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Author Topic: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017  (Read 66926 times)

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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #124 on: March 19, 2017, 03:07:59 AM »

Hey 6feet
I think your surgery is on Monday March 20th right?
Good luck man! You are in excellent hands!
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #125 on: March 20, 2017, 12:14:37 AM »

About to eat my last meal. Surgery is scheduled for 8am so i have to be at the hospital for 5:30am. Post-op I'll probably wake up around 1pm, and i'll write an update then.
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TrueSpartan

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #126 on: March 20, 2017, 09:39:25 AM »

Good luck! I hope everything goes smoothly!
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682

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #127 on: March 20, 2017, 12:21:02 PM »

I'm sure everything will go according to plan. The best of luck and I look forward to your post later on today.
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #128 on: March 20, 2017, 06:31:48 PM »

So me and a friend of mine left my upper east side apartment and took a 2 minute uber ride down to the hospital at 5:30 am. When you arrive, there's a patient check-in area. You give the gentleman your last name, he types it an ipad, and sits you down at one of the registration cubicles to go over last minute details like emergency contacts, etc. They give you a wrist band and send you up to the family atrium where your friends can wait for you if they wish. No more than 3 minutes later, a nurse calls my name and whisks me into a room where i remove all clothing and put on a gown. You can have a friend in the room with you so he comes with me. Soon after, another nurse enters, takes my height (5'9), weight (170), bp (123/77). Then the nurse inserts an IV in my hand that's dripping saline.

A little later, two of Dr Rozbruch's assistants come in to chit chat and make you feel comfortable. Then a nursing assistant comes in to shave your legs. Then the anesthesiologist comes in and reassures you that the worst part of your day has already passed (he’s referring to the IV in the hand… We’ll come back to this to see if he was right). He shakes my hand and heads out.

Fast forward to 7:45, the legend himself (Rozbruch) comes in to see you. We catch up and go over the procedure, he tells my friend he’ll personally give him a call when it’s over. He reassures me that this will be a smooth procedure and heads out as well. Then an army of nurses and assistants come into the room, give me a cap, and wheel me out on the bed towards the OR. As we get there, I hear awesome music playing. One of the assistants is DJing in the OR! Hahah. I give him a high five and compliment him on the playlist. I transfer myself to the table. Then my friend the anesthesiologist reappears at 8am and says he has a cktail for me. He puts it in the IV, I laugh at a joke he made…..then I wake up, it’s almost 1pm.

I’m in a bed, my right leg is on a machine that’s moving my knee from full extension to bent position (and toward my chest) in slow motion (its pretty cool). 5 minutes later, a nurse brings in my friend and he asks how I feel. Honestly I felt great, a little hungry and a little stiff, but no discernible pain. A few nurses then move my bed to the room I’ll be staying in. The nurse then switches the extension device to my left leg.
A few minutes later, a lady comes in to take my dinner order. I chose the grilled chicken with basmati rice, Caesar salad to start and apple crumble and vanilla ice cream for dessert. This place is like a hotel. I’m lying in bed, in no pain (spinal epidural is in feeding me painkillers), catheter in (it’s not uncomfortable), exercising my legs and chatting with my friend. I’m in a good place.

One of Dr Rozbruch’s assistants comes in to check on me and says the procedure was fantastic. He explains that I’ll have 24-hour supervision by the nurses so whatever I want, just ask. As he’s speaking, one of the nurses comes in to give me my first dose of Dr Rozbruch’s post-op medical regiment (calcium, vitamin D, etc). I’m taking that and now we’re just waiting for dinner.  The anesthesiologist was right, worst part of this day was a needle between my wrist and knuckles.

Will update later.



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willsa

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #129 on: March 20, 2017, 07:00:17 PM »

very cool, congratulations!! looking forward to keeping up and reading this journey with you.
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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #130 on: March 20, 2017, 07:34:18 PM »

Nice! Congratulations 6feet!
I would say that great part of this whole process is the decision to do it which takes months if not years of research,, scariness and  convincement of yourself and others like family and friends. That's the pre- psicologial "pain" . The process after the surgery can be dificult, but if it's planned carefully, it can be much less painful than the "pre-surgery" decision process. Congrats! I hope you stay well.

I'm anxious to learn with your diary.
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jbc

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #131 on: March 21, 2017, 08:09:37 AM »

Very glad to hear the procedure went well and that you're in good spirits! Enjoy the epidural :). Quick related question - were you under general anesthesia for the procedure or combination of spinal and something else?
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #132 on: March 21, 2017, 09:30:52 PM »

Very glad to hear the procedure went well and that you're in good spirits! Enjoy the epidural :). Quick related question - were you under general anesthesia for the procedure or combination of spinal and something else?

