Hilltop - External Tibias - Dr. Amar Sarin - 2011 - Journey to a new beginning

[craig49]

Also I am feeling homesickness. I cried a lot a day back. Its not related to physical pain but a mental one. I think most of the LL patients must be having this mental state at some point in their journey.
To sum up, LL is not about just physical pain (that can be handled through pain medication), but it’s a mental game. It’s a real test of the mental strength.

nothing wrong with that.  I cried a lot too, it is natural.  Any human far from home going from healthy and functioning to suddenly wearing 2 frames and broken bones will feel vulnerable.  In fact, LL is such a unique experience in how it can really humble and force you to be strong. 
You will survive, it may seem like a long time, but before you know it, distraction will be over and you will feel better.  After finishing and recovering you will most likely come through a stronger person and in life, I think that is a good quality to have. 

[samarth113905]

I currently live in US and I am seriously considering LL in India.  Is it possible for me to return to the states around 10-15 days after the surgery and go through the distraction period here at home rather than staying there.  it seems as though I may only need send my x rays taken from US back to Dr Sarin to communicate my progress.  I would return to India as soon as the distraction is over to get the external fixator removed.  If this is possible, it would save a ton of money since a lot of the costs involving physical therapy and x-rays are covered under my insurance here in the States.  what do you think?

[crazy+6]

I currently live in US and I am seriously considering LL in India.  Is it possible for me to return to the states around 10-15 days after the surgery and go through the distraction period here at home rather than staying there.  it seems as though I may only need send my x rays taken from US back to Dr Sarin to communicate my progress.  I would return to India as soon as the distraction is over to get the external fixator removed.  If this is possible, it would save a ton of money since a lot of the costs involving physical therapy and x-rays are covered under my insurance here in the States.  what do you think?

Hi Samarth,

It can be done but it is not advisable.

Lengthening phase is the crucial phase where you need your doctor most.

Cheers
Crazy+6

[Sweden]

My rent and food expenses are not much. I am staying in a shared 3 bedroom apartment with five other people. Food including my expenses are 200$ per month.

Seriously?

That´s a nice restaurantbill when me and my girl is out!!

I never thought that it could be THAT cheap. How do one get a room together with others?

This makes my budget way overrated and there will be quite enough for my femurs if I live like that 

Hope you are doing fine Hilltop!
btw - where are you from?

[Arche]

Hey Hilltop, I'm not trying to be a nuisance, but can we please get some photos of your frames? Thanks man. Hope you're doing fine!

[Dryani]

Hi Hilltop. I will be coming to join you in a little over a month, also for tibias.

I am sorry that the isolation and boredom is getting to you. I hope you told your family and friends about the surgery so they can e-mail and call you for support.

The best way to combat extreme isolation is to put all of your focus into something that you find challenging and productive - put the strong and true message into your subconscious that you are growing mentally and not just physically. If you have a laptop, perhaps you could learn web design and create a website. Perhaps you could sign up to "Squidoo" and create a "lens" about your experience. It's also very important to think about and really enjoy the small things - for example, when you have privacy in the bathroom or shower, focus on how good it feels to be safe and by yourself. Hope that helps a bit.

[dreamhigh]

Dear Hilltop.

What you are doing is great.  and its great that ur started your own diary.  i have read all ur post and i will read more and more. 
excited to see your day to day experience.  even i plan to undergo this surgery pretty soon.

i am keep telling myself, " that is few months of mental and physical struggle, but freedom, excitement and happiness for rest of the life".
so great job.

keep us updated.

[dreamhigh]

would you be able to post pics, place where you live, food, etc.  anything.

[STsacrifice4LTgain]

Wow! Lots of awesome posts & I'm seriously considering Sarin but I have 2 questions:

1) crazy+6. .  I think your journey is definitely very inspiring to ALL of us who are thinking to go with Sarin (who's the more affordable option).  I read your diary & I'm just curious, how close are you to full recovery after your first LL surgery w/ Sarin?  And congrats on having the courage to go back for round 2, which I hope is going great for you!

2) Hilltop. .  It seems like everyone is REALLY anxious to hear back from you! Hopefully, your doing good & your story is very inspiring as well.

Lastly, I'm so undecided between Dr.  Sarin & Dr.  Xia, I'm almost debating a coin flip at this point. .  Yes i know, crazy lol
Considering all factors (cost comparison, method used, track record, lengthening amount). .  who would you guys choose if your me, Sarin or Xia? And please offer feedback :)

[craig49]

I was wondering if Dr. Sarin helped fix your ballerina foot like he did with Solid8?

[Ivan1989]

Seriously?

That´s a nice restaurant bill when me and my girl is out!!

I never thought that it could be THAT cheap.  How do one get a room together with others?

This makes my budget way overrated and there will be quite enough for my femurs if I live like that  

Hope you are doing fine Hilltop!
btw - where are you from?

