Prosthetic Leg

[Mr Silver]

Can they not reconstruct the leg? Perhaps, removal of parts of the bones with some muscular and dermal reconstruction and replacement with titanium rods? I don't, but it seems pretty hastey. I'd imagine you've looked at all options but there has to be someway surely to retain your leg?

 

[Admiral_Young]

It isn't the leg that is the problem, it's the foot and they reconstructed it in July of 07. I had a second surgery in June of 08 in order to fix broken pins. Things have been relatively fine but other chronic problems such as my twisting spine and pelvis have stemmed from the foot. There is pretty much nothing else they can do for my foot. My surgeon said the second surgery was the last straw.

 

[Holdfast]

I don't follow orthopaedic/prosthetics research at all, but I did randomly stumble across a programme on the telly suggesting that the field of limb prosthetics has gone through some major advances over recent years, largely driven by the large number of young and fit men requiring such devices as a result of IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan. So by waiting as long as you have, you might actually now get a more advanced prosthetic than you would otherwise have got.

In any event, good luck with it all, should you opt to go for this option.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Considering how miserable you've been because of this, it looks like the amputation and the prosthetic are the way to go. It will definitely be traumatic to lose part of a limb, though. The only thing that bothers me is that the doctors you used for your second and third opinions were both recommended by your physio; I would get another opinion from another doctor who doesn't know him at all.

That was kind of my thought as well--seek "independent counsel" without connection to the first (i.e. no "conflict of interest"). You'd have to do your research first to really find out what their reputation in the field is.

I would then see if their advice is the same or different, and what their reasoning is.

Well, why even see a doctor at all, then? You make it sound as though they are all untrustworthy and just looking to chop off people's legs for a quick buck.

I worked with doctors in hospitals for 22 years. They like people who think like they do and are critical of those who don't. If I were to go for a second opinion, I would go to somebody who is not personally known to the first doctor.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Thank you, RJ that is exactly what I was saying. The same is true of any group of people who work with each other--that is a human tendency for professionals of any type who think alike to cluster together. As for "due diligence," I do audit work where following certain procedures and maintaining certain checks and balances to ensure independence of assessments is critical to what I do. That is not an insult, nor paranoia; that is the standard procedure and the terminology of my job.

There was absolutely no need for anyone to draw any sort of insulting double meaning out of what both of us were saying. Admiral_Young understood me correctly, exactly as I intended.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Exactly. It's Human nature, not a conspiracy.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Since you are from Vancouver, why not go to a concert of Jim Byrnes and ask him? He has 2 prostetic legs and can tell you about the problems he encounters with them.
Don't be shy - he's awfully nice He'll play at the Vancouver Jazz Festival tomorrow (1st of July) 12:00 pm at St Andrews / Wesley Church. You can rely on finding him in the nearest pub afterwards
This way you could get firsthand info not only about the positive but also about the negative aspects.

Personally, I'd advise against the removal of a limb. Surgical techniques are improving every day and there might very soon be a way to lessen your pain. How about replacing the bent bones and thus reconstructing a healthy foot? It would take a lot of time and cost much but it would enable you to keep your legs. The necessary bones could be cut out of the rim of your pelvis. The tendeons and connecting tissue could propably be kept in place and just gradually elongated a bit (I can't predict that exactly without x-ray or CT pics). The new structures wouldn't be quite as solid as a healthy foot but they would be functionable and you'd have a feeling in them.
Cutting off something is a terribly final step and can never be taken back.

(if you meet Mr Byrnes, please say hello to him from the Bavarian woman who drove all the way to Belgium to hear him last October )

 

[Admiral_Young]

Somehow I feel like this was more a plug for Jim Byrnes than any real advice. IF you had read my initial post (which I doubt you did) you would understand that I've had two surgeries in the last five years, the first one being a total reconstruction of the foot. That has helped to some degree but I'm still in a great deal of pain. It's not just the foot but the pain has become chronic and spread throughout the rest of my body. As I also indicated my surgeon stated that a further surgery would not help matters, but indeed, impede them.

