Friday, May 21, 2010

Viewer Discretion is Advised... :)

My surgery was two weeks ago and I actually have enough energy to talk about it now. Just a precaution this is going to go into detail of the surgery. My sister in law wanted me to put pictures up of how it looked, I have been deciding whether or not I should because the only pictures I took were with my phone and when I looked the ugliest to send to my family so we will see... :)
Here is how the day went... My lovely mother took me to the doctor's at seven in the morning, there was four of us there that day to get the same surgery done and I was the only one under the age of 85, but they were so nice and funny. So the doctor takes me back and cuts out some of the side of my nose and then sends me back into the waiting room. As I wait I watched movies and read some books, then he calls me back and there is more he needs to take, I do this a couple times where he takes it out and tests it then brings me back in and takes out more. I guess it was growing pretty big, he was even surprised on how much he had to cut out. So he keeps cutting till the cancer is all out.. Six hours later he tells me he got it all! yes!!!! I am so thrilled at this point! no more cutting, no more waiting, everything is all done.

They take me back and start to sew everything up. First he said he had to show me the hole that he cut so he gives me a mirror. Oh my is all I can say.. I was in shock on how big the hole was and almost started crying, but I resisted..He started stitching it up but realized the towards the top it was pulling way to much and he ended up having to cut a pretty good size of skin from the front of my ear to do a skin graph on my nose, because if he just sewed my nose up it would make me look really deformed and pull my skin to tight. So he he cut by my ear and put it on my nose and sewed it up. Its amazing to me that they can take skin from anywhere on your body and it can just attach somewhere else... pretty cool. Two hours later he shows me the end result all the while my mom is sitting in the waiting room.

He gives me the mirror and I Don't know if its because it has been just a long day, my mom was there, and I was so swollen, but I just start crying! I mean I was crying so hard they had to put the chair down and strap me in, in case I was going to faint. The doctor and nurses were sooo nice! They held my hand and just comforted me. Then he goes to tell me that he has to sew the bandage to my nose so there is enough pressure to make the skin graph heal better. So I'm sitting there, I'm not numb any more and he goes to town sewing it to my eyebrow, nose, and cheek. It kills! Then he goes and grabs my mom and the minute she comes in I start cry even more! hahaha. Now I am done, I just want to go home at this point. So Here I am on the drive home.....My mom called me cyclops :) Don't be too scared of this picture I was sooo swollen on my whole face and neck and I just got done crying..Look how its sewed to my eyebrow.. ouch!

My mom was here for 3 wonderful days, I honestly don't know what I would of done without her here.. She cooked and took such good care of me. Her and Chase were an awesome team. I almost fainted the first night, and the pain meds made me sick and throw up. But after a couple of rough days I started feeling better...I couldn't remove the bandages till the next week so for a week I had a bandage sewed to my face and it drove me crazy! I had to go back to work the next Tuesday so he took it off on Monday and here is what it looked like...
I am at work now and I think my nose helps me close a sell haha I get the pitty sale haha. But its healing so much faster then I thought. I think he did a awesome job! The skin graph will take a couple months to heal and The scar will probably be really noticeable for about a year but other then that I am feeling great and cancer free!
Here I am today, I am still bruised and my eye is still swollen, same with my nose. I cant wear any bandages or make up over my skin graph, But all the edges are healed its just the very center that is still not great. You would not even guess that I had stitches all the way down to my nostril and up to my eye. My doctor really did a good job and blending in the scar, cause all I can see right now is the skin graph and not the rest of where he put the stitches. I think my doctor did a great job.. u can barley see the scar on the left side of my face!

I honestly have the most caring husband, family and friends in the world. Every day I got flowers from someone in the ward, work, or my friends. They cooked me meals, sent me cookies, brought me cold stone and my visiting teachers made me home made salsa and chips! That is my favorite snack of all time. I just want to thank everyone for keeping me in their prayers, I truly felt all your love and I am sooo thankful!!!! Thank you everyone!!!!!!!

17 comments:

Mandy Coffey said...

You are a trooper!!!! I'm glad it all went well and the doctors were experienced enough to do it correctly!

Nancy said...

My cute little niece...you have been through a lot! I'm so glad your mom could come a take care of you for a few days and I know your in great hands with Chase. You look amazing, beautiful as ever. I'm so glad you are doing well and CANCER FREE!! Love you!

Tasha said...

I would have cried too. I am so impressed with how you handled all that!! Seriously. And it looks amazing. I am so glad you got such a great doctor and lots of family and friends who took good care of you.

The last Unicorn said...

It looks great Dana! I pictured it still looking pretty bad, but it is healing very nicely. I am so glad to hear that people have been taking good care of you since I am not there to do it. Love you!

Shandra and Christian said...

You are so brave Dana! I love you!

Candace and Brian said...

Wow!! Glad everything turned out okay. You look beautiful as always but so glad you are cancer free! What a scrary/rough couple of weeks for you. I'm glad you had so much family & friends taking care of you.

BreAnna said...

Dana I am so glad everything went ok. I can't imagine how long that day of waiting to see if there was more was for you. I am so glad your mom was able to come out and take care of you, you deserve it. love you.

Unknown said...

you are looking great...and when I had mine...it was right inside my eyelid close to my nose...so kinda similiar to yours...and it heals better then you think. It just takes time! I promise...it will be like it never happened! You are such a trooper and you look beautiful STILL...stitches and all!

Brooke and Mando said...

Dana, It does look like its healing nicely! You're still so beautiful!

Brooke and Mando said...

Dana, It does look like its healing nicely! You're still so beautiful!

Nat's blog said...

I was wondering how it went girl! I am glad to hear that you are recovering well. You have inspired me to go get my moles checked. Love ya!

The Moons said...

my sweet little dana!!! I am so glad everything went well and it looks like its healing nicely!! Do you remember the turban I had on my head when I got my ear cancer removed, NOT FUN!! You still look great and I hope we get to chat soon! love you !!

Jen and Rob said...

Thanks for letting us know your back up on your feet. Sounds like you were in good hands.You pull off the scar well:)! The best to you Dana!

Pike's Place said...

Oh Dana! THat makes my heart hurt for you! :( I wish I could have been there to hang out with you and make you food and watch movies. I am glad everything went ok, sorry you had to go through all of that! You do look pretty dang good for just having surgery :) love you lots

Lindsay said...

Thanks for sharing...it seems to be healing great! We love you!

Anonymous said...

Hey my little "cyclops" Ha ha! You look great! The doctor did a great job! Love ya!

Austin and Sara said...

oh my gosh I had no idea!!! I am so so so glad you are okay! You are amazing and so brave :)