About my scar...

I'm still waiting for my surgery pics. I just can't wait to see the gooey red tumour that was the instigator of my current imposition. Meanwhile, I focus my attention on the care and maintenance of my scar. I'm taking lo-res pictures every few days with my Treo's camera to chart the scar's healing. Weird hobby, isn't it? Even weirder that I'm gonna post it here for you to see and admire...or wince at. I have shown the scar to my daughter a couple of times and the last time she said, "You just show it to me so that you can see my face get all puckery, don't you?" Puckery is the word she uses to describe sour things. Anyway, I bet you've got a some weird hobbies, too. You just keep it to yourself. If only I were so discreet.

So here is a picture of my knee at 18 days post-op. My onc doc thinks it's healing perfectly. I suppose I agree. No secondary complications, but I'm certain that's because I was was extra careful with it the first two weeks. I made sure that it was always clean. I changed the dressing on it regularly (with clean hands) and, after about 4 days post-op, I gently washed it with a hospital-supplied anti-bacterial soap. So I was certain that it had every opportunity to heal without complications. You'll note that there are some bruisy dimples around the scar. That's where the sutures were applied. My sutures are self-absorbing, supposedly. I suspect that as I actually absorb them, the dimples will disappear and the skin'll flatten out. We'll see.

OK, so are you ready for the next picture?

This one is 24 days after surgery. That's today. I'm not seeing much difference between a week ago and today's picture...other than the two little marks in the upper left corner of my knee. Those two marks are from the bandages that were applied over the incision by the hospital. When I first changed the dressing (what am I...a turkey?), the surgical tape took some of my skin with it. ADVICE: If you're reading this pre-op, moisten your bandages a little before removing them.

I also see there is less bruising around the knee.

The scar is starting to itch a little these days and I'm starting to get these little shocks of electricity. The knee gets a tiny internal zap. Doesn't hurt. It's just weird. Hubby thinks that my knee nerves are waking up. (What do knee nerves dream when they are asleep?) Oddly, my knee is a little numb on the right side. I remember that this happened with other surgeries I've had. It's kind of like Novacaine numbness...only it takes months to wear off.

Well, that's enough of this drivel for now. Surely you have more important things to do than read about some silly lady's scar. Off you go now.