freddiefraggles | An update

Following this week's clinic visit I've got an important decision to make soon. Essentially, Mr Calder says (as long as the CT scan I'll be having shows that the fusion has done its work) it is possible to remove the lower half of the frame, leaving the upper half to support the regenerate as it continues to grow. The regenerate is likely to take at least another three months to form the cortices but the soonest I could have the op to remove the lower half of the frame is probably July. I'm having to decide whether the benefits of partial frame removal outweigh keeping it on in its entirety.

Partial Frame Removal

Pros	Cons
Much less weight to carry	Extra 3-4 night stay in hospital
Increased mobility	Extra anaesthetic
Increased weight-bearing, leading to improved regenerate formation	Another large pin must be inserted
Reduced infection risks due to fewer pins	Short time between extra operation and inevitable operation
	Possible complications if accidental bone fracture occurs

The CT scan is on June 7, and will hopefully confirm that Mr Calder is an awesome surgeon who has Got It Right. Then I'll be back in clinic to see the results and make the decision. I'll try to get a photo from the CT scan to show you, as it should be quite conclusive.

In other news, it was my birthday yesterday. As I said on Twitter, I hope it was "my first, and hopefully last, birthday with two stone of metal attached to my leg."