ANA Discussion Forum
Treatment Options => Microsurgical Options => Topic started by: anissa on March 18, 2009, 03:59:33 pm
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I'm wondering if you guys can point me to pictures of your translab stitches/staples/wound? I hope this isn't a weird request, just my version of preparing myself. ;)
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Hi Anissa,
If yu go on Utube you can see the whole procedure live. I have to say, as scared as I am about the surgery, these surgeons have magical hands.
Vivian
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Hi Anissa,
I had retrosigmoid, but if you're interested in my incision, you can see it over on my blog at http://adventureswithmanny.blogspot.com/2009/02/back-of-my-head.html
It seems like each surgeon does the incision a little bit differently, so it might be good to ask your surgeon exactly how s/he plans to do it.
Kim
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Anissa,
I'll have to see if I can find my pictures to send you. I think they were taken with my cell phone, so that's probably where they still are. I had translab and my incision looked like an upside down question mark behind and over my ear. You can't even see the scar now.
I will suggest that you hold off on watching the You Tube thing until AFTER your surgery. Sometimes ignorance is bliss and I think some people might be more upset watching it before they have it done. I am a nurse and have watched many surgeries, and I know I didn't want to watch this one before hand. Just a suggestion.
I asked my surgeon before hand where he'd be cutting and how much hair he'd be removing. That came in handy - I was able to try to explain this to the lady who cuts my hair so we could do a little damage control.
Lori
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Yeah, I think I'll have to hold off on watching the video, heh. I'm more interested in what I'm going to find on my head when I wake up!
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Kim, that is a nice looking incision! It goes down farther than I imagined though. That actually made me feel a little less scared, thanks!
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You know, somewhere on this forum is a thread with pictures of our scars - but I've searched and can't find it ::)
Here's my retrosigmoid scar though - about 6 days post op. It flattened out and faded very quickly.
(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc207/leapyrtwins/ANscar.jpg)
Jan
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It's out there somewhere, but here it is again :)
(http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp31/flessanguam/AcousticNeuromaSurgery004.jpg)
Ernie
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Anissa,
I had a translab with dissolvable stitches, but no pictures! I think we translabbers are pretty fortunate with regard to incision size. Mine followed the outline of my ear -- didn't even go up too terribly high above it -- and was really quite unobstrusive from day one. The scar is totally invisible now, a little over a year later. Hair loss wasn't bad either. I had my BAHA implant done at the same time and lost more hair (and even that wasn't bad) to that procedure than to the translab. One of the very first folks I visited upon my return home was my hairdresser -- I wanted her to see the implant and everything else so she would be prepared!
I admire anyone who can watch a video of this (or any) surgery -- either before or after they've had it themselves. I just don't believe I could handle it. Now that I think about it, I got a little queasy watching the childbirth movies during my Lamaze classes ....
You'll be fine, and I think most people would agree that once you get to the point after surgery that you're worried about how your hair looks ... you're definitely on the road to recovery!
Catherine (Jersey Girl 2)
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Annisa they all look pretty grim, in most cases they are surprisingly pain free, as no muscle or moving bits was cut. Within a month or two the cut is just a fine line can hardly see mine now. We should have a tread just for scar photos, maybe this thread will become one. This photo was a week after translab surgery, I don't know why some use staples as in Ernies case, my tummy cut was held together with those dissolving stitches. Maybe those in know may enlighten us.
Rick
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa137/captchunder/085.jpg)
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WOW! My translab scar looked NOTHING like Rick's!! Of course I have no pictures - that was a LONG time ago (I don't know if they even had film back then! JK). My doc specifically told me NOT to cut my hair. They used theis SUPER-DUPER gel stuff to hold my hair back and then the incision/scar is maybe 1/2-1 inch (at most) from my ear and just follows my ear line.
K ;D
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I'm with Kay on this -- my translab was much, much closer to my ear, and the incision would not have been visible in a straight-on-the-ear focused picture like Rick's.
Catherine (JerseyGirl2)
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Hi,
Yikes! Your pix are impressive! Ouch!
My incision/scar (retrosigmoid) was not as dramatic as these, though also long and curved.
I have alot of hair, so they flipped as much over my head as possible & shaved only the area necessary. Days later, when finally (!) able to have my hair washed (which was scary, believe it or not!) & back to normal, the surgery area was not even visible to others.
Don't let the pix scare you...! It's not as bad as it looks, we promise!
Kathy
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My translab incision was neatly behind my ear. Must be a guy thing that it is farther away away from their ears. You may notice that your ear sticks out a little more on the affected side, but not noticeable.
Hang in there- this will all be over soon :)
Maureen
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Here's my retrosig incision.
(http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo9/birdsong71/Patsurgeryincision081308.jpg?t=1237475181)
Patrick
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My translab scar was not quite all the way behind my ear, but pretty close. I had staples instead of stitches. I guess it just depends on the doctor which one you get. I do have an issue with the dissolvable stitches though - they don't dissolve and I wind up having to pull them out myself as my scar heals and starts to push them out.
And since I don't like Kay to be the only totally odd one around here all the time, my AN ear doesn't stick out more, it's actually closer to my head. Makes it a bit of a challenge to get my sunglasses on with one hand.
Very impressive scars everyone!
Lori
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I was going to write that - it took me a year to figure out that they sewed my ear back on a little higher than the other (I know...blonde - a whole year)!! My eyeglasses always seemed to fit fine - it was just the sunnies that I bought at the store that wouldn't fit right. Hmmm...that would be because the prescription ones were "fiited" to me!! ;D
K
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Hey, Anisa! My translab looked similar to Ernie's and Rick's (somewhere in the middle of the two). MORE importantly, however, know that they heal up VERY quickly and they don't look like the pics for very long at all. In fact, my husband said I was not going to get near enough sympathy since it healed up so quickly. Fortunately, I did take some pics to whip out to show to anyone that I needed to get sympathy from.
Cindy
P.S. The head scar actually looks better than the belly scar :D
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Thanks you guys!! Impressive, for sure! I'll remember to really lay it on thick about the scar and take lots of pictures, ha ha. I've had 3 c-sections so I know about scarring in the muscle (and fat), I didn't consider that my head would heal differently but that makes sense. I'm not too worried about the hair-do, I'm a country girl and love to wear hats and scarves and summer time is perfect for that. The more pictures I see the less shocked I am. Keep 'em coming!
Rick, your picture was the first postie picture I saw, I registered here shortly after after you posted them. I'm ok now though ;) Just kidding. The incisions are a lot bigger than I imagined they would be but hey, whatever gets the job done, thats the important part.