 

[JarodRussell]

Whenever I hear about amputations, I hear Leonard McCoy in my mind: "Sounds more like the goddam Spanish Inquisition."

Since there are always stories about people who spend 10 years of their lives for a proper diagnosis, just because the doctors don't know better, I'd seriously recommend asking a great amount of doctors about this. And certainly not just other doctors recommended by the one who's already sharpening his butcher knife.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Somehow I feel like this was more a plug for Jim Byrnes than any real advice. IF you had read my initial post (which I doubt you did) you would understand that I've had two surgeries in the last five years, the first one being a total reconstruction of the foot. That has helped to some degree but I'm still in a great deal of pain. It's not just the foot but the pain has become chronic and spread throughout the rest of my body. As I also indicated my surgeon stated that a further surgery would not help matters, but indeed, impede them.

I'm afraid you misunderstood my intentions.
I happen to have met Mr Byrnes in real life and found him awfully nice. Since he has both legs amputated he is an authority on the pros and cons of such a surgery and he is not afraid to speak freely about the matter with strangers.
I read your initial post, else I wouldn't have replied. I understood that in spite of the surgery you still have problems and pains which is why you consider an amputation. It seems to me that based on this fact one may assume the reconstruction was not 100% perfect which would me, were I in that situation, make wish for a new surgery with a better result. Though your doctor disagrees with my point he is surely not infallible and may have overlooked a possibility. As a general rule it is always a good idea to get a second and a third opinion, as was already suggested by other posters here (Mr Byrnes' experience counting as another opinion, imo. He could tell you that with prostethics your current pain will be replaced by a new pain and that there will be massive probs with other joints and your back resulting from the weight and mechanical properties of the artificial limbs.)

I only meant you well. I understand that you feel touchy about the subject and that the pain propably makes you irritable (hence I take no offense), but if you are reluctant to accept that other people have other opinions - and a different way of expressing then, especially if English is not their native tongue - a public place like a message board is perhaps not the ideal place to discuss such a controversial topic.

How ever you may decide in the end, I wish you all the best and that you never may regret your decision.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I have to say, that's a very patronizing tone you've taken here. "Oh, poor thing, you can't control yourself."

That doesn't come off well at all.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I think Nerys is implying that the first doctor just referred the original poster to his buddies who are all in it to make a quick buck.
Therefor he should see somebody "independent". Personally that's too much paranoia for me but meh, can't hurt.

Everything I've ever read about making medical decisions has stressed that a second opinion should come from a physician who is totally independent of the original one. Not because doctors can't be trusted, but because ones who are friends or who went through training together are more likely to think alike. That's just human nature.

 

[Kestra]

I have to say, that's a very patronizing tone you've taken here. "Oh, poor thing, you can't control yourself."

That doesn't come off well at all.

Eh, I do think he lashed out a bit when the intention was merely to be helpful. Hopefully all misunderstandings have been cleared up and there's no reason to derail the thread.

Re: second opinions, that's a good idea for the reasons Ziyal mentioned. Doctors aren't all nefarious people looking at you thinking of what expensive, complicated procedures they can perform. But if you want to know what other options are out there, you may have to do some legwork yourself as people are going to have slightly varied training.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I don't think I lashed out at all at the poster. I truly felt like the post was some kind of plug for Jim Brynes (whom I'm a fan of btw) and didn't feel that it was relevant to the thread. I understand about his condition and the advice but I'm not going to go out of my way to seek out the advice of a "celebrity" who happens to have prosthesis weather or not he is an authoritative voice on the subject or not. I also respect the posters opinion regarding the loss of limbs. Believe me this is not something I have taken lightly at all as I've clearly stated before earlier in the thread and appreciate everyone's suggestions/advice/opinions in the matter. If I did come across as hostile in my first response then I apologize.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I did indeed feel under attack (thank you, Kestra, that was sweet of you ), but as I said, no offense taken. I suffer from horrible migraines and know all too well how permanent pain can influence even the most patient person.
Since no harm was intended on both sides I suggest we call it a draw.
Peace? *holds out hand to Admiral Young*


The problem with surgeons is that they see the patients only untill they get prostethics, so naturally they can't know about the problems occuring afterwards and so they don't inform their patients about them. Therefore it would be a good idea to speak with people who underwent such an amputation. They could tell you all you need to know.

