"It looks like a plastic surgeon did it!"

This time last year we were in Kentucky for my first follow up appointment with the surgeon.  This is when I had to give up my sling... despite being told I would grow sick of it, I had not done so.  It was explained to me that using the sling from that point onwards could cause further problems.  I understand that, but I do wonder if, based on the way my recovery progressed, having the extra support for an extra week or two may have made any difference...


I am just writing a short post tonight, as I can hardly seem to stay awake this week, but I did want to share these photo comparisons of my scar.


I remember being at my very first appointment and Dr K saying he closed all his surgeries with staples. I had a fleeting thought" "oh no, that means a worse scar; I don't actually care... if I do end up with an impressive wound I will consider it my battle wound since it feels like it's been a battle simply to get here..." - all in a split second. Ultimately, I really didn't care because I just wanted - NEEDED! -  the surgery.


However my scar looks incredible.  Many physios and physio assistants... and actually anyone else I have felt it not entirely inappropriate to start stripping off while asking if they want to see my scar (!)... has been really impressed by how good it looks now; I even had some physio students say: "It looks like a plastic surgeon did it!"


I am having a pretty painful, tired week (yes, I managed to sleep 21 out of 24 hours yesterday. I am just disappointed I have not managed to repeat that today!) so looking at these and seeing the effective healing on the outside will hopefully help me get through the bad days and believe that I WILL achieve that effective healing on the inside as well.

                                          March 2012                end of March 2012              April 2013

Even the change in skin colour is remarkable - I didn't really bruise properly (purples and blues and blacks) my scapula area just tinged a bit yellow - but looking at these comparisons, I guess it was more discoloured than I really thought at the time.

OK body, work your healing magic and transfer all this to the inside now.... pretty please....

Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.”

  ~  Tori Amos