Scar Wars July 19, 2006
Posted by ouchmyleg in Advice, Personal Experience.trackback
Were I to find myself two months ago on a shark hunting exhibition with Police Chief Brody and Captain Quint, I’d really have nothing to contribute to their “scariest scar competition”. Up until now my most impressive scars were a little indent in my upper lip (Age 12 – caused by the unfortunate collision of a baseball and my braces) and three barely-there marks on the fingers of my right hand (Age 16 – accidentally dropped sugar bowl at work and put back of hand on hot coffee burner). Now I’m definitely a contender. I’m sporting a six inch scar on the outside of my leg and a second 4 inch scar across the top of my foot. Even my lovely friend Peg’s (go read her blog. Or I’ll hurt you.) boyfriend Paul agreed that my scars are pretty impressive. And he broke his ankle in a similar way last year! Go me!
It’s been nearly two months (give or take a day) since the surgery, and while they’ve healed nicely, they’re still, for lack of a better word, kinda gross. At least I think so. Mom and I started putting vitamin E cream on them as soon as the staples were out, so we’ve probably helped a bit with the healing process, but they’re still very dark (and not too raised at the moment – a raised scar is called a “keloid” scar, and that’s apparently bad). A coworker has recommended using scar reducing strips – has anyone had any good luck with these? Am I better off with vitamin E? Or should I just embrace my scars and head off to Amity and fight sharks?
Go fight sharks! Much more fun. And Paul did say that your scars were bigger than his. So you win! Yay!
I say embrace them. . .they will fade, the large gash on my abdomen is almost invisible now. Or wait until its healed and get a tattoo over it, like angelina jolie, instead of location you could put the date there, like a cornerstone on a building. Totally.
Hey, Fights with Sharks…
I’ve tried laser, injections, pressure, silicone sheets and the like. The aforementioned creams seem to be the best remedy thus far.
I know that you and my husband would get along swimmingly. He is a JAWS fan, too.
I just wanted to add to your blog about keloids. First of all, anyone who has an annoying, problematic keloid (one that continues to grow and itch like mad) would not tell you to embrace the @#$# thing. I say fight it. I found that Elicina and Bioskin lotion have alleviated some of the symptoms. On a long term basis, it will gradually go down and stop itching. I know, I have over ten old ones on my back.
Have you tried Mederma? I think that is supposed to lighten them and keep them from becoming keloids. I have never used it myself but know others who have and rave about it.
nice to have a share of feeling in your blog
nice to meet you anyway..!
hee hee hee i had a feak fightin incident and broke 3 bones in my leg and all they had to do was shoot me off to loopy land and slap every thing back to gether. no scar (cant impress the chicks… oh well)
oh and you should embrace the scares. theyre like tatoos with better stories
Hi, Heather. I broke the fibula in my right leg playing hockey in early December and seem to have been through all of the activities that you have except the physiotherapy (starts next week) since then. My scar is about 8″ where they had to put the plate and 7 screws in (broken in 3 places). I had some vitamin E capsules, that I was taking internally, and I just snipped them open to rub on the scar. As a result, my scar is fairly thin and smooth except for a small bump right on the outside ankle bone.
I just got my aircast off on Friday and put full weight on the leg for the first time then. The leg has been fine but the ankle and knee have been complaining after not having any work for the past 7 weeks. Back to the crutches for this week to take a little of the weight off but I do seem to be able to get around quite well with only one.
If you would like to chat directly about experiences, please send me an e-mail.
Oh norm. I had the same hockey injury I bet! All my weight on my left leg, left edge, pushed out from under and hit the boards. Impact broke my skate blade, dislocated the ankle, and broke the fibula down near the joint (2 long pins) and the tibia in 2 places, displacing the broken piece.
I did mine 2 1/2 weeks ago. 2 more weeks in this hard cast, then 2 in a walking cast. My surgeon promised me I get to start physiotherapy when I get my walking cast. That will be exactly a month after the injury. It seems a bit early, doesn’t it? One thing is I am a semi-professional athlete (speed skating) so maybe he figures healing time will be faster? It was a clean break, although fairly violent.
Anyway, back to the topic, I had only marginally thought about the scars. I love wearing heels too! Nothing like being even taller than my usual 5′9″. I am glad summer is almost here and I can wear sandals and be quasi-hip. The scars are definitely battle wounds, but I’d rather them not be visible from the other side of the building!
Oops. Better add I had a plate and 6 pins in the tibia as well. Does that hardware make your leg significantly heavier?
Hi
Broke my ankle last Oct so I’m now 9 months down the line. Still in quite a bit of pain when over doing the walking thing. I’m on the waiting list to have my plate (7″ with 6 screws) one side and three pins the other, removed. Scars are not awful but certainly not sexy. I imagine the surgeon will go in on top of my existing scar. Has anyone out there had this done – how long did recovery from the op take, how long till you walk again properly and how bad is the top scar ? Grateful for any advice.
IRELANDhi.im kevin 25 irish.i broke me leg in thailand off a motorbike.silly accident.there was a nasty puncture wound on my shin and a bad one on the inside of my foot too where the bike bounced off my foot between the tarmac…loads of blood and skin..i had to wait a while in thailand for the swelling to go down, about 7 days in hospital there to prepare for the long flight back home.hospitals in thailand are very good by the way..!The ankle was broken..fibula pushed out by the impact of the bike.i got home anyway and straight into hospital.. the leg was like a balloon..i had to wait there until the swelling and broosing went down and then i got surgery and a good dose of morphine and all that jazz..
ht eoperatin was good.. a bit sore the next day but the wound on my shin wasnt healing very wekll..when i crashed i could see the shin bone through the gash. its around 3 months since and the cut is smaller but still not healing well.a scab grows and trhen starts oozing and then back to square one again.it falls off and its a mess..
any ideas about if i should get it seen to or just clean it and cover it /.???please reply it would be much appreciated..
up the irish!!!
my surgeon had to go directly through a fairly large tattoo on my ankle. It is literally sliced vertically in half. Have only seen it once when I was getting my perm cast on and it had tons of staples in it but it made me very sad. I’ve had that tattoo for 12 years. Well, now it will definitely have some character I guess.