What I worry about is that the pain most likely won't stop with the amputation, you'll just trade it in for a different kind of pain. As the prostethics will change your legs' mechanics, weight and balance, they can trigger problems with your knees, hips and spine. Since you already have a certain damage in some of these joints, it is likely that the pain there will remain or possibly even get worse.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the amputation. It is up to you to decide this matter and nobody can take this weight off your shoulders. I am only trying to prevent you from getting disappointed if the result is not what you expected.

 

[Deckerd]

I only meant you well. I understand that you feel touchy about the subject and that the pain propably makes you irritable (hence I take no offense), but if you are reluctant to accept that other people have other opinions - and a different way of expressing then, especially if English is not their native tongue - a public place like a message board is perhaps not the ideal place to discuss such a controversial topic.

Translation: I suppose I'm sorry but it's all your fault.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Wow this has kind of blown up which wasn't my intention at all. Perhaps in retrospect I should have not bothered to post in the first place. As I've mentioned in my other medical threads my entire body is affected by chronic pain stemming from problems with my club foot. I have a twisted pelvis that is directly related to the foot problems. I've been told that a prosthetic could potentially help to correct this problem. Now I've already stated several times in the thread that I'm continuing to do research and seeking out other opinions. I also stated that I apologized if I came across as too harsh in my original response and explained why.

Also keep in mind that I've just reached the decision. That doesn't meant the procedure is automatically going to happen tomorrow, the next day or whenever. I may yet change my mind. It would have been quite the different thing entirely if I'd come out and said that I'm absolutely having an amputation done but I don't think I stated that so I'm open to other avenues yet. I just know that pretty fresh out of surgical opinions and yes I'm quite aware of the nature of doctor's and how they operate. Fortunately negative experiences with them haven't been my own personal experience, so as much as I respect others opinions I'd like to ask the same to respect my own judgement and opinions as well about this and not let the thread get bogged down in any kind of ideological battle about doctors.

Also finally, if pain was in any way affecting my reactions in this thread it would come across and you guys would know about it, lol, plus I would apologize later. I've already apologized twice and no pain affected my posting tone since I started this thread.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I think on the whole it was a very good idea to start this thread!
Maybe someone comes up with a really good idea or a brandnew treatment tomorrow.
Also, hearing other opinions is in my experience always advisable as one automatically tends to see a problem only from one angle. Others may give one a new perspective.
Thirdly, there were simple misunderstandings on both sides and we solved them by speaking with each other like adults ought to do. A pretty good de-escalation training which I would recommend to quite a few politicians.
Also, I find the problem presented to us here very challenging, both intellectually and emotionally. It forces those of us who take this thread serious to ask ourselves how each of us would decide in such a difficult situation. I must admit that I am still uncertain as to what I would do. The only thing I know with certainty is that I am lucky I needn't make such a decision atm.

And last but not least this tread including the misunderstandings gave me a chance to make a friend *hugs Admiral Young*

 

[Admiral_Young]

All is well now. I expect this to be a prolonged process anyways. My first foot surgery I had to wait four months and that was pushed back another two due to a rescheduling. The second surgery happened pretty much as scheduled IIRC so I expect this process to take twice as long.

 

[DBR]

Bloody rescheduling and wait times and hospitals and rain and mosquitoes and everything.

I actually considered going to Vancouver to try and get faster medical treatment for my list of problems than I'm getting in Calgary, believe it or not.

Anyway, best of luck on whichever path it is you go down, Admiral_Young.