Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Updated Scar photos from DBS operation

Waaaaay down below in my blog.If you scroll to the bottom you will see photos from my surgery at the hospital. MRI, etc.
And today I would like to share my scars today. Months later after my hair has grown back and staples long gone, bones have healed. Here is how I am today.


My scar on my forehead where the neurosurgeon drilled into my head is faint. The bump is where the skull cap hole was removed. The bump is permanent. The scar is faint.
The scar in the back of my head is visible more when my hair is cut shorter. But you can feel plain as day the cables protruding from my head and if I turn my neck a certain way you can see them travelling down to my pacemaker in my chest. Or you can feel them.
The scar on my chest is the only one that bothers me. Not because it large and thick but just because the location of the pacemaker pushes on the scar making it tender in a matter of words. I have foreign objects in my brain and chest. This is expected. I am not complaining about my scars. I knew this having surgery they would be there for life and what I would deal with.
I am just pointing the obvious out. However I believe Gods plan was right for me all along because I always hated the fact my hair receded. And exactly where the scar is on my head is exactly how far my hair has receded. It just worked out that way. Aside from the bump which looks like a goose egg, its not that noticeable. I have an egg shaped head. If my head was more round i am sure it would be less noticeable.
I don't care people stare or look. Its probably curiosity more than anything. When the staples were in my head it was more shock than anything.
I have tattoos so people look more at those than anything.
I took some close up photos yesterday to show my scars. I don't have any close ups of before scar photos but I assure you no bumps or holes or scars before.

5 comments:

  1. Hi Tom, or should I say Egg-head? ;^) I think that when we see people we don't scrutinize their every feature/flaw/scar; we just see their eyes and face as they have always been. When I look at you I see your BIG personality, gentle eyes, and that amazing smile. However, if you are with your gorgeous wife, no one can help but keep their eyes on her!
    As for the battery-pack, I have a similar one in right my side just below my ribs (for a different reason as you know). Around the pack is also tender, the reasoning I was given was that we build up a lot of scar tissue around the packs because they are foreign objects. However, after 3-4 years things settle down. My experience/opinion is: it's near muscles that move the pack, the pack gets banged and/or touched regularly, and it presses against the bone underneath. I find that I can't lean over things like the dryer or a table because it pushes the pack into my ribs. It hurts at the time but it also is tender all the time…I guess we can give an update in 2.5 years to say whether or not it still hurts? This tenderness is the least of our problems, I'm sure.
    God Bless you Tom! Hope to see you soon, Bonnie

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    1. thanks Bonnie. Always great to have another in my cheering section! My scar has changed, gotten wide since operation.If it wasnt for the bump on my head you would never know it was drilled into. Again, thanks for your kind words Bonnie!
      Wish you may pain free days (((HUGS))))

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  2. Dear Sir. I am a senior researcher at a medical institution in Japan. We are making a medical program for Japanese people and I would like to ask you to get the permission to use your YouTube video of the cluster headache attack. Is there any way to contact you privately so that I can explain the program? I am looking forward to hearing from you.

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    1. I have lent my video out 2x. Once to a prof in Switzerland who never contacted ot replied ot any of my emails after. 2nd time in France. I onl ever asked he send me a copy of lecture. Only sent me one in PDF in French. Unable to translate.
      Sorry.
      I seem to get short end of stick.Broken promises.

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    2. Thank you for your prompt reply. If you could be supportive for our program and help us make a better one, please feel free to contact "tsubone@shouwa.or.jp". Your consideration would be highly appreciated.

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