What are your total estimated costs?
Is fitbone weight bearing at all?
Most doctors recommend approximately
1 year between lengthening femurs and tibias. What does Dr Monegal have to
say on this issue?
Are you staying at the same job when you come back from lengthening? What do you plan to
tell people when you are 11cm taller?
A bit about myself: I'm Canadian, 165cm, 55kg (urrr, let's say 55kg to 60kg :) )
I've been lurking in this forum and the "other one" for many years, but never really could decide on a doctor. As I progressed in my LL journey I begun to email doctors to ask questions. Some were friendly, some were hard to get a hold of, and some didn't even bother to respond. On this forum we spend so much time to debate the merits of different techniques we sometimes neglect to remember that part of a successful procedure depends so much on the human element.
One of the things that is important for me is the doctor's caring and compassion. No matter how much you prepare, you will have to entrust your life to your doctor come surgery time. Technical expertise aside, it will all be in his hands and you must have the confidence that your doctor cares enough to make the right decisions on your behalf. Dude, your doc's gonna be cutting your bones in half in multiple spots - you'd better hope you have a compassionate doctor!
Part of what led me to Dr. Monegal was because I felt he was a really caring doctor. Despite being verbally abused by some juvenile trolls on this forum, Dr. Monegal still returns to help provide info and answer questions. There used to be another doctor here on the forums trying to help and was driven off by baseless accusations. Cynical users will say that doctors coming to the forum are a ploy to drum up business; I would say reread the posts - no amount of money in the world is worth taking the type of sh*t that's been thrown at them. They are not doing it for money, that's for sure. I really feel it takes a special human being, and special doctor to put up with some of the stuff that's been accused in this forum.
Anyways, suffice it to say that I'm quite happy (and grateful!) to have Dr. Monegal as my doctor. I first emailed Dr. Monegal on May 17, and he replied very quickly. He was even nice enough to follow up a few days later when I failed to reply him. I took some x-rays and emailed them. Back and forth our emails went, mostly with rounds of me asking questions and him answering quickly and then patiently waiting for my follow-up questions. At some point all my questions were exhausted and it was time to decide: do or not do? I realized that the only thing holding me back was myself so I made a booking for when Dr. M was free. So now I am scheduled for August 25 at Clinica Diagonal. (Any stalkers please feel free to drop by and wish me luck on my big day! :) )
Below is my schedule so far. I put it together, but Dr. Monegal has already looked at it and said it was fine. However, knowing me, there is a distinct possibility that I've missed something, so I encourage you to question/criticize it.
Oh by the way, I'll be doing internal fitbone for both my tibiae and fermurs. The first surgery will be tibia on one side and femur on the other. And then the second surgery will be for the remaining tibia and femur. I'm aiming for 11 cm or so (in total).
Note: One of the quirky things is that Canadians must spend 3 months outside of Schengen region for every (maximum) 3 months they spend in Spain (http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/spain-espagne/cultural_relations_culturelles/Advice_Canadians-Conseils_Canadiens.aspx?lang=eng). That's the reason for spending Nov, Dec, Jan in Canada and why the whole schedule is so rigid. Also, the below price for MIC Sant Jordi is for an individual, single room. Hopefully I can bring that number down if I can find someone to share with.
August 20, 2015:
Fly from Toronto to Barcelona (estimated budget 500 euro)
August 20 - 24, 2015:
Arrive in Barcelona, and do banking, transfer money, mobile card, pre-op scans...etc. (estimated budget 600 euro)
August 25 - August 31, 2015:
Surgery, stay at Clinica Diagonal for 7 nights (71,000/2 = 35,500 Euro)
September 1 - October 31, 2015:
(2 months post-op at MIC Sant Jordi, Barcelona)
MIC Sant Jordi (1260 euro/month x 2 months = 2,520 Euro)
PT (every Monday, Wednesday, Friday? estimated 35 Euro x 24 times = 840 Euro)
groceries (estimated 100 Euro per week x 2 months = 800 Euro)
November 1, 2015 - to February 1, 2016:
Fly from Barcelona to Toronto. Recovery in Toronto with family. (estimated budget 500 euro)
February 2, 2016:
Fly from Toronto to Barcelona, Check in one night somewhere. Mentally prepare for surgery. (estimated budget 650 euro)
February 3 - February 9, 2016:
Surgery, stay at Clinica Diagonal for 7 nights (71,000/2 = 35,500 Euro)
February 10 to April 9, 2016
(2 months post-op at MIC Sant Jordi, Barcelona)
MIC Sant Jordi (1260 euro/month x 2 months = 2,520 Euro)
PT (every Monday, Wednesday, Friday? estimated 35 Euro x 24 times = 840 Euro)
groceries (estimated 100 Euro per week x 2 months = 800 Euro)
April 10, 2016:
Fly from Barcelona to Toronto…(estimated budget 500 euro)
sometime 2018:
rods removal (+Clinica Diagonal fees)
What do you guys think; what have I missed?
