messaged me that there is nothing to worry about and that the nails are manufactured like that. I will probably have a video call with him in the next days.
I also wanted to say that in my opinion my gait looks already quite good compared to a few weeks ago. In the morning after getting out of bed it takes a couple of steps though until my gait feels better.
Quote from: Michael01 on November 05, 2019, 04:44:24 PMYour bone growth looks good. I don't believe you'll need graft or will have problem of non-union.
I hope so 
Looking at the side view of the right tibia, on the front side there is no callus, it’s similar to RGKey
If no callus in the front at this stage, Probably need debriedman and then bone graft, after back side callus is fully consolidated
Also do you know the diameter of the nail?
The nail is a good reference to know the real gap size
If it is 10mm, the gap seems like somewhere around 3cm
Anyways, better to seek other LL doctors advice
If you are in Germany, how about Dr Kohne
Looks fine to me personally keep us posted when you talk with your doctor!
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