Hey dude first I'd like thank you for sharing your diary, reading your diary as well as Craig's make me change my mind from China to India, because I was told china is not a good place for femur, I'm gonna text Doc, Sarin today and ask him a few things about the cost of the opration , hey by the way Sweden do you mind if I ask when are you going to do the proceder ? are you doing your tibia or your femur ? I'm planing on going to india sometimes at the end of april we can find an apartement and share the expencess what do you think? I'm Cyrus by the way from Canada , I'd also like to ask Hilltop for his opinion, do you think I should I go China for my femur or India since you have already been to india ,looking forward to hear back from you soon


cheers

[Ivan1989]

I was wondering if Dr. Sarin helped fix your ballerina foot like he did with Solid8?

Wow!  I have the exact same question as dieselkev, thanks dude you made it easy for me, I'm as well considering Dr. Sarin but I'm very confused and can not make up my mind, I'd like to ask :

1) first to crazy+6.  .   I too think that your journey is absolutely inspiring to all of us who are thinking to go with Dr. Sarin.  I read your diary & I'm just curious, how close are you to full recovery after your first LL surgery with Sarin? what do you think ? India or China ?

2) Soncond is Hilltop.  .   again I sure agree with dieselkev  we all are REALLY anxious to hear back from you! and Hopefully, your doing good & your story is very inspiring as well. do you happen to know of anyone in person not over the net or anythoing, I mean an actual person who you've happened to meet in person in the hospital or your roomies , who has done femurs by Dr. Sarin ? whats your emprassion ?

3) Craig what do you think brother ? India or China

I'm too so undecided between India & China , Considering all factors (cost comparison, method used, track record, specially lengthening amount as I wanna do 9cm on femur).  who would you guys choose if you were in my shoes, Sarin or Xia?
and why

regards

[shoryuken]

i was going to do china, but my parents dont trust India so its china for me. Depending if i do a second LL i would probably do it in india just due to costs as two trips to china would set me back well over 60k

[Apotheosis]

Ivan & Shoryuken,

Why don't you go to India for a consultation with Dr. Sarin, and visit the hospital where he does surgeries? I was leery of having my surgery with Dr. Betz even though there were patient diaries on this site until I went to Germany, met some of his patients and saw the facilities where he performs his surgeries. Having a consultation is an important part of doing your LL research.

If your parents don't trust India, why not have them go with you? Why do they trust China more than India? Have they gone to meet Dr. Xia and seen his facilities? Whose opinion are you relying on to make your decision about where to do LL? Ultimately, you shouldn't rely on anyone's opinion for who you pick to be your doctor. You should go see both facilities, talk to both doctors, and make your decision based on that. If that is too much research and too much cost, then you should at least have a consultation with your preferred doctor and make your decision after that.

Apotheosis

[shoryuken]

i think its due to alot of dodgy Indian doctors over where i live. Tons of them claim they are doctors and perform surgerys on people and leave them permanently disfigured.
Im not saying sarin or all Indian doctors are like that as i know many brilliant people come from India its just a fear they have. I think its also due to how slum like alot of india is and how its very dirty ect.

One of my mothers friends visited there and she said how the whole place smelt like sewage, obviously she was in a poor area.

I said i was going to India in the first place as i planned to have 2 surgery's yet they insisted i dont go and they would pay half of the costs to china

[Dryani]

Well it'll be a bummer to not have you in India, but if it gives your parents ease of mind and China sounds good to you then I hope everything goes great. I'll be taking a lot of pictures and making a very detailed diary, so you'll have some more information for your decision on a second procedure.

[Arche]

Hilltop hasn't updated his diary in a long time. Do you guys think there could be some complications that have occurred? We have two LL diaries from Dr. Sarin (Solid8 and Hilltop) where the patients have stopped posting?

[shoryuken]

It's a worry when they stop posting.

[GROWtallORdieTRYING]

india is starting to scare me again...... we are still yet to see a recovery all went well outcome from sarin.........  so its a bit weird when multiple diaries go cold, aswell as when 1 diary admits to complications and refuses to talk about them.

[Arche]

I understand that we haven't yet seen a "full" outcome from Dr. Sarin because that takes time. What I am really worried about is much more fundamental. Crazy+6, Solid8, and Hilltop each started their diaries with a lot of motivation, yet their diaries have now quickly died down. Crazy won't post pictures when I ask him, and neither will Solid8 and Hilltop. Posting a picture online, and on MMT, is one of the easiest things to do. It's not like you have to go onto terminal and pull some wacky functions. I don't know what's going on with Dr. Sarin and his patients, but I don't think we'll ever figure out what's happening. There's one poster on this site (Dyrani) who is saying he is going to lengthen with Dr. Sarin around March 30th, and maybe we'll get a good diary out of him, but honestly all of Dr. Sarin's patients have stopped responding and updating their conditions.