Why oh why did I watch that.
I watched a video the other day which shows the main parts of a heart transplant. It was amazing to watch, and really shows how far medical science has come and how advanced it is. That they can take a vital organ, like a heart, and replace it with another and it works perfectly fine. Bloody awesome.
So having watched that I decided to watch a video which I have been wanting to watch since researching about amputations. It is a video which shows a below knee amputation being performed. I wanted to watch it out of curiosity and so that I can see what will be happening to me and my legs. I have watched a different video of the procedure, its an animation which was very helpful but it isn't the same as watching it actually happening as it looked, obviously, fake and unnatural. So feeling pretty confident that I wasn't going to throw up over the laptop I clicked play. What a fool...
It was easy going at first, the surgeon explained why the surgery was being performed, then he marked up the incision lines on the leg. So far so good.
The next part was a bit more graphic. It showed how they cut through the flesh, muscles and tendons down to the Fibula bone. At this point I was feeling like maybe I should stop. Ignoring that I carried on watching. What a damn fool...
I was now watching the surgeon saw through the Fibula, tough watching but I was still going strong(ish). It was once he had sawn through the Fibula that I decided to throw in the towel. The reason being that once the Fibula had been disconnected the upper leg was lifted and the lower leg (still half attached) dropped in an unnatural matter, and seeing how it was being handled (not that it was in anyway different to what I expected) made me gag a little. For some reason I just couldn't handle it, maybe because unlike the heart transplant I am having a below knee amputation, or maybe it was a bit more graphic then I had previously thought. I don't know, either way I couldn't finish it. I will link all the videos (for the heart transplant and the amputations) below, watch them if you dare! Obviously they are not for the faint hearted but if you can stomach it they are very interesting and amazing to watch.
Maybe I will finish watching the amputation another time but for now I think I have seen enough. Luckily it hasn't put me off having the operation, just I am a little bit more informed about what will be happening and in some ways it has helped to make the whole process feel real.
Anyway enough of that, my Fibulas are starting to twinge. I have an appointment this week to go and see the physio team at the rehabilitation gym at Roehampton. I saw them last year but I think now knowing that I am having the operation and that I know that I am have both legs off at the same time I can get more definitive answers and help, also I will then know exactly what my rehabilitation process will be like. After I have that I will be waiting for my pre-op, hopefully it won't be too far off.
At least for now I will have things to keep me busy. I am planning a farewell party for my lower legs, and also organising a feet based photo shoot with my wife and daughter to get some professional photos before I loose my legs.
I have also joked about getting some casts of my feet for my Mum, so might have to do that before they come off.
Videos:
Heart Transplant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGtLYtOwtxA
Below Knee Amputation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0eR7r4JEkA
Below Knee Amputation Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFb2fXPZi8AA
So having watched that I decided to watch a video which I have been wanting to watch since researching about amputations. It is a video which shows a below knee amputation being performed. I wanted to watch it out of curiosity and so that I can see what will be happening to me and my legs. I have watched a different video of the procedure, its an animation which was very helpful but it isn't the same as watching it actually happening as it looked, obviously, fake and unnatural. So feeling pretty confident that I wasn't going to throw up over the laptop I clicked play. What a fool...
It was easy going at first, the surgeon explained why the surgery was being performed, then he marked up the incision lines on the leg. So far so good.
The next part was a bit more graphic. It showed how they cut through the flesh, muscles and tendons down to the Fibula bone. At this point I was feeling like maybe I should stop. Ignoring that I carried on watching. What a damn fool...
I was now watching the surgeon saw through the Fibula, tough watching but I was still going strong(ish). It was once he had sawn through the Fibula that I decided to throw in the towel. The reason being that once the Fibula had been disconnected the upper leg was lifted and the lower leg (still half attached) dropped in an unnatural matter, and seeing how it was being handled (not that it was in anyway different to what I expected) made me gag a little. For some reason I just couldn't handle it, maybe because unlike the heart transplant I am having a below knee amputation, or maybe it was a bit more graphic then I had previously thought. I don't know, either way I couldn't finish it. I will link all the videos (for the heart transplant and the amputations) below, watch them if you dare! Obviously they are not for the faint hearted but if you can stomach it they are very interesting and amazing to watch.
Maybe I will finish watching the amputation another time but for now I think I have seen enough. Luckily it hasn't put me off having the operation, just I am a little bit more informed about what will be happening and in some ways it has helped to make the whole process feel real.
Anyway enough of that, my Fibulas are starting to twinge. I have an appointment this week to go and see the physio team at the rehabilitation gym at Roehampton. I saw them last year but I think now knowing that I am having the operation and that I know that I am have both legs off at the same time I can get more definitive answers and help, also I will then know exactly what my rehabilitation process will be like. After I have that I will be waiting for my pre-op, hopefully it won't be too far off.
At least for now I will have things to keep me busy. I am planning a farewell party for my lower legs, and also organising a feet based photo shoot with my wife and daughter to get some professional photos before I loose my legs.
I have also joked about getting some casts of my feet for my Mum, so might have to do that before they come off.
Videos:
Heart Transplant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGtLYtOwtxA
Below Knee Amputation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0eR7r4JEkA
Below Knee Amputation Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFb2fXPZi8AA
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