Broken Leg

I saw my original surgeon today. He seemed in a big hurry to get me out of there. I had to ask just to look at my X-rays on the computer. Some of the bone has brigded the gap but not all the way across. I think I am going to stick to the Cleveland Clinic doctor, he seemed more knowlegdable and more concerned. I can give anybody his name if they want. Next time I am injured I am going to ask someone one to refer me to a good doctor instead of taking the er's referal. My leg feels good but I have a ways to go. No riding for awhile for me. I am still wondering about the young guy that had the infection and surgery. I hope he is doing much better than before. Later guys.
 
Glad to hear you are on the mend . My family has , unfortunately , had quite a bit of experience with various doctors and hospitals the last few years . We believe the Cleveland Clinic is one of the better facilities available but you have to learn to be your own advocate no matter where you choose . Doctors do not like to be questioned about their decisions but you need to do it and don't be afraid to seek a second opinion . I haven't heard any updates on Joe Bornhorst either . Hope he is doing well . Best of luck to you both .
 
Hey guys, im doing good. well at least as good as i can. Had surgery about a month ago that lasted about 9 hrs, they had to do all of crazy stuff. About a week before surgery they did an angiogram on me which tests the blood flow. Turns out one of the arteries in my leg is dead from when my leg pretty much exploded when it broke. But they said they could work around that, which they did. They narrowed it down to that being the problem of why the infection kept coming back since there wasnt good bloodflow, and without bloodflow there isnt going to be any healing going on. During the surgery, they had to cut a pretty big area of tissue out from my leg that was all infected, then to replace that, they had to take muscle from up underneath my armpit and down my side. i have a sweeeeet scar about a foot long down my side. then they took a skin graft from my thigh to cover the muscle. then they cut out about an inch and a half out of my bone that was all infected. but now they think i should be good to go because they just pretty much started me over and took all of the variables of places of where the infection was and its all new, good healthy stuff now. And now on july 7th i go back for more surgery, the doctor thinks he can kinda combine 2 surgeries into one. he is going to do a bone graft, taken from my hip, to take up about a half inch of the gap in my leg, then install a crazy frame of 4 rings starting right below my knee, ending with a ring on my foot. The purpose of this frame is to stretch the bone to take up the other inch gap that will be left in my leg. He says i can stretch the bone in 4 weeks(surprising its only that long.) i guess to stretch it, they have to break/cut the bone not too far below my knee to have a place for it to stretch. i have to crank on that frame everyday to stretch it i guess. My doctor seems extremely confident with this whole process being that he specializes in broken infected bones that wont heal. I also heard a pretty interesting thing about my kind of injury, something this serious goes through Akron Children's maybe once a year, it goes through cleveland metro about once a week. And thats with people traveling from all over the country to see my new doctor, so since they see it so often, its definitely a confidence booster. I thought that was kind of a crazy statistic though.
But other then that, ive been doing awesome, I graduated high school after missing about 120 days this year because of my leg (might be a new record haha) and i got to walk, well i guess hobble on crutches for the graduation ceremony. No one expected me to graduate, a lot of people actually told me to quit for this year and try again next year. But i proved all of them wrong and did it this year when everything was against me. So im gonna use that same attitude towards my leg and finish it up this time around and go on with my life.
Windtunnel, stay positive. We both got a ways to go but now with good doctors im sure we'll each make it through.
 
Theres no other way to describe your situation besides long responses!

And wind don't be afraid to remind the doctor your insurance pays him for services provided to you from him. Some Drs love their high horse and maybe should the cut down the 80 patients they see in 1 day.

Dr. Frank Meyers is a great ortho, did my stuff and crutes stuff...
 
Staying positive is the only way to beat these things. Sounds like it’s been a long road so far and you are still in good sprit...that’s great!
Keep us up-dated and good luck!
 
Wow Bornhorst, That's a bummer your going through so much but I hope they got it going in the right direction. I talked to Clinton at Smith Road Monday and he filled me in on your leg. I hope all goes well and great job on graduating. I hope to meet you at some track this year. Good luck on the healing. I am coming along great. I'm working steady. I wear my fox shin guards for protection since my break was right on the shin. Thanks for posting, we were wondering how things were going. Later dude.
 
im sure ill see ya sometime this year. im gonna try to be at a track every weekend. just look for a really tall kid on black crutches haha. but good to hear that youre doing good. how much longer till you think youll be back to normal?
 
Shoot, I'll never be normal but my leg is coming along good. Getting back to work and pushing it daily has been the best thing for it. I limp and it aches and swells but it won't keep me down. I am going to Sandusky Valley tomorrow and Mt. Morris next week. Did I ever mention I learned to play the bass guitar while I was laid up this past winter. See you around. Later man.
 
I saw my second opinion Dr. Tuesday. He Xrayed it and showed me it still hasn't healed all the way across, it's filled in about half way. He seemed confident that it would eventually heal all the way. I was a little disappointed but can walk and work so I guess I should be happy it is healing. I was out at Smith Road last night watching and plenty of people asked when I would start riding aging. I think I am going to give it more time before getting back in the saddle. I was putting around on my vintage bike and it was a lot of fun. By the way, Labor Day is Georges last race while owning the track. Come on out and celebarate a legacy and wish the new owner good luck. I hope Bornhorst is getting along good. Haven't heard a word for a while.
 
