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Allisoninoz

Allisoninoz

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2010
Messages
235
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Hi all, booked in for my BAV on Feb 22. Hasn't been much happening on the shirts forum of late and I wonder if there's any other ways of checking out people's scars? I don't find all that much when I google... understand if people don't want to show but just curious.
I have two BIG scars on my side/back from childhood surgery and wonder how different this one will be ...
if anybody wants to PM their war wounds, I'm more than happy to view :D
 
while they had the 'hood up' they did a little (mitral)valve work too. This pic is 3 wks post op. all healed up (if thats what you call it) and swelling has gone down completely
 
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When you want to post a pic and you are in "reply to thread" go to the "go advanced" tab then type your reply BUT before you post go to "additional options" choose "manage attacements" browse the library you want and select the pic press "upload file"let it load then post
 
Allisoninoz said:
Hi all, booked in for my BAV on Feb 22. Hasn't been much happening on the shirts forum of late and I wonder if there's any other ways of checking out people's scars? I don't find all that much when I google... understand if people don't want to show but just curious.
I have two BIG scars on my side/back from childhood surgery and wonder how different this one will be ...
if anybody wants to PM their war wounds, I'm more than happy to view :D
Click to expand...

have you looked at the forum "Toots" or "The order of the tawdry shirt"

To do that it used to be you had to change your peission level in your settings options
 
Greg a said:
have you looked at the forum "Toots" or "The order of the tawdry shirt"

To do that it used to be you had to change your peission level in your settings options
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure all permission groups can see the TOOTS forum, the only "rule" is you have to be a member and signed in. Guests can't see them. It was set up that way to make members feel a little more comfortable posting their pictures

From the description

Forum: The Order Of The Tawdry Shirt (TOOTS)
A forum viewable to members only (No Bots nor Guests. Log in as a guest and you won't see this!) for fun and laughs. Put on your tawdry shirt and show us that scar!
 
scar pic

scar pic

174.jpg Here is a picture 2 weeks after surgery.
 
here is my scar 9 months out. its not as light as i would have hoped of course. i have been using mederma so i don't know what the deal is. you can see my earlier scar pictures in the tawdry shirt forum.
IMG_7050.jpg
IMG_7052.jpg
 
malibu82 said:
here is my scar 9 months out. its not as light as i would have hoped of course. i have been using mederma so i don't know what the deal is. you can see my earlier scar pictures in the tawdry shirt forum.
IMG_7050.jpg
IMG_7052.jpg
Click to expand...

Your's is looking pretty good too I'd say. I could easily be covered up with concealor if you felt the need - but just wear it as a badge of honor! Not wanting to hijack this thread, but do you mind divulging if you had a median or full sternotomy?
 
unfortunately i had a full one! i had an aneurysm in the ascending arch so in order for them to get to that they had to make it a full incision and it starts right under my collar bone and ends after my.... god i hate the word breasts but i am trying to be nice...so it ends after those!
 
What you are having done and your anatomy will be a factor.

I'm 7 days post op. I had a mini-sternotomy because I only needed aortic valve replacement--no aneurysm repair or bypass. I measured it last night- 2 3/4 inches! It starts about 2 1/2 inches below my collar bone/neck, so it easily can be hidden by a crew neck t-shirt. They tell me it will get a little smaller as it heals. I'll post pics in TOOTS soon, but you can see a pic of most of scar at 3 days post op on my caringbridge website: www.caringbridge.org/visit/tracylynnphillips. Here's a link directly to it that might work.

http://www.caringbridge.org/tres/images/photos/2/3/6/6/236610/l.ffoAeBxUJPjHGWGJ.jpg

I was fortunate to get a surgeon who listened to me and was up for the challenge. He never agreed to make the incision smaller as he always mentioned a 3-4 in scar for the mini-sternotomy and that it could be bigger if he needed more working room once he got in there. Imagine my delight when the bandages were removed the first time. The nurses in the hospital commented on it's size every time they saw it, too, so I know he really did the smallest incision he could. One nighttime nurse tech didn't realize I was a heart patient because I did not have top of the scar peeping out the neckline of my gown.

The surgeon and I had a conversation prior to surgery about scar length and placement. I gave him pictures from TOOTS and from other websites to show examples of what's being done today and discuss what his technique is like. I think the pictures really helped. I was very careful to never say "I want this." I always said "you are the expert and I defer to you, but if you can, I would like this type of scar vs that type of scar. . . ." I used stilldreamin 's pic (Jen) from TOOTS as my ideal outcome. I think my scar might be a little smaller than hers. I explained to the surgeon about my job in sales and why I would like as mimimal a scar as possible. I also showed a couple of really large scars pictures, and we discussed them.

I think I appealed to this surgeon's competitive nature (i.e., I challenge you to create a new normal for mini-sternotomy) and it was a win-win. I will be recommending him to everyone I know needing AVR.

Good luck!
 
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Larry, did you explain on the other post who shaved your chest for the 12-month picture?? Inquiring minds want to know -- at least ONE inquiring mind!

Malibu, I've already apologized on another thread for staring at your scar!:redface2::wink2::thumbup: Seems to me that the freckles almost "drown out" the scar.
 
Yes, Norm, for the one year scar, I did shave my chest so it would be clear what the scar looked like. A year ago, I wondered how long it would be before I didn't look in the mirror and see a scar with a person behind it. Now at 16 months I only see the scar if I do so consciously. Part of that is probably just familiarity but part of it is the scar has faded and no longer attracts interest.

Larry
 
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