woah -- more questions...

[superrmaren]

hi everybody.

first of all, thanks so much for inviting me in. i appreciate all the support, advice, etc i've received and read on the forum!

more questions :: being the curious person i am, i haven't stopped googling ANs. on one site i saw something about skin from your leg used for your head during surgery?? this weirds me out even more!!! anybody know anything about this?

also, my first appointment with dr. minor is scheduled for june 30th at johns hopkins. anybody know anything about him? i found a list of questions one should ask their doctor, so i'll be sure to bring that along. any extra advice?

how long after consultations have your surgeries been scheduled?

more n more satisfied with information.
more n more questions raised!
a vicious cycle, huh?

thanks!
maren

[tony]

Yes they took bits off me to assist with rebuilding work (Face-OP)
Basically the body may reject foreign tissue - but usually does not reject
tissue from elsewhere from the same body.
In my case they took some of the cover that goes around the muscle on the leg
and used it as a" structural frame" to restructure the face.
Shame really - I always used to insist on BMW or Mercedes original parts...

In the case of an AN op - they might be using any "spares"during the closing
up/finishing part of the OP - keeps things neat etc

Best Regards
Tony

[Battyp]

Maren I was scheduled within three weeks.  It really all depends on your symtpoms and the doctors schedule and your schedule.  The best advice is make sure you are comfortable with your choice of surgeon and his/her skill.   Best of Luck!

[Jeanlea]

Maren,

I've heard also of having fat from your abdomen put into your head for "packing" to take the place of what was there.  My doctors used bone cement over titanium mesh.  Ask your doctors what they do.  I had my surgery scheduled for 1 month after my visit with my doctors.  They didn't want to wait too long.

Jean

[cookiesecond]

Maren,
I had the abdominal plug. I have a small incision on my tummy and the doc says both have healed great. I'm 10 months post op.Ask lots of questions and you will have a greater peace of mind.
Take care,
Lynn

[Obita]

Maren:

If you are skinny, beef up.  I have four fat graft harvest sites three inches each on my belly where they took fat to plug the hole in my head.  Don't worry about it.  It is no big deal.  I am a runt so they had to use multiple sites. 

I had 7 weeks before surgery.  Kathy

[matti]

I also had fat taken from my tummy area to be used as caulking for the hole in my head.  my incision is about 4 inches long and was not painful at all.  While in the hospital, I didn't even know it was there until the nurse asked to take a look at it.  My cousin is very thin and they were not able to take it from her tummy, so they took it from the hip.

I had one week from diagnosis to surgery...no time for research >:(      no time for worry 

Take care
Cheryl

[jacobs]

   I had fat taken from my stomach as well.I had asked for a little off each hip but the surgeons didn't comply...
   I also lost about 10lbs in the first 10 days.
   My surgeon's secretary gave me a list of recent patients and I talked to a couple of them before surgery and it really helped my peace of mind.Do you have someone going to the doctor's with you?They may remember things you don't.I know I felt like I was about 4yrs old because both my mom and dad came with me but I was glad in the end because they had remembered the little details of the conversation.

   I had 2 months from diagnosis til surgery.
   This site being an exception I found the information on the net to be overwhelming and scary.I think it's good to prepare yourself as much as possible but so much of the info out there is out of context and doesn't necessarily apply to your situation.
  Take care and try not to freak yourself out with all of the info running through your head.Deep breaths... Jacobs
   

[Patti]

I had 3 weeks between diagnosis.  It had to be done soon as it was big and pressing on the brainstem (4 cm).  Am I the only person who didn't have their hole patched up?  I have an indentation in the skull behind my ear.  Maybe because they had to go in again because of brain swelling and remove some of my cerebellum.  Maybe they didn't patch it up in case they had to go in again.  Patti

[Obita]

Patti:

I have a big dent in my head.  They put all the belly fat in there and it disappeared about 6 months post-op.  Just woke up one day and it was gone.  I could go in for a refill but no thank you.  I think I will leave well enough alone.  Makes for a good conversation piece...........

Kathy