This is Emma, a former patient six months after the surgery

On the 31/05/2018, at 9 a.m. I was carried on a bed into the surgery room where the Dr. Guichet should put one of his nails into my left femur. Seated on that bed, waiting for the anesthesia I was shaking like a leaf, all the things that I was hiding into my mind in the six months before, thanks to the intensive training sessions pre-surgery, started getting out into my mind, then, after some minutes the black.

I woke up into my room while I was rising, again and again, the left leg straight while the Doctor was counting the repetitions and he was recording a video saying “50 repetitions after one hour after the surgery” the first thing that I thought was “Ok, it’s still there and it’s moving!” obviously the leg, not the Doctor! Everything went well…

The memories of the first days are not clear probably because of the anesthesia and the painkillers, but I remember that I felt myself again destroyed, like 15 years ago when I got the accident where I have lost 4,5cm from the femur because of the compound and exposed fracture, every single movement seems difficult, I felt myself like a sloth, but I was able to stand up from the bed, use the exercise bike, walking with the crutches only some hours from the surgery quite without any help and all those things gave me the strength and the bravery to start reacting!

The nail of the Doctor Guichet has got an internal mechanism that permits it to extend doing a particular rotation movement of the leg called “click” for the sound that makes, 15 clicks are 1mm of gain, I had in front of me more than 600 clicks to do, the Doctor showed me how to do them and he gave me a file with the daily plan to follow.

Discharged from the Clinique I started going to the gym where followed by a trainer from the team, we did every day some rehabilitation exercises, the same exercises that we have to do others hundreds of times at home.

The first weeks were very difficult, the pain, the exercises to do, the visits, moving around in a city that I didn’t know, public transports, etc. Everything was difficult. Passing the days, the pain became less and in no time the new routine began.

My life in this month makes me felt like I was in a TV show: wake up, breakfast, clicks, exercises, snack, gym, lunch, sleep, clicks, exercises, snack, gym, snack, exercises, dinner, exercises, clicks, bed 7 days on 7…

While the weeks were passing I started seeing the legs lining up even more and when I put off the last piece of input from the shoe for the first time in 15 years I felt a sensation of indescribable liberty.

After one month from the surgery I have gained all the 450mm that I need, I’ve started walking without crutches, I’m recovering the energy and I can start living balanced with myself!

Was it hard? Surely!

Would I do it again? YES!

When I was 22, I had a car accident in Romania. I broke my right lower limb, I was in the hospital for 5 months and had 13 surgeries on the same leg. They said that I may not be able to walk again, I was even told that it would be much more easier if I would give up my right leg. I choose not to give it up, continue to go further and took all the risks.

I had an external fixator and stayed on a wheel chair for a few months, after they change it into two internal plates with 21 screws. They said I would need to walk with crutches for the rest of my life. But I was too young, and I couldn’t imagine nor accept my life in crutches. So, I started looking for other options.

My doctor advised me to go abroad in search for other options since he had done all he could do.

I went to see surgeons in Romania, England, France and Milan. In Milan, I visited Dr. Guichet who proposed me to change the plates for a nail.

After a few months, I fell down and broke my plates, all surgeons proposed to replace my plates, but they could not guarantee that it will not break again. The only long term solution for me was a Nail, and I knew that the only one surgeon who could do it in my condition was Dr. Guichet.

I went back to him and told him that I chose the option to insert a Nail, and so we did it.

After the surgery with Dr. Guichet, I stayed in the hospital for only 3 days, which could not be compared to my other surgeries in which I had to be recovered for up to 5 months.

I stayed in Milan for a month for rehabilitation recovery, I always had someone to contact from Dr. Guichet’s office, and I even was in direct contact with Dr. Guichet himself. I was treated as a friend rather that a patient from the whole Team. My Heart was warm.

A few months after my surgery, I could resume walking without crutches initially just for a short walk and I started driving again.

The message I would like to share with you is that:

When you feel desperate
Do not give up on your dreams
Do not give up on your hopes
Do not give up on your wishes
Because if you give up on everything
What else to live for?
So keep going, keep running.
When your legs get tired
Keep running with your Heart.

I was lucky to find Dr. Guichet and I believed in him. Now, I walk on my two feet.

Will I ever be able to grow? I am now 20. At 17 I was 133 cm. I am now 150 cm and gained 17cm. I gained a first time 7.7 cm and was really happy. I still wanted to get much taller and had another surgery for the next year.

My second surgery was nothing like the first one.  I had almost no pain and managed to live without any pain killers. The procedure went very well and after 1500 rackets I gained another 10 cm. I was really motivated and couldn’t have made it without it. Overall I am really happy with the surgery and the surgeon Dr. Guichet.

If ever you are in despair because of your height, I hope you will find in this comment a message of hope!

I was 160 cm before the surgery and was very conscious about my height. I always wanted to be taller and this complex affected my daily life. Every time I was in the crowded place I was unable to stop thinking about my small (I as felt) height. Therefore, my parents and I decided to find the solution and Dr Guichet helped us with that. I am very glad that I undertook the lengthening because it made me confident and, I believe, a happy person.

Nevertheless, I should tell that it is a very serious step and every person who plans to undertake surgery should be prepared not only physically, but also mentally. My parents, and especially mother was a great support, she not only helped me with cooking and other day-to-day routine, but also supported me emotionally when I was tired or in pain. So my advise is to take with you a such kind of person with you during the lengthening. The team and doctor also provided a lot of support 24/7 and a really high quality services in Milan (where I did surgery), I especially enjoyed morning training at Isokinetic. Probably my another advise would be to rent an apartment with no stairs.

Overall, I am really happy with the result, I gain 7cm, but most importantly I received what I always wanted – a freedom of being myself with no complexes.

Check her story on Youtube