Im hanging in there. Definitely feeling better then a month ago after my last surgery. They broke both bones in a different place, put this craaaaazy halo contraption on with 25 pins going through my leg starting with a ring on my foot, ring right above my ankle, ring in mid leg and ring a couple inches below my knee. took bone graft from my hip, all the fun stuff. Since they took an inch and a half of bone out 2 surgeries ago, or whichever one it was, my bone has to be stretched to fill in that gap. So every night, i have to turn these brackets that hold the halos together to stretch/move the bone. Then as the section of bone moves towards my ankle, the gap by my ankle from where they took out bad bone gets smaller and new bone grows in the spot where they broke it again, filling in that gap. Simple enough, right? haha. Its moved a little over an inch now, and i have about 20 days of turning the brackets left. then when the bone meets on both ends, the turning stops and ill start healing it up, which should take about 2 months. then i get the ring off my foot and have the other 3 rings on for about 2-3 more months. then i should be done. knock on wood. Im still on IV antibiotics for the infection. Up until about 2 weeks ago i had to be hooked up to that damn IV machine for 9 hrs a day. 3 hrs, 3 times a day. Now im down to a half hour 3 times a day, but that ends after tomorrow and ill go to oral antibiotics. Which will help out a crazy amount! I get bloodwork done every monday morning, and for the past month my blood work has been all good, and the doctor thinks the infection is done. Still trying to be a normal 18 year old, going to the track a bunch, running rc cars with my buddies, and im starting college on monday. Just trying to keep busy. Ive found that keeping my mind off of my leg is a big help for my attitude with my situation, so thats what im trying to do. Good to hear your coming along nicely Windtunnel.
 
Dude, hang in there. Sounds like you are very positive. Life throws all kinds of obstacles at us but you just have to keep on keeping on. I hope college goes good for you and your leg heals up 100%. See you at a track some time. Glad you are getting off the main line antibiotics. Did you ever look into Colodial Silver, google it. Later.
 
Today it's been one year since I broke my leg. It feels pretty good. I can work and walk but can't run. Still not riding other than putting around. I hope it continues to heal and maybe in the Spring I will get back in the saddle. Thanks to those that have given me encouragement and drug me along to different events to keep my spirits up. I have a great family and friends that have been there for me and that has helped me overcome this little set back. Ride On.
 
September 19th was my 365th day on crutches. Still got the crazy halos on my leg, but everything is looking good. Blood work has been good for about 5 weeks now. Finally got off IV's yesterday and started on the oral antibiotics today. What a life saver, it was really getting old having to be hooked up to that machine for 4 hrs a day. Just got back more blood work today and the doctors said it is great. Scheduled to get the pic line out of my arm next week and should be good to go. Im done turning the brackets on the halos that extended my bone and now its locked down and healing. Doctor said the bone is growing awesome on the top where it extended. Have to get a CT scan in about 2 weeks to see how the lower part is healing because the rings block the view on the xrays. As long as the bottom part looks good, I should be having a little outpatient surgery to get the ring off my foot in a little over a month. Not a big deal at all compared to my previous surgeries. Then I should possibly be starting to put weight on it and walking not too long after. Just glad stuff is starting to look up (knock on wood.) ill try to figure out how to post a picture of the halos so you guys can see the craziness haha
 
IMAG0063.jpg

25 pins, the bigger ones thread into my bone, the small spoke looking pins go in one side and come out the other. good times with this thing. Oh and the muscle graft down by my ankle on the right side
 
Hang in there, do anything you can to retain muscle mass. I know (sounds stupid like what can you do...) I spent over 1.5 years on crutches then approx 8 months on cane (re broke twice after original break had to remove screws and plate / Nearly lost my leg) then aginst doctors better judgment straight into basic training. LOL!!! Had to sign waiver for my leg to get in.
Calf muscle was almost wasted away, even my buns were lopsided, NO JOKE. Took years to build back up muscle mass.
 
I broke my leg in August of last year, and had seven months of non weight bearing, so I can relate. Turns out I can crash a wheel chair too even though it doesnt have handle bars. None the less, here I am walking normally again, riding and such, but my calf on my injured leg is still 4.5 inches smaller in circumference than my other calf. I work out three times a week, run, cycle, and its still smaller. My dr said it will take up to four years for my calf to fully recover. It sucks, and I've acquired the nick name of chicken leg... Good luck in your healing and recovery.
 
Just thought I would add an up date. It's been two years in Oct. I broke my lower leg. It's come along way and works pretty good. I can jog some and do what ever I want. It still swells some, hurts when it's cold and rainy and the ankle get's stiff when it's stationary for awhile. Still haven't started riding yet. Hope to get a new bike in the Spring right after retirement. I still go to the local tracks and watch my son and friends ride. I love the sport and the people in it even if I'm not riding now. Relatives ask me if I will ride again and I say yes. They think we are crazy but I say, "If you don't do it, you'll never understand." I have replaced the joy of riding with music. I started playing guitar when I was stuck at home and now can play pretty good. We have a jam session every Sat. night. I was wondering how Bornhorst was doing. I also read about the young guy that broke both legs, man you are doing good after such a terrible accident. Glad to see you positive and walking again. Remember, call and check on your injured friends, it may be just what they need. Later Pitracer friends.
 
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