Spinal epidural and sedation. He doesn't use general anesthesia for this procedure.
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #133 on: March 21, 2017, 09:35:26 PM »

Continuing from last night, dinner was great. More importantly, I slept pretty well. Went to sleep around midnight, they woke me up at 3am because they have to check vitals every 3 hours, but I went right back to sleep again until 6am. When I woke up they had my meds ready for me as well as supplies to brush my teeth, wash yourself off, etc. Breakfast was a ham and egg wrap with juice and fruit. They took my lunch order at the same time. Around 9am, an assistant brought in the precice device to walk me through how to use it (it’s pretty straightforward really).

Around 11am, the physio guy came in with my walker so I could start taking some steps. Went pretty smoothly because I’m still in no real pain. It was fun being able to get out of the bed and move around on my own. We did some of the stretches as well. Sitting on the edge of the bed, i can straighten my knee to the full 180 degrees (parallel to the floor), i can also bend my legs 120 the other way (90 degrees is perpendicular to the floor, so about 30 degrees more). So it's quite good.   

In the early afternoon, Dr Rozbruch stopped by to see how I was doing. He heard from the physio assistant that my range of motion (ROM) was very impressive so that was encouraging to see. He said the adjustments will begin 4 days post-op. Other than that, I’m just hanging out chatting up the nurses and eating well and trying to stretch as often as possible. Pain is 0-1 out of 10, stiffness is much less than yesterday.

Will report later.

-6FS
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #134 on: March 22, 2017, 06:45:31 PM »

Last night, they started weening me off the spinal epidural meds and switching over to oral painkillers. Woke up this morning and the pain went from barely discernible (0-1 out of 10) to mild (3 out of 10), but still pretty good overall. The catheter's out so went to the bathroom like a normal person today. Physio also cleared me for discharge because i'm able to get around quite well on my own, so i'll be leaving this afternoon. Just waiting on my wheelchair to be delivered to the room. Tonight I sleep in my own bed. That's a win.

-6FS
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682

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #135 on: March 22, 2017, 09:20:57 PM »

6FS - I'm so impressed and pleased for you (but not surprised) at how brilliantly your journey is going even at such an early stage. To know you're in such good hands means that half of the worries which pose such problems most have due to limb lengthening are non-existant - I'm shocked at how little pain you are having, is it comparable to anything as to give a guide?

You say you're going home tonight which I assume is because you live relatively close (whereas other patients stay in guest houses etc.), your way sounds much more pleasant. Does that mean you will be lengthening with precice device yourself at home? Will you go back to HSS/Rozbruchs office for intermittent check ins and how often will you be doing this? What will your daily routine look like?

It's really great of you to share your journey with your Rozbruch experience, I've been following it closely from the journey and have been anticipating March 20th, though probably not as much as you!

Take it easy man. 682.
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #136 on: March 22, 2017, 10:22:57 PM »

6FS - I'm so impressed and pleased for you (but not surprised) at how brilliantly your journey is going even at such an early stage. To know you're in such good hands means that half of the worries which pose such problems most have due to limb lengthening are non-existant - I'm shocked at how little pain you are having, is it comparable to anything as to give a guide?

You say you're going home tonight which I assume is because you live relatively close (whereas other patients stay in guest houses etc.), your way sounds much more pleasant. Does that mean you will be lengthening with precice device yourself at home? Will you go back to HSS/Rozbruchs office for intermittent check ins and how often will you be doing this? What will your daily routine look like?

It's really great of you to share your journey with your Rozbruch experience, I've been following it closely from the journey and have been anticipating March 20th, though probably not as much as you!

Take it easy man. 682.

I appreciate that a lot man.

I'd compare the pain to going for a hard sprint without stretching, pulling your quad muscles pretty aggressively, and having the resulting soreness.

Yup, all lengthening is done by the patient. I check-in at his office every 2 weeks.
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682

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #137 on: March 22, 2017, 10:49:47 PM »

It's interesting that you describe the pain as soreness, that sounds much more manageable than what I had envisaged. How is the sleep? Has the lack of pain actually surprised you? I can't imagine you'd have thought it as this pain free. I assumed their would be a marked and distressing increase of discomfort after the epidural wore off. Though I imagine with Rozbruch's expertise and proficiency is responsible for much of it, I can imagine he causes a lot less damage during the surgery than other doctors, with clean osteotomies and efficient performance, with no time wasted. The fact is, you're at a level where most patients take months to get to after surgery without having to go to those painful lows prior and there has to be a reason why.