He's not caring with me. He was nice at the beginning, but then I had no good aftercare.
1) How did you go about getting the needed 3-6 months off of work for this. Do you work in any sort of office? If so, what did you tell your human resources dept or boss (presuming you have one of some sort)?
2) MIC Sant Jordi seems like a great place to stay when recovering. Did Dr. Monegal's staff suggest it? How will you be getting grocery, as well as transport to and from physio?
3) What are your greatest expectations/hopes from the surgery? Where in life do you most hope for benefits and what benefits are you hoping for?
Hey comrade, great intro! :)
I was reading on the Canadian embassy and it states: "To visit for longer than 90 days, Canadians must obtain a long-stay national visa." So I'm curious to why you don't go that way?
2) MIC Sant Jordi seems like a great place to stay when recovering. Did Dr. Monegal's staff suggest it? How will you be getting grocery, as well as transport to and from physio?
I tried to compare rents in Barcelona, and although it's possible to find cheaper shared accommodations online, there are no guarantees they accept short-stay, nor that the building will have elevators. So after weighing the pros and cons, I currently feel that MSJ is worth the extra premium because it saves you from a lot of other hassles.
Hey All,
I'm currently waiting at the boarding gate now for my connecting flight to Barcelona. My surgery date was moved to Thursday, August 27, so I changed my flight to arrive on Monday instead. I'll be spending my first three nights in Barcelona at an Airbnb near Clinica Diagonal.
I'm anxious and happy at the same time. It's almost as if I'm dreaming and I still haven't woken up. I've been waiting for years for this and now everything is happening so quickly it seems. There are still a million random things that I'm worried about (what if my debit card doesn't work in Barcelona? what if I run into pickpockets? what if the mobile SIM card doesn't fit my phone? what if I get off at the wrong bus stop? how am I going to get home from the airport when I fly back to Canada? etc etc). But I think for now the best thing for me to do is just take a deep breadth and realize that everything will be ok. I need to just relax and enjoy the process. Barcelona, here I come!
...Boarding now, talk to you guys later. Wish me luck!
Hey All,I am sure you will be ok. Good luck. We are waiting to hear from you soon.
I'm currently waiting at the boarding gate now for my connecting flight to Barcelona. My surgery date was moved to Thursday, August 27, so I changed my flight to arrive on Monday instead. I'll be spending my first three nights in Barcelona at an Airbnb near Clinica Diagonal.
I'm anxious and happy at the same time. It's almost as if I'm dreaming and I still haven't woken up. I've been waiting for years for this and now everything is happening so quickly it seems. There are still a million random things that I'm worried about (what if my debit card doesn't work in Barcelona? what if I run into pickpockets? what if the mobile SIM card doesn't fit my phone? what if I get off at the wrong bus stop? how am I going to get home from the airport when I fly back to Canada? etc etc). But I think for now the best thing for me to do is just take a deep breadth and realize that everything will be ok. I need to just relax and enjoy the process. Barcelona, here I come!
...Boarding now, talk to you guys later. Wish me luck!
H TrueSpartan,You are in good hands. We cannot wait to hear from you. By the way, what kind of anesthesia are you going to get, general or epidural?
Thank you for the well wishes! I'll keep updating best I can as long as I know people are reading!
About wheelchair bound.. yep, no way to avoid that. To say it positively, I'm looking forward to taking a break from walking and getting off my feet for a few months ;D ;D ;D ;D 8). What's going through my mind? I'm more anxious than nervous, I suppose. I'm looking forward to getting settled into the MIC, but not that enthused about the first few days of post-op (I'm told I'll be on a catheter during the first couple of days of my hospital stay. No man looks forward to that experience :o)...
