Deep Cuts (a/k/a Scarface)

Hi everyone. Just thought I would put up a midweek post to switch things up.

I went under the knife today - but alas, not for the reason I wish. Instead, I had a procedure on my right cheek to take care of a lingering issue.

As a fair-skinned girl of Celtic descent, I'm prone to this sort of thing. On my dermatologist's advice, we decided to take care of it via surgery. Follow along below the fold for the details.




The procedure was done in-office at the same clinic where my dermatologist works - literally around the corner from where I live, in fact, which was nice. My therapist is a 90 minute drive, my electrologist a 60 minute drive, and my doctor is in Boston (think: epic traffic jams), so I'm used to long drives to see any specialist.

Both my surgeon and the attending nurse were wonderful (and hello to both of you, in case you get the chance to read this! :c)), and made what was less-than-pleasant experience more than tolerable.

I began coming here before I went full-time, so in some places in their system I'm still under my old name. They were curious about what my transition has been like, and I was happy to answer their questions.

I view instances like this as a small way to pay things forward, just as others had done in the past. It's a pleasure when people are as kind and encouraging as they were (just as everyone in their office is, in fact), and it feels good to know I'm helping put a face to what can be a somewhat mysterious "other."

Other than requiring both my jacket and, eventually, a blanket (it was so cold I was shivering after a half-hour in the chair), the time flew by. To be honest, I was feeling a bit drowsy; I haven't been sleeping well since before Christmas, for a variety of reasons I've alluded to in recent posts.

I'm facing several deadlines at work the next few weeks, and have been working extremely hard to meet them (successfully so far, thanks in no small measure to the terrific people I work with) for... well, again, since before Christmas.

And I will be honest: I haven't slept well this week because I was nervous about this procedure. I wasn't worried about the pain; we shared a laugh when the novocaine was being injected and I pointed out that I undergo 60-90 minutes of electrolysis every week, so one shot was manageable.

The primary cause of my unease was, well, just nerves, and some vanity on my part. I was a bit concerned about the potential for a scar, but Dr. S assured me that, with time, it should barely be noticeable. He came highly recommended, and after today I can see why. So my fears were unfounded. "And in the meantime there's always concealer, Cassidy!" as he pointed out. Just so. :c)

I was there for a bit over two hours; while I can't honestly say it was pleasant, it seemed much shorter thanks to the company I was sharing.

After the brief drive home, I headed into the bathroom to see how I looked:

OK, just kidding. :c) I took that last night post-run. (I ran the past four days, knowing I wouldn't be able to do so for a few days post-surgery. The soreness and achiness in my knees and ankle are worth it tonight though, since I would be going stir-crazy over the next few days if I hadn't.) The photo at the top of the post, of course, is how I actually look at the moment. I likely won't be using it for my Facebook profile, let's put it that way.

At any rate, I then ate a light lunch, took some Tylenol, got into my pajamas, and crawled under the covers. I dozed off for several hours, then woke up and decided to write this while heating up my dinner.

I can take off this dressing Friday evening, at which point I can use a smaller, less, er, ostentatious bandage. In the meantime, I'll likely be popping the occasional Tylenol (the pain isn't too bad, but I badly need to sleep) and, hopefully, speeding the recovery process along. I made an appointment for next Wednesday to have the stitches removed; while it seems like an eternity at the moment, in the big picture it's just a blip.

OK, time to wrap this up so I can eat dinner and then call it an evening. The next week and a half are going to be frantic at work (and in my personal life too, for reasons I will finally be able to write about shortly), so I am hoping I get a good night's sleep.

I'll try to write another post this weekend, with a brief update and the pleasant news I alluded to in my previous post. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a terrific Thursday and Friday. Take care all. xoxoxo

***

I had to post at least a few of these songs for this post, for obvious reasons.

First up is Rod Stewart's superb interpretation of the Cat Stevens-penned "The First Cut Is The Deepest," off his classic 1976 album A Night on the Town.

Say what you will about how Stewart squandered his considerable gifts as a songwriter, the man is one of the great song interpreters.

Next up is a great 1983 live version of "The Cutter," from Echo & The Bunnymen, from that year's Porcupine album. And as an added bonus, it's followed by their first public performance of "The Killing Moon." Wish I'd been at this show...

I saw EATB on their next tour for 1984's masterpiece, Ocean Rain. Ian McCulloch had clearly helped himself to several pre-show libations, so to speak. In plain English, he was so drunk he could barely stand - but they still put on a killer show, with a particularly ferocious version of "The Cutter." Good memories...