Height Increase Surgery – John’s story

By:  John

Italy
April 2001

Website: http://apexdesign.com/surgery

Height increase surgery has been my obsession for the past two years. I conducted extensive research and interviewed dozens of doctors and patients. In April of 2001, I underwent height increase surgery. My name is John and this is my story.

My height increase surgery was not a single operation but rather one surgical procedure followed by a program of daily adjustments of the leg fixator to lengthen the leg. I gained over two and a half inches in height. I decided not to have my Achilles tendon surgically lengthened though this would have allowed me to achieve better results. The surgery was done below the knee. This creates the most natural-looking length. In two years I could have another surgery above the knee to lengthen that section by two inches. Now that I have gone from 5' 41/2" to over 5' 7", I do not plan to pursue more height. In my investigation, I met a podiatrist in Georgia who offered a discount operation. Several of his patients sustained complications that will likely limit their function forever. I was contacted by the attorney of one of the patients. Only an orthopedic surgeon with published articles on this surgery should be considered.

The cost in the United States is about $75,000 for two legs. In Europe, the cost is about $25,000, and can be done for as little as $10,000 in Egypt. It is possible to be a patient at a medical teaching facility, and have the surgery for less. This is not something to pursue on a shoestring budget. Five months to a year without income during the entire process will add to the cost of the operation. An implanted unit may soon be widely available. This method of lengthening eliminates the need for an external brace and reduces recovery time. I considered this option but elected to go with the Ilizarov unit because of its track record.

The most famous institution in the world is located in Siberia. Though this hospital has the outstanding record, I decided to have my surgery in Italy. Most of the patients I met could not walk for 2-3 months, then required crutches. I rented a wheelchair for 7 months. It gets very difficult and one must have a driven personality to attempt this surgery. Older patients like myself, take twice as long, on average, to recover. My device is scheduled to be removed 12 months after my surgery. I will have casts for 6 weeks. I must be careful for the next 6 months to prevent refracture of the new bone. My exercise routine consists of leg presses and 25 minutes on a stationary bicycle. I work out 4 times per week for 1 hour and take 2000 mg of calcium per day.

For more information, contact me at height3000@yahoo.com

(Response may take 60 days)

Sky’s comment:  From the picture above, John looks a lot taller than 5’7, more like 5’10. This guy’s mind-boggling willpower really amazes me.  He endures extreme pain and actually overcomes tremendous physical and emotional obstacles. Can you imagine NOT walking for 3 months and using crutches for support?

Limb Lengthening Surgery:  GOD MADE ME small…

By:  Sara Vornamen
Bisbane, Australia
Website:  http://www.godmademesmall.com (not active)

Sara used to stand at 154 centimetres, and for years suffered from an inferiority complex because of her short stature. From schoolyard nicknames to her debut as a Lawyer, which saw her defending a six foot five, 240 pound truck driver who was taller than her even when he was seated, Sara wished she could grow taller.

Then she found out she could.

Through a chance conversation with a friend, Sara learned that a medical procedure existed that would allow her to change her height. She researched the revolutionary Ilizarov limb lengthening method, developed by Russian doctor Gaviil Abramovich Ilizarov, and her mind was made up.

At 24, she hopped on a plane, leaving her family and friends behind her, and flew over ten thousand kilometres to Kurgan, Russia.

There, doctors broke each of her legs in four places, drilled wires through her bones, and used pins attached to heavy metal frames to stretch her legs one millimetre per day for three months.

At times she was in agony, bedridden, and homesick for family and friends. Her recovery lasted for months. She suffered snapped pins, pinched nerves and the hazards of Christmas shopping with both legs in a cast.

But today, standing eight centimetres taller, Sara says every second was worth it, and that she wouldn’t change her incredible experience for the world. “My new height has made kaleidoscopic changes to my physical appearance, my frame of mind and my level of confidence,” she says.

Today Sara lives in Brisbane and is fully recovered. When she isn’t spending her days writing so that she can share her remarkable experience with others, she enjoys daily cappuccinos to help her forget the pleasures of Russian food!

Sky’s comment:  Since publishing her book God Made Me Small, Surgery Made Me Tall, Sara’s story has promoted media interest all over Australia.  I bow down to Sara and salute her triumph over height increase.  Her drive to success has inspired a number of people, including myself.