As mentioned last post, I met user Adonis this afternoon. He was nice enough to drive all the way to Can Vidalet to see me. We had a couple of drinks al fresco style on the sidewalk of the bistro. It was the most European thing I've done so far, so relaxing to just chat and watch the people come and go. I think this was the first time I actually had a real offline conversation with another LL'er. It was so refreshing to be able to just open up about my own height neurosis without risking any judgment from the other person. After dinner, we went to the Gothic Quarter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Quarter,_Barcelona) for dinner at a charming and quiet Japanese restaurant.
As we walked to the restaurant from the car, we started to play a game of guessing the height of random tourists ("Psss, what about blue-shirt guy? I bet he's 5'9," "Nah, you're dreaming, strong 5'8 at most!") I would then "inconspicuously" walk up to them and tip toe to see how I measured up to their eye level. It's the most silly and neurotic game two LL'ers can play. Warning though, this game will feed your height neurosis and make you want LL even more ;). Anyways, my point is that it was really good to be able to talk and joke with another LL'er in real life. Afterwards, Adonis was also very kind and gave me a lift back to my apartment even though he didn't have to. Thanks buddy!
Somebody asked me about fears... Dude, sitting on the passenger side of his car watching Adonis negotiate a roundabout (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout) is the scariest thing I've had to go through yet ;D. Just kidding. I don't usually have roundabouts in my part of the world, so being in one in Europe was pretty exciting for me. But back to the topic of being scared. I'm not really scared of possible complications (if I was, I wouldn't be here!) since I have full faith in Dr. Monegal. If complications happen we'll deal with them as they come; I've already prepared as best I can. I'm afraid of many logistical things (didn't pack this, forgot to bring that, should have researched X, etc etc) but not about about complications, since I can't control those anyway.
Have to do my best to get some sleep now, doing pre-op tests at Clinica Diagonal tomorrow morning, Bona Nit!
Hi Guys!Hi,Glenn!
Quick update: Finish about two hours ago. All is well. No pain, but a bit dizzy and fatigued from the drugs. write again later! Thanks all.
Hey Goldenegg, good to hear from you again! Thanks for that clip, I ended up following the Youtube suggestions and watched almost all of the Rocky soundtracks, haha :-)Hi,Glenn!
Yesterday, Dr. Monegal showed me how to use the machine to lengthen the Fitbone rods. There's a small box-like machine (about the size of a box of cigars) that plugs into the wall outlet. From the box, there's another wire that attaches to a dongle. Inside your leg, there are wired contacts that are directly connected to the rods (the contacts are skin-deep and you can feel it with your fingers). To lengthen, you place the dongle on top of your skin, above the contact and press a button on the box. The dongle sends a signal to the contact and instructs it to lengthen a predetermined distance (you confirm that it works by simultaneously listening to your leg with a stethoscope. You can hear a distinct motorized whirling sound as the rod extends).
Yesterday Martha also switched my bandages for me. I was a bit naive; I didn't even know that that had to be done! She pulled my leggings off and replaced the bandages one-by-one as I busily played on my phone. I had a flashback of my childhood as a toddler, my two older sisters would braid my hair while I played with my toys quietly by myself.
Elena (my Airbnb host) also came to visit me yesterday! Her husband Jose and their young son Leo also came. It was good to see them again and meet like old friends even though we were total strangers in different parts of the world just two weeks ago! As they left, Leo gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek. This LL journey of mine hasn't just been a physical journey, it's also allowed me to explore my humanity and I'm truly grateful for all the meaningful connections I've been able to make with people I've met on this adventure.
Remember Elena's wheelchair I mentioned previously? I bought it off her for 100 Euro, so now I have a ride ;D. I promised Musicmaker that we would have wheelchair race at the MIC if we were there at the same time. We'll see who's faster ;D
Emilio gave me a high-five as I passed him in the halls in my new ride. He also came to my room to chat for a bit later in the day. We didn't get very far until he was called away back to work, but I really appreciated him treating me just like a pal and not like a patient. It made me feel like my empathy was reciprocated and that all this meaning-of-life stuff I was feeling wasn't just in my own head.
I made a note to keep my legs warm when I slept last night, and that worked well for me.
This morning was rainy and I was feeling a bit depressed since it's going to be my final full day at Clinica Diagonal. I did my best to warm my legs up and get myself out of that negative state, but I was only back up to speed after the morning PT.
Hector always has this dreamy look when he looks out at the hilled houses outside my room window. Today I learned why. He warmly told me that today he was signing some housing documents and that he would be moving in with his girlfriend. I'm happy for him! In turn, his happiness cheered me up a bit, so I was grateful for that.