Being able to be at home during lengthening will be much more comfortable being somewhere familiar without the complete disconnect of normal life than what most people experience which I find one of the more off putting aspects (foreign hospitals away from home, different language, external uncomfortable devices surrounded by strangers etc.), I imagine this will keep your outlook and spirits much higher and make the whole process so much easier and more enjoyable. You start lengthening tomorrow right? I've seen a video on the Precice device lengthening, it looks like a futuristic gadget and sounds like a hydraulic press right? It's truly amazing how far technology has come.
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notimportant

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #138 on: March 22, 2017, 11:43:41 PM »

You're right about his osteotomies. Dr Rozbruch is very good at them and this means his patients have a better recovery and less pain. It's a pity he's so expensive.
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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #139 on: March 23, 2017, 01:37:50 AM »

Certainly a win!
I hope the pain keeps under control.
Someone told me that the most important in the next days is to stay ahead of the pain. Good luck and congrats again for going home.
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #140 on: March 23, 2017, 12:10:16 PM »

It's interesting that you describe the pain as soreness, that sounds much more manageable than what I had envisaged. How is the sleep? Has the lack of pain actually surprised you? I can't imagine you'd have thought it as this pain free. I assumed their would be a marked and distressing increase of discomfort after the epidural wore off. Though I imagine with Rozbruch's expertise and proficiency is responsible for much of it, I can imagine he causes a lot less damage during the surgery than other doctors, with clean osteotomies and efficient performance, with no time wasted. The fact is, you're at a level where most patients take months to get to after surgery without having to go to those painful lows prior and there has to be a reason why.

Being able to be at home during lengthening will be much more comfortable being somewhere familiar without the complete disconnect of normal life than what most people experience which I find one of the more off putting aspects (foreign hospitals away from home, different language, external uncomfortable devices surrounded by strangers etc.), I imagine this will keep your outlook and spirits much higher and make the whole process so much easier and more enjoyable. You start lengthening tomorrow right? I've seen a video on the Precice device lengthening, it looks like a futuristic gadget and sounds like a hydraulic press right? It's truly amazing how far technology has come.

Sleep is good. I'm generally out for 6-8 hours continuously. If it's only 6 hours, i'll wake up stretch a bit, then take a nap later in the day. The lack of pain has surprised me to be honest. But as you say, when you're a top orthopedic surgeon, i guess you sorta get the hang of it after awhile haha.

I start lengthening Friday.
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682

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #141 on: March 23, 2017, 01:14:23 PM »

That's great, sleep as much as possible. There are usually many complaints with sleep during lengthening from tight and sore muscles, it will be interesting to see how this affects you when you begin. And yes, this is like tying your shoes for Rozbruch... in fact, probably easier as I leave mine tied and force them on ;D! So the lengthening begins tomorrow, you must be excited - I imagine that it will feel odd to use the Precice device and then suddenly you're that bit taller.

Have you decided on how you will organize your diary? If not, take a look at Iamprepared's diary and use it as a template if you wish, I believe it's one of the best organized, easily readable and easiest ways to record your experience. It starts from day to day, then into updates by the CM with subheadings for specific issues he wants to discuss - http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=4221.0 - of course it's just a suggestion, if you're comfortable with updating in a diary format that's good too as I will be following it with much interest either way. On an unrelated point to that diary, he suggested massage during lengthening, it might be something to consider as supple muscles lead to much easier lengthening.
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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #142 on: March 23, 2017, 02:23:29 PM »

How much painful is to remove the spinal epidural and the catheter 6FS?
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #143 on: March 23, 2017, 02:41:56 PM »

How much painful is to remove the spinal epidural and the catheter 6FS?

Removing the epidural is literally painless. I didnt know they took it out. As for The catheter, nurse tells you take a deep breath, then exhale, and she pulls it out as you exhale. Small discomfort, but nothing notable.
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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #144 on: March 24, 2017, 01:24:35 PM »

One of my colleagues from work had kidney stone last week. I'll tell that so far his pain has been much much worse from 6fs experience. LL might not be so bad with all the technological and cirurgical improvements.
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #145 on: March 24, 2017, 03:01:29 PM »

Day 3 (March 23rd)
Woke up in my own bed. Bit of stiffness so i did my usual stretches and felt relatively loose again. I've cut down the oral painkillers to once a day.

