Super Duper surgery record - I'm home 48 hours after completion of translab

[Brendalu]

Wow!  That was fast and you look great.  How many days afterwards were the pictures taken?  I was in for six days and still came home with my head bandaged!  I had an American flag dewrag to wear, but I didn't look nearly as cute as you do!  Get plenty of rest and after these last surgeries I need a new pair of pirate sox, y'all have worn them out!!  Happy thoughts heading your way.
Brenda

[Cheryl R]

Julie.    You look super for so soon after surgery.                I was very glad to hear it was not a facial neuroma.                   Was your ear drum removed?    I am just curious since  you have the fat in the ear and had the cochlea involved.               Mine was removed when I had the translab and then the CSF leak and muscle was put over the "hole"       Makes for a strange feel.
Keep taking it easy!                              Cheryl R

[Debbi]

Julie-

WOW!!  Home in 2 days - you definitely should win somethign for that!  And, you seem to be feeling really good (considering brain surgery several days ago).  I'm in awe.  LOVE the pictures! 

BTW, your face looks great! 

Interesting to see your staples - and the belly fat in your ear!  (I'm with Jan - wondered what that was, didn't want to be rude...)  I had stitches and no fat in my ear (all in my head).  Your belly "slit" is higher than mine, but about the same size.  For guys that do such a good job on head incisions, they could use some re-training in the fine art of belly incisions!!    Mine's a couple inches lower than yours, but definitley NOT below the panty line.  Don't know if this will happen with yours, but my entire belly turned black, blue, yellow and green for about 3 weeks after the surgery.  I should have taken a picture, but it was just too disgusting!

Anyway, Julie, take it easy and don't overdo this weekend.  Post back and let us all know how you're doing.

Happy Fourth!

Debbi

[leapyrtwins]

Debbi -

your belly scar sounds like it's placed similar to mine; a couple of inches lower than Julie's.

Although I have pictures of my head incision, it didn't even dawn on me to take pictures of my belly.  Don't know why 

Mine got a little black & blue before it healed, but it wasn't bad at all.  I especially liked the way the stitches and the liquid bandage dissolved.  I also liked the way it didn't bother me at all. 

Jan

[Debbi]

Yeah, why didn't any of the rest of us think to take a belly shot??

Jan, yes, our belly boogers sounds like they were in the same place.  Mine was on the opposite side as my AN surgery, which meant that no matter what side I tried to lay on was uncomfortable.  Too bad you missed out on all the festive colors, though!  My stomach was actually bruised on both sides - quite amazing.

Julie, I think your belly incision will the envy of all.  Sporty staples, too! 

Debbi

[JulieW4]

I feel very blessed that everything has gone so well so far.  I am very tired and taking lots of naps, but that is to be expected. 

Yes, they did take out my cochlea.  My doc said I had a cochlea shwannoma which is the only 2nd one he has seen. And I am very glad that is was not a facial schwannoma.

I'm glad that the tummy scar is on the same side as my AN scar, and I can even lay on my AN side during the night.  So far I'm not black and blue around the belly incision.

The reason I took the picture of the belly incision is because I was more upset about the size of that cut then the cut on my head, and I hoped it would prepare a future AN surgery patient to know what is expected or to ask questions that could reduce the size of the cut.
I don't care about the cut on my head because eventually my hair will cover it up and I want the surgeons to make as much room as possible to get to the tumor, but the belly cut I think was a little excessive. 

I am very pleased with how my face looks, and everyday it gets better.

My best friend set up a care calendar so people are bringing over food, which as been great.  You can find out more about it at www.carecalendar.org.  I thought future surgery patients families might also benefit from it. 

Thanks again for your care and concern.  It really helps.

Julie

[leapyrtwins]

Julie -

the care calendar is a great thing.  Thanks for posting it.  It will be wonderful for newbies who opt for surgery; very helpful.

I wonder how docs decide which side to do the fat graft on 

I know my doc said he always does it on the left side so it won't be confused with an appendectomy scar.

Having the fat graft didn't really bother me, although I first found out about it about 30 minutes before my surgery when I was asked to sign a consent for it.  My amazingly thorough doctor forget to tell me about it.  He couldn't believe he forgot to tell me.  I myself was a little amused at this forgetfulness since it seemed very out of character for him and also because it just proved to me that he is  human 

Like the scar on your head, your belly scar will eventually fade and won't be very noticeable in the end.

Take care and get some rest.  Surgery takes a lot out of you - no pun intended 

Jan

[Soundy]

48 hours and you came home ... I couldn't even stand until third day ...you need my Super Woman shirt

Your belly looks good ... I had a hemorage and a big (huge) knot an my stomach that took over
a month to disolve enough for me to wear my jeans  ... still have a golf ball size lump...

I had internal stiiches holding tissue to head ,  but my scalp was super glued   

[Soundy]

my incsion looks like it  is farther back from ear than yours ...his was taken a year ago today... the day
I cam home from the hospital...was not brave enough to take belly pictures

[leapyrtwins]

Okay guys, as long as we're posting pictures of our incisions, here's my head approximately 1 week post op (retrosigmoid).  My head is pretty goopy from the bacitracin and I'm about 2 or 3 days away from being able to shampoo 

Although the incision looks puffy in the picture, I have to say that by 1 year post op the scar was almost invisible.  It's very flat and very faint (good work, Drs. Kazan & Battista) 

Sorry no belly pictures for me either - never even thought to take one of those 

I also have pictures of my BAHA site a few days post op; maybe I'll post them at another time.

Jan

[JulieW4]

I love all the pics.  I see the doc on Tuesday, July 8th.  I hope I can get the staples removed and I will post more pics.  Yes, my incision was very close to the ear and I do not think they cut much hair.  I think in time I'm sure I won't be able to see it.  I have washed my hair on Saturday which made me feel so much better.  Most people who see my belly cut think it is excessive for such a small amount of fat.  I hope I will start a new trend of people posting their belly incisions also, I love the thought of being a trendsetter among the ANers.

Julie

[leapyrtwins]

Julie -

Happy Staple-Removing Day! 

IMO your belly fat scar isn't that big and there's probably a reason behind the size of it.  I'd ask the doctor.

Jan

[Debbi]

yes, Julie - happy staple-removing day!

I deduced that the interns must have been in charge of my belly incisions - no way it was the same doctor who closed my head!  My head stitches were so neat and tidy and it looked like a chimpanzee had done my belly.  I'll post a picture later of what it looks like today.

Julie, you ARE a trend setter!!  And, I love the whole diaglog about the belly incisions.  All this time, I thought it was just me being overly sensitive about the size of the cut - but you are right, why do they need such a big cut for such a small amount of fat???

Hey, Jan - wow!  that's some incision!  I've never seen a retro-sigmoid incision I guess.  I really is quite impressive. 

Debbi

[Omaschwannoma]

OMG! Is all I can say for the pics of your battle wounds!  Do you remember the commercial of the little baby boy buying stock on-line then barfs?  Well that's me when I opened this post this a.m.!  Thanks for that guys 

[Debbi]

Okay, here's my belly wound 10 weeks post op - Christie Brinkley's got nothing to worry about!



Debbi, bikini days are over...