Martha was taking care of me again today. I was surprised since she already had a huge shift the day before. I used Google Translate and showed her the translation on my phone. "Who will switch bandages for me when you're not here?" She smiled and typed back bittersweetly, "It's easy, I'll teach you."
Met Claudio today and he told me the PT plan (at minimum, everyday for 2 weeks and then three times a week for the next 6 weeks, extra sessions if necessary for free). At 1,200 Euro it was quite over-budget for me, but oh well, what can be done?
I'm still not sure about the logistics and the schedule for tomorrow. But I'll find a way I suppose. After a person has done LL there really isn't much else that causes fear... ;)
Do you feel pain when you use the machine to start lengthening or during PT?
Hi Aturro!
Good to hear from you. I read your diary update as well and I'm happy to know that you're doing well, too. Yes, the daily routine can be a bit boring. My butt is getting sore from all the sitting around! I have to constantly remind myself to switch positions and stand every so often. :-)
You seem like a really pleasant person.
Of course, he's Canadian! :P
Nice news about you.
Just 2 weeks and the consolidation phase will be over. How many time do you need to start to walk with confidence.
How many cms have you done in your tibia?? the same that in the femur??
Could you do a normal job in a office, just light??
Many thanks and good recovery
Also, in my province of Ontario, I think there is a law that requires a local doctor to refer for x-rays. In other words, I can't just walk-in and pay cash for x-rays. I need to have a requisition by a local doctor to tell me to do it. I don't have a local doctor, or OHIP, so if anybody here on the forum has any advice, please let me know!
Hi Goldenegg, thank you for the advice!
Yep, I think I will have to do the same and find a walk-in clinic. I wonder if I can get away with just telling them that it was to correct axis deviation or valgus?
btw, how's your recovery coming along?
going well- I'm about 2 months into consolidation, but feeling impatient to be able to walk without crutches until the dr clears me hopefully soon. at first I was so excited to be done with lengthening but didn't realize I I'd still have all the same physical limitations until my bones consolidated enough. without the daily PT sessions and clicking, I'm really just bored these days since I'm not working and in hiding from my friends and family as long as I have crutches. once I can walk again I feel like I'll be able to get on with the rest of my life. though, I suppose I should be grateful that's my only complaint right now haha
hope life back home is going smoothly for you. also, I was wondering if there's been any notable differences in your experience with your femur vs tibia lengthening so far (other than ballerina)? was one more more difficult or painful? do you expect your tibia to consolidate much sooner since you did less?
isn't Guichet nail completely weight bearing?
what is your weight?
I'm really just bored these days since I'm not working and in hiding from my friends and family as long as I have crutches.
hope life back home is going smoothly for you. also, I was wondering if there's been any notable differences in your experience with your femur vs tibia lengthening so far (other than ballerina)? was one more more difficult or painful? do you expect your tibia to consolidate much sooner since you did less?
So, based on your post above, you think that just 7CM on the femurs alone will make someone with your proportions look a little odd or stumpy while nked?
Hey Taller!Thanks for your reply. Any chance you could post a comparison picture? Not nked, of course ;)
In my case, while looking downwards at myself, yes.
Thanks for your reply. Any chance you could post a comparison picture? Not nked, of course ;)
Hi Taller... Sorry to disappoint, no pics. Not too comfortable with that at this point. Maybe in the future...
Great description Glenn!!! Nice job!!
Yesterday I was with Dr Monegal, he is very funny and is a person close to you.
He showed me pictures and videos of a few patients, we spoke about the people that I knew about the forum like you Glenn and Bohemia.
we have spoken about the pros and contras of the operation in one or two phases. Finally I decided to do in two phases, He showed me a video of a boy the day after he finnished the fisrt leg, and he was walking withot crutches. He can do a normal live.
I am going to do the LL in January and three months after the other leg.
Now, he has to send me the budget.
Do you know how to start a new topic??
Many thanks
There is nothing more important than flexibility, pre-op. There are only two things you need to do now:
1. Stretch your quadriceps
2. Stretch your hamstrings
The more you stretch now, the easier your life will be during recovery. Keep improving your flexibility until surgery time and you will thank me later.
CONGRATULATIONS GLENN! Wow, it must feel good knowing that becoming taller is actually happening!Thanks! I feel quite relieved that I'm finished this part and that I can concentrate on consolidation. Yeah, being taller, even while on crutches, still rocks! It has definitely improved how I see myself and my general happiness.
