Bio-Oil and Swearing

ABC News published a really interesting article today. Apparently scientific research finds that swearing when you hurt yourself can actually act as a natural painkiller. Now I didn't want to give Nate this information, as he already cusses like a sailor when hurts himself in any way, but science is science, right? It's good to know that when I was lying in bed cursing (albeit quietly to myself) when I woke up from surgery and was in enough pain to spend the night in the hospital instead of going home, I was quite justified. Now I better explain that to my mother...and probably a few nurses.

Also, thanks to a friend, I found a really great scar treatment called Bio-Oil this weekend. Now, I can't yet attest to its effectiveness personally, but according to everything I've heard, both online and from friends of mine, it's fabulous stuff. You have to apply it twice a day (which is less than the other scar gel I was using), and it smells good (it has rosemary, lavender, calendula, and chamomile oils in it). It doesn't get your clothes greasy either. The one downside is it seems a bit pricey, but then again you get quite a bit in the bottle and a little goes a long way. I dunno, I just really like it, so far at least. I guess you really have to use it for at least 3 months before you seem much in the way of results but heck, I have a lot of healing to do so that's no big deal. It's not like these are old scars...they are brand new. I'd be putting something on them anyway so I thought I'd put something natural and effective on them. And just FYI, Bio-Oil can be used to treat scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tones, aging skin, and dehydrated skin. Multi-purpose...I like that for sure!

Damage Assessment

Here it is...pictures of the damage. Today is day 12 after my surgery. My staples were removed from my head, which hurt, but not terribly. Just about as much as you'd think getting staples removed from your head would hurt! I also got the bandage taken off my chest incision (where the battery is). Turns out there aren't any stitches there to remove. He put in some internal stitches and then just used surgical glue so I think it will heal up nicely.

So here you go...the debut of my bare chest on the internet!

Obviously that's where the battery is on my right. It's still bruised and a bit swollen but it really is feeling better every day. I'll take another photo in a couple weeks to show you how it's healing up. Look up on my neck as well. There is a little bump on each side. The one of the right (my right) is kind of high, the one on the left is low. That is where the wire extenders are. There will always be bumps there, because the extenders do stick up a little, but they should get less red and obvious over time. There were little incisions there (no stitches, just glue) but you'll barely be able to see them I'm sure.

Here's another one...a profile shot to show you how the battery sticks out.


I think this picture makes it look worse than it is...but maybe not. It's still a bit swollen and whatnot, but not too much. So yes, you can see it if you look from the side, but you can't see the outline of it or anything from the front. Also, you can't see the bump through clothing or anything like that. I think it'll feel more obvious than it actually is. I'm making sure to keep scar ointment on the scars to help them heal and be less obvious. I know they'll never disappear but I'm sure it won't hurt to minimize them.

So...I don't have much of a swimsuit body anymore, although to be honest, I'm not sure I had one before! And I'll have to chose fancy dresses a bit more carefully in the future to try to de-accentuate (is that a word? I doubt it) the scars and bumps. But it's all worth it. I feel so much better. I don't feel like just laying in bed anymore, I feel like going out and doing things again. I feel like going back to work, having a regular schedule, being a productive member of society again. I feel like riding my horses and going camping. Heck, I even feel like having a drink! I'm not scared of that sending me to bed for the next 3 days. So scars and all, life is good.

I also got the okay from the doctor to go home today! WOOHOO! So I'm headed back to Wyoming at the end of the week, and will be back at work on Monday. It's been 14 weeks now that I've been away (15 by the time I actually really get home) and I am SO glad to be done with all this and get on with my life. The last few months have been a struggle but what is it "they" always say (actually I think it was Thomas Jefferson but whatever)? "Anything worth having is worth fighting for." I've fought for my health and now I have it. Or maybe "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" fits a little better. Eh, you know what I mean!