Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Do you want to be taller?

Then prepare your $11,000 or 495,000 Philippine Peso. This doctor will cut/saw both the tibia and the fibula bones below the knee (as seen in the picture above). He will put braces on them and you will not be able to stand up for about 4 months while it heals up. After those months of rehabilitation, you will be able to stand up and do some small (snail) steps. Add one more year to that and then you can walk normally. Running and jumping on the other hand will take a bit more longer(depending on how healthy the patient is). All of that trouble for about an additional 2 to 4 inches to your height.

This seams scary, financially illogical and a crazy thing to do for the average person. To endure the pain for many many months of discomfort. But if you are born short and specially those who are rich. This is a very tempting thing to do.

There is a psychological side of this. People who are short, always feel very inferior to others. They could not pursue a romantic endeavor to those that are taller than they are. Others could not find the confidence in their daily life because they are short. And while as a child, those short people have to endure the pain of being ridicule and teased at by other children. Some of the doctors patient even told him that he was already thinking about suicide.

If you are going to ask me about this. I would say that I have to consider many things. For one, I have to explain(or lie) to my employer about this. That I cannot go to our office for a year. While my employer have been very considerate of me a few years ago, allowing be to work at home. I just do not want to push my luck with them.

While working a wheel chair on my comics for many months seams a good idea for a while. But then again, I am not being paid (or getting any money) that much from creating comics. My day job is still the bread and butter of my family.

The Fear Factor

I just do not like the idea of a guy (doctor or not) cutting my legs off. Even though that he performed the procedure thousands of times. There is the possibility that something might go wrong. And that is the risk that I do not want to take for my families sake. If something happens to me, it will have a great impact to my wife and kids.

Desire

Ever since I was in elementary, I wanted to be tall. Just like any other young boy in my age , I wanted to be a basket ball start or a WWE wrestler. But with my height, that seams to be impossible. I stand at only 5'3", and would you believe me if I say that I am the tallest among my brother and sisters (which are all older than me)? I am even taller than my parents.

15 to 20 years ago(while I was still single and in college) , if I have won the lottery and this Chinese doctor came to me. I would immediately gone with the procedure. But right now, I have to say no. The few inches is not worth the money and the many months of discomfort, plus the risk to me and my family.

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for more info:
Chinese doctor pioneers height surgery in Shanghai




4 comments:

Hazel Manzano said...

meron isang case sa china na tuluyan na napilayan at nabulok yung legs niya because of this operation. Not recommended to undergo.

Gio Paredes said...

Talaga Hazel? Nakakatakot naman. Kontento na ako sa height ko kung ganun.

monsanto said...

So not worth it Gio :) Be happy sa kung ano naibigay sa atin ni Lord. To tell you the truth? If you are well-respected? People usually thinks of us as tall person. Not because we are in height, but because of where we stand :) Di ba pag nananalo sa olympics tatayo muna sa isang tungtungan bago lalagyan ng medal? Sa panahon ng tagumpay kung gold medalist ka, tatangkad ka pa kesa 6 footer mo na katunggali. Lalim ba? sorry ha? hahaha!

Gio Paredes said...

Oo nga po Sarge. Tama po kayo.

Genetic engineering na lang kaya? Sabay ganun oh. :D