They sent a nurse to visit my home early in the afternoon to check up on me. Was pretty straightforward and we agreed she doesn't need to come back. I'm pretty mobile and can do most things on my own.

They also sent a physiotherapist to help me do stretches and walk around. He said "yeah, i don't think i need to come back either, you've got this covered". So that's the last i'll be seeing of him.
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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #146 on: March 24, 2017, 03:57:28 PM »

What about the pain level? Still under control? 0-3?
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #147 on: March 24, 2017, 04:05:25 PM »

What about the pain level? Still under control? 0-3?
Yeah that's why i've reduced it. Its a 1 when i'm on it and a 3 when i'm off. Pretty sure i'm gonna stop all together in a few days.

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willsa

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #148 on: March 24, 2017, 04:19:22 PM »

So whats your day consist of now? How do you get around?

Are you living in your apartment alone or with someone else who is helping you? Or are you living on Seamless?

Lastly, about your level of pain, what else is considered a 3/10 pain for you? You might just have a high tolerance to pain.
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6FeetSoon

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #149 on: March 24, 2017, 04:26:43 PM »

So whats your day consist of now? How do you get around?

Are you living in your apartment alone or with someone else who is helping you? Or are you living on Seamless?

Lastly, about your level of pain, what else is considered a 3/10 pain for you? You might just have a high tolerance to pain.

I described it earlier as doing some sprints without stretching, pulling your quads, and having the resulting soreness (that's a 3/10 for me)

There are a lot of good shows i'm catching up on. I have friends that come by and cook a meal or help move things around. But other than that, can't really beat seamless.

And i get around in the walker and wheelchair pretty efficiently.
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jojo

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #150 on: March 24, 2017, 04:39:57 PM »

cool stuff. glad its good. i think you will be 100% good after LL ! do all your friends know you do this ?
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google42

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #151 on: March 24, 2017, 04:46:11 PM »

cool stuff. glad its good. i think you will be 100% good after LL ! do all your friends know you do this ?

I saw a video of a guy who did LL with rozbruch and did 3" and he seemed like he was almost 100% normal after.
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682

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #152 on: March 24, 2017, 05:16:01 PM »

Day 3 (March 23rd)
Woke up in my own bed. Bit of stiffness so i did my usual stretches and felt relatively loose again. I've cut down the oral painkillers to once a day.

They sent a nurse to visit my home early in the afternoon to check up on me. Was pretty straightforward and we agreed she doesn't need to come back. I'm pretty mobile and can do most things on my own.

They also sent a physiotherapist to help me do stretches and walk around. He said "yeah, i don't think i need to come back either, you've got this covered". So that's the last i'll be seeing of him.

You're flying through this. How has the lengthening gone?

Yeah that's why i've reduced it. Its a 1 when i'm on it and a 3 when i'm off. Pretty sure i'm gonna stop all together in a few days.

It's astounding how little pain you have, I've already explained in my other post that I believe this is down to Rozbruch's technique but compared to other diaries it's like night and day - people were saying it's like a pain they have never experienced, agony, etc. A well experienced surgeon clearly makes the difference.

cool stuff. glad its good. i think you will be 100% good after LL ! do all your friends know you do this ?

I too think he will have one of the most positive outcomes we have seen.

I saw a video of a guy who did LL with rozbruch and did 3" and he seemed like he was almost 100% normal after.

Sam? Yeah, that was really impressive. What confuses me is that after that lengthening he had better strength, mobility, normal gait etc. and no particular issues in half the time most do and lengthened more than most people normally do - what this says to me is there is more than just lengthening amount and rate that impacts recovery and that the surgery itself as well as an experienced team watching for complications can ensure a satisfactory outcome.
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Mdream

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #153 on: March 24, 2017, 08:06:51 PM »

i think the old process was painful. The internal nail changed everthing. Also a good doctor that has been improving his cirurgical process for the last 2 decades is key to get a much less painful LL. In my opinion Rozbruch is the best one. I had my first conversation with him last year and I'm planning to do the surgery in august, but one leg at a time. Learning with 6FS diary helps a lot to understand steps that don't come up with the conversation with the doctor.
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0184946

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Re: Limb Lengthening-Internal Femurs-Dr Rozbruch 2017
« Reply #154 on: March 24, 2017, 08:30:27 PM »

congrats and this might be invasive but how are you paying for the surgical fees out of pocket if you only work as a model? they get paid crap unless ur doing campaigns. Also do u think u'll be able to do runways after full recovery?
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