I have a few questions if you don't mind:No worries about the questions, I love talking about myself ;D ;D ;D 8)
1. Do you plan on lengthening the other femur 7.2CM as well or 7CM?According to my telemetry x-ray before operation, my left femur was 2mm longer to begin with. As a general guideline I will try to distract the same number of times as my other leg to make sure most of the variables are the same. But it's very tough to lengthen to exact figures, so I think I will take a telemetry x-ray before I finish the second femur and then work according to those numbers to make adjustments at the end and see how it goes.
2. Do you gain the same amount of height as what you lengthen on femurs, or do you gain slightly less height due to the natural angualation of femur bones?
There's no need to speculate. The average angle of the femur from vertical is 9 degrees. From this point it is basic trigonometry.
If you lengthen 8.00 cm or 6.00 cm along the anatomical axis, you actually gain 7.90 cm and 5.93 cm in height, respectively.
If you lengthen along the mechanical axis, which is 3 degrees from vertical, you'd gain 7.99 cm and 5.99 cm.
So far as lost height goes, it's really inconsequential as the most you stand to lose is 1 mm.
3. Based on your experience, if you could only do one segment, do you think 6CM femur or 5CM tibia would look more natural/proportionate?Hmmm.... You're like 178cm, aren't you? Honestly I don't think 6cm on either segment for you would make any discernible difference regarding disproportion.
Congratulation Glen!!! Great job in just 2,5 months.
Now the consolidation stage!!! tell us how is you recovery and what things are easy to do now?
Cheers
Hi, glen
I read that it is difficult to bend the your knees on the femur side. May i know how?
Which areas are painful and what kind of pains are they? How much can you bend now?
Wishing u fasted recovery.
First off congrats on your gain, it's good to hear you've made good on your goals.Thanks man, I've been thinking of it for many years, so that's why I'm so grateful for everybody that is helping me make my goals come true.
Second, in terms of recovery, do you think this method of lengthening (cross-leg) is faster in terms of recovery overall? I ask because my goal is to just do all segments at once for a total gain of 8 cm, but I'm having a hard time thinking of the best and fastest way to do so. Id love to do what Iamready is doing but at the same time doing it cross leg like you seems to be a much more flexible means to do so
What is the time frame Monegal gave you for this method? Do you think I'd be possible for you to return to normal in exactly a year?
Hi Blue!Hi glen. Thank u for the answers..they pretty much helped. I see what u mean by pulling the fibs inwards to your chest. I have been not long since i could do that to stretch my quads too. It helped alot for the increase in bending. Do u feel any pain around the knee areas coz...in the early mornings when i feel the most stiffness , i feel pain jist abouve the knees and under the kneecap. Do u have that pain at any time when u try to push further of ur knee bend.
Ok, let me try to describe it.
(http://f.tqn.com/y/exercise/1/S/p/A/1/oneleghamroll.jpg)
When I do this exercise, much like the woman in the picture, my left leg can only bend about 90+ degrees at the knee. It's a similar movement to grabbing your tibia and trying to bring your knee to your chest.
There is no pain when I flex from 0 degrees to 90 degrees, but once I cross a bit more past that threshold I can feel tightness in the middle region of my quadriceps. If I force myself to bend a little further, that tightness begins to turn into pain. The pain stops when I release that pose.
Currently I can bend pretty much exactly like the lady in the picture...about 95 degrees or so?
Hope that helps! Let me know if anything's not clear.
Do u feel any pain around the knee areas coz...in the early mornings when i feel the most stiffness , i feel pain jist abouve the knees and under the kneecap.I don't feel any knee pain on my femur side, but I do feel pain below the kneecap on my tibia side. It happens when I lift my leg during walking. I noticed a bit of improvement compared to last week. Like you, it also improves after I warm up during the day. Is this the same thing you're talking about?
Do u have that pain at any time when u try to push further of ur knee bend.The pain disappears as soon as I release the pose. If I've done a good stretch then I might have some burning sensation linger on for a while, but in a good way, like how you feel after you've had a good workout.
And one more thing i need to know is when u sit, lie down straight or walk upright ,is the bending the same as 90 or does it get restrited much lesser. ThanksYes, there is a difference for me. When I lie on my stomach it seems I can't bend my knees that far. But the difference is negligible. I'm not sure, but I would suspect that it's because it has something to do with how the pelvis is tilted when you're sitting or laying prone that does something.
