Posted by DarrenG
on August 28, 2009
My op last Friday went ahead as planned and 6 days later (yesterday) I was released home. I now sport a rather gruesome looking femoral ilizarov fixator frame worth a cool £6k!
It’s taking some major adjustments of course and it still very early days but I’m doing my very best to remain positive. I had the Op 9am Friday morning which took 6hrs and arrived on the ward at 4.30pm. Saturday was spent in bed but Sunday I was walking to the shower using a frame which is amazing progress given the operation.
The frame itself has 4 rings and stretches from high on my hip to my knee. Mid-way is the adjustment section with 4 long threaded bolts that will be used for the lengthening procedure which begins next Tuesday. This is simple, each adjuster is turned a set number of times every day to achieve 1mm distraction per day. As I have 25mm of bone to grow it should take a month if the bone grows at the expected 1mm/day. We get shown what to do on Tuesday and then it is down to us to do at home each day!
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Posted by DarrenG
on August 10, 2009
This weekend I’ve taken the opportunity to visit my family in North Wales ahead of the op. Eleven days to go now and it may be some time before I can make the 5hr trip to see them again.
We split the journey with an overnight stay at The Village in Dudley, one of a chain. A nice basic hotel for travellers with excellent facilities and most importantly hotel wide free WiFi. Compare that with the Oakley Court hotel we stayed at last weekend where despite tit being an expensive (and very lovely) four star hotel, internet access was an extra £20/day!
So the weekend in Wales has consisted mainly of BBQ’s and alcohol and the weather has been relatively kind with the usual mix of sun and rain that is typical of a Welsh Summer! I also took the opportunity to purchase some clothing that I will hopefully be able to wear with the frame. Two pairs of runners shorts that are high cut at the sides should work fine for around the house and what remains of the summer and also a selection of trousers. One set are pyjama pants, thin and stretchy and not dissimilar to track suit bottoms and another pair are track suit bottoms which are much thicker. The plan for these is to cannibalise one pair to add a panel to the other that will allow them to fit over the frame.
It’s all pretty speculative at the moment as we have no idea how big the frame will physically be. But so long as I have something I can wear in the hospital post Op and for the journey home I’ll be happy!
