My chest is bisected by a 9" scar from open-heart surgery when I was 3yrs old. At the base of my sternum the scar hangs a right (from my point of view) and continues around my torso almost to my spine. Due to the scar tissue and the closing of the chest cavity after the operation, my right brest sits just a little lower on my chest than the left, but you have to look to see it. The rest of my limbs are dotted with patches of skin that don't tan at the same rate as the rest of me. These are also scars - left over from IVs, life support, and the like.
My first exploritory surgery was done without painkillers or being knocked out as it was believed, in 1973, that the nerves of a two and a half yearold weren't developed enough to "feel that great of an intrusion".
Sometimes I still have nightmares. When I close my eyes I can see that room. Had one lastnight, hence the not sleeping past 4:30am.
The happy result of all of this is that I'm not afraid of hospitals and injuries don't really bother me. Sure they hurt, just not all that bad in comparison.
-c
P.S. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to put that here today. It's one of those things I normally never mention to anyone.
My first exploritory surgery was done without painkillers or being knocked out as it was believed, in 1973, that the nerves of a two and a half yearold weren't developed enough to "feel that great of an intrusion".
Sometimes I still have nightmares. When I close my eyes I can see that room. Had one lastnight, hence the not sleeping past 4:30am.
The happy result of all of this is that I'm not afraid of hospitals and injuries don't really bother me. Sure they hurt, just not all that bad in comparison.
-c
P.S. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to put that here today. It's one of those things I normally never mention to anyone.
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I fell out of a tree when I was younger and had a limb go through my left leg.
After that, I have had quite the tolerance for pain.
Oddly though, no nightmares to speak of.
I ussually tell people I was pushed onto a table-saw in highschool shop class. They cringe and then I say, "You should have seen what I did to THAT guy..."
-c