Hey Glenn, very few people get to dream and achieve! Respect!
Can you ask Dr. Monegal the following question if possible? ;)
Which scenario can be favorable for a solid recovery? For a underwear model who is 177 cm tall without affecting the proportions. Assuming cost and recovery time is not an issue!
1. 2-3 cm Internal femur (Fitbone), 2 cm External Tibia or 2cm Internal Tibia (Fitbone) - If guaranteed no knee pain.
2. 4-5 cm Internal femur (Fitbone) If proportions difference won't be visible.
I often climb mountains and kite surf, i don't want to affect my hobbies by lower perfomance. I will take you advice/suggestions as well while we wait for Dr. Monegal.
Also, I saw your gym videos you posted. I wasn't going to say anything since I'm not an expert, but it seems to me that it looks more like "exercising" rather than "stretching." When I stretch I usually hold the pose at the apex of the movement for about 15 to 30 seconds. If it's a dynamic stretch, like a lunge, I'll still hold the pose for a few seconds before completing the action. I'm not saying you should follow what I've said, since maybe your PT has taught you something different. I'm just pointing out something that I noticed, that's all.Hey, glen.
Hi Average2Tall!
No worries. Like one of my favorite professors used to say, "There are no stupid questions…"
When you're in the hospital with a catheter sticking out of you, there is no sex drive, despite the abundance of nice nurses.
Even at the MIC, I was so tired from PT and cooking that I didn't have any strength for a libido. There was a caretaker at the MIC that was pretty flirty, but even then, I couldn't be bothered to make a move.
After coming home, I am feeling more like a normal guy now, with my normal schedule of urges. I think it has more to do with 1) sleeping more 2) better nutrition 3) familiar environment. I'd say my sex drive is pretty much the same as before I had surgery. After all, LL severs bones, not boners ::)
hey glenn, is the femur side pain from the lateral leg raises?
I have sharp pain in my abductors when I make lateral movements- literally feels like the tip of the screw is cutting into my muscle. Im hoping the pain will just go away over time, but not sure if it will
Hey Yagen,
Yes, I think that's a part of the reason. But another part is probably also psychological. When I say "strong" leg, I guess I mean "stronger than my femur side" since I am feeling some femur pains lately.
Objectively though, I think it's undeniable that femurs heal faster than tibiae..
Are you still deciding between femurs and tibiae? I thought you were set to do femurs?
Interesting. When you say that femurs heal faster than tibiae, do you mean lengthening speed?I mean that, all things being equal, femurs will take less time, compared to tibiae, to recuperate to the same level as the other....
Or do you feel that -overall- the leg with the broken femur is recovering better (less pain, better flexibility, etc) that the other one?I mean this as well. All things considered, my femur is recovering better than tibia.
Personally, I am still deciding between tibia and femur, so any info on this will be really useful!Unless you have a very specific reason to do tibia, I would suggest femurs without a doubt. As I've stated in some earlier posts, the benefits of recovery time, relative safety, and options far outweigh any proportion or cost concerns in my opinion. I've done both femur and tibia at the same time, and can assure you that they're both very different animals.. It's not like choosing "chicken or fish" on your airline meal ;D
Hey Yagen,
Yes, I think that's a part of the reason. But another part is probably also psychological. When I say "strong" leg, I guess I mean "stronger than my femur side" since I am feeling some femur pains lately.
Objectively though, I think it's undeniable that femurs heal faster than tibiae..
Are you still deciding between femurs and tibiae? I thought you were set to do femurs?
Hi Yagen,
About doing tibiae in the future, I think it's probably best to just get through femurs first and enjoy your new height for a few months. You will have a new perspective on what's important and what you want after you walk around in your new femurs. :-)
Hola glenn, glad to hear you're doing better.
I'm experiencing some crazy left abductor pain myself. I injured it several months ago stretching too hard and decided to follow through with surgery even though it wasn't feeling 100%. Your first post said some crap about blinking a few times then now you're 34, so I figured I'd do it before it took any longer.
I've been going at 0.8mm but wanted to see what the big deal is with 1mm--I did not sleep last night lol. I could see my left leg pulsating for 5 minute bursts from muscle contractions. I snapchatted it to my friends and family ;D
After our abductors heal, we can mate them for the ultimate leg.