Thursday, August 7, 2008

Nip Tuck

Just to keep everyone in the loop (since I don't yet have any exciting nursing school stories to report), my surgery has been scheduled for Tuesday at 9am in the minor surgeries dept. at my mom's hospital.  I met with the plastic surgeon yesterday, and he gave me the run down.
The whole procedure should only take about an hour, but I will be awake for its entirety.  They will numb my right thigh with super-novicane (the long life stuff) and then go to town.  I think I'll bring my iPod.  He said that the standard margins for a melanoma excision are proportional to the size of the melanoma itself.  Mine was about 3mm, which means centimeter margins in each direction.  Here's where the plastics stuff comes in.  Since the excision will be in a circle shape after the margins, pulling together the skin and sewing it up would create a dimple in the middle of the scar and bunching on either side.  In order to create the most aesthetically pleasing scar possible, the doctor will increase the incision to an ellipse shape, almost pointed on either end.  He will put in deep stitches, which will dissolve over time, and then he will put in skin stitches, which will be taken out the following week.  When all is said and done, the scar should be about three inches in length.  
He obviously wants me to take it easy for a few weeks (which means no gym, ugh...), and the scar will take 6-9 months to get to how it will be permanently.  I guess I'll find out on Tuesday what the deal is for wound care, and whether he'll be putting me on pain meds.  I've asked to work from home that day, since I'm not supposed to drive.  But...board game night will go on!

Sorry this isn't incredibly exciting, but it's not like I can go on and divulge the details of my shopping spree last weekend...this blog has a purpose (my experiences in nursing school and outside events pertaining [even just a little bit] to my medical education).  

My birthday is on Monday...everyone have a cosmo in my honor!

No comments: