CHAPTER 6: Life of a 3 month old Limb Lengthener
It is the third month. My gym buddy has departed. He had been using crutches for 5 months before starting to walk, which was quite a fair achievement. Another individual had already resumed walking normally by the 5th month and even rode a scooter! The progress was impressive. Both of them have left now. We had a fantastic party the night before, and I fell asleep on the couch, only to wake up miraculously in my bed the following morning.
Several new residents have joined the community. We were witnessing around 2-3 admissions and discharges of patients every month. This place is the ultimate sanctuary for those undergoing limb lengthening procedures. A big shoutout to the caregivers who had now become like family to me. Thanks to them, I did not encounter any difficulties in performing daily activities. I had gained enough independence to go to the restroom by myself, move in and out of bed, climb stairs with a specific technique, engage in more rigorous gym sessions, and so forth. Due to the constant pressure, my buttocks had reduced in size, my thighs had become more relaxed, and my calves had slimmed down slightly, which was a natural and expected occurrence. Despite wearing specially designed shoes and undergoing physiotherapy regularly, the issue of ‘ballerina’ was still not significant. This condition, where the feet naturally stand on tiptoes instead of flat on the ground like in ballet, is a major challenge during the recovery process. Fortunately, I did not experience any infections, unusual pus or oozing around the pins, and the pain had completely disappeared since the second month, making the frames feel like a part of my body now.
I am indebted to Dr. Harry and his team for their exceptional care of us and our lower limbs. They never missed physiotherapy sessions, ensured routine cleaning of our legs with hot water, and the caregivers would massage our feet upon request. We even purchased a massage gun for self-massage as needed. We covered our legs with a protective sheath for showers and bathed once a week. With reduced work pressure, I was able to get an adequate amount of sleep. Things were progressing positively. The distraction had reached about 60mm. In the subsequent X-ray, the formation of callus had finally commenced, albeit in small amounts; however, progress was evident with a few visible lines, indicating improvement. The distraction now needed to be reduced to 0.5mm in the following days. As I neared my goal, I had to be extremely cautious, as stretching the tibia by 7.5mm was pushing the limits. Hastening the process could lead to consequences that I was not prepared for. Therefore, I scaled back to 0.5mm and continued with this approach. In terms of supplements, my regimen included 2 tablets of Supracal PRO Plus, 2 tablets of FasthealDS, HK multivitamin, HK Fish Oil for Omega 3, 2 tablets of Muscleblaze Ashwagandha, 1 vial of Vitamin D3 weekly, and 2-3 Vitamin C lozenges daily. Additionally, I consumed 25gms of protein powder daily, 2 glasses of milk, 200gm of yogurt, and 2 eggs daily. I am optimistic about the results of my upcoming X-ray. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Here are all my X-Rays attached:
