Hi folks,

I noticed many of you had questions, stories, etc. about femurs not healing fast enough. My tramua surgeon said my non-union has been the most resistant he's ever seen.

What happened:

Head-on collision with a transport truck, at highway speeds. Multiple injuries, but the worst was a open distal femur fracture (in many pieces) with a corresponding 90% quads tear, and 3 out of 4 ligaments stretched:

Surgeries on the femur alone:

1) Emergency irrigation and external fixation
2) IM rod with screws top and bottom (proximal and distal)
3) Dinamisation due to non/union (n/u)
4) Removal of IM rod, installation of medial plate, bone graft material from left hip, due to n/u
5) Installation of second plate, removal of loose screws, bone graft material from right hip, due to n/u
6) Installation of third plate, a total of 30 screws, bone graft from cadavour, due to n/u

What have I had to learn? Patience. And it hasn't been easy.

It has taken 29 months to learn just last week that I am finally healing!! I can progress wbing from 50% to WBAT for the first time in 29 months.

Hopefully in one year from now I will be a candidate for ligamentous reconstruction surgery.

Hopefully in two years from now I will be a candidate for leg lengthening surgery (that process will take one year - my L femur is now 2.5 inches (yes inches) shorter than the R due to bone loss/multiple surgeries.

For all those out there who feel it's hopeless when you are not healing, or when you are non-union, rest assured that for some, it may take a long while, to say the least.

Of course, I'm open to any questions/comments.

Cheers,

JD