Can you get emotional over a skin graft?

I had a vulvectomy with my melanoma so I do understand about disfiguring.  That is not, in any way, to say that my experience is worse!  Anything that feels disfiguring is hard.  It has taken me a long time but I have come to view my vulvectomy as a "battle scar."  I am a melanoma survivor and this is what it took to get me here.  I don't know if that will help you, but it has helped me.  Hang in there.  It really is hard, and we all come to terms with our scars as best as we can.  You are not alone!

I had a vulvectomy with my melanoma so I do understand about disfiguring.  That is not, in any way, to say that my experience is worse!  Anything that feels disfiguring is hard.  It has taken me a long time but I have come to view my vulvectomy as a "battle scar."  I am a melanoma survivor and this is what it took to get me here.  I don't know if that will help you, but it has helped me.  Hang in there.  It really is hard, and we all come to terms with our scars as best as we can.  You are not alone!

I had a vulvectomy with my melanoma so I do understand about disfiguring.  That is not, in any way, to say that my experience is worse!  Anything that feels disfiguring is hard.  It has taken me a long time but I have come to view my vulvectomy as a "battle scar."  I am a melanoma survivor and this is what it took to get me here.  I don't know if that will help you, but it has helped me.  Hang in there.  It really is hard, and we all come to terms with our scars as best as we can.  You are not alone!

Yes, I think you can get emotional over your surgery site. My melanoma was on the outside of my lower leg and I recall being slightly horrified at what looked like a shark bite on my leg. I did not get a skin graft and they pulled it so tight to close it, my whole leg was tweaked. The scar then started to resemble a canoe. I know it is hard to believe right now but time will do amazing things to heal your scar area. I did not need counseling to deal with this but I assure you no one will think it is stupid or foolish if you feel you need counseling.

Cynthia C

IIIb, 13 years and 10 months NED!

Yes, I think you can get emotional over your surgery site. My melanoma was on the outside of my lower leg and I recall being slightly horrified at what looked like a shark bite on my leg. I did not get a skin graft and they pulled it so tight to close it, my whole leg was tweaked. The scar then started to resemble a canoe. I know it is hard to believe right now but time will do amazing things to heal your scar area. I did not need counseling to deal with this but I assure you no one will think it is stupid or foolish if you feel you need counseling.

Cynthia C

IIIb, 13 years and 10 months NED!

Yes, I think you can get emotional over your surgery site. My melanoma was on the outside of my lower leg and I recall being slightly horrified at what looked like a shark bite on my leg. I did not get a skin graft and they pulled it so tight to close it, my whole leg was tweaked. The scar then started to resemble a canoe. I know it is hard to believe right now but time will do amazing things to heal your scar area. I did not need counseling to deal with this but I assure you no one will think it is stupid or foolish if you feel you need counseling.

Cynthia C

IIIb, 13 years and 10 months NED!

You've said this is your first surgery.  Unfortunately, you learn with experience that things often look extremely ugly while healing.  But… heal they do and most of the time they heal amazingly well.  There are very few surgery scars that are going to look remotely presentable at 2 weeks.  So yes, it is fine to be a little overwhelmed, but those of us who've had a few more surgeries under our belt know that things will continue to get better for you.  Patience and time are your best friends here.  Wish we were really in the age of Star Trek where you could just run some magic device over the wound and it would heal immediately!

You've said this is your first surgery.  Unfortunately, you learn with experience that things often look extremely ugly while healing.  But… heal they do and most of the time they heal amazingly well.  There are very few surgery scars that are going to look remotely presentable at 2 weeks.  So yes, it is fine to be a little overwhelmed, but those of us who've had a few more surgeries under our belt know that things will continue to get better for you.  Patience and time are your best friends here.  Wish we were really in the age of Star Trek where you could just run some magic device over the wound and it would heal immediately!

You've said this is your first surgery.  Unfortunately, you learn with experience that things often look extremely ugly while healing.  But… heal they do and most of the time they heal amazingly well.  There are very few surgery scars that are going to look remotely presentable at 2 weeks.  So yes, it is fine to be a little overwhelmed, but those of us who've had a few more surgeries under our belt know that things will continue to get better for you.  Patience and time are your best friends here.  Wish we were really in the age of Star Trek where you could just run some magic device over the wound and it would heal immediately!

At the age of 52, never having a scar, and now with 2 very long scars on my left thigh, even that was hard for me to get over.  I cried. A lot. And I am not a crier. You are young and have had a skin graft. There is a very definite change in your body and how it looks. It's gonna probably make most people cry.  That's normal. You are normal.  As it heals, it may start to look better.  And you will get more used to seeing it.  I read an article about a man who is a photographer and he works exclusively with people who have had disfiguring surgeries, he photographs their scars.  They are battle scars. It shows that these people fought and lived. You will come to a point in your healing, ( it may take a while) where you will begin to accept your new normal body image.  It sucks and it's not fun.  And no, it's not stupid to get counseling for how you are feeling. You have been through a lot, sometimes people need a little assistance to get over the hump.  Best wishes to you.  🙂

At the age of 52, never having a scar, and now with 2 very long scars on my left thigh, even that was hard for me to get over.  I cried. A lot. And I am not a crier. You are young and have had a skin graft. There is a very definite change in your body and how it looks. It's gonna probably make most people cry.  That's normal. You are normal.  As it heals, it may start to look better.  And you will get more used to seeing it.  I read an article about a man who is a photographer and he works exclusively with people who have had disfiguring surgeries, he photographs their scars.  They are battle scars. It shows that these people fought and lived. You will come to a point in your healing, ( it may take a while) where you will begin to accept your new normal body image.  It sucks and it's not fun.  And no, it's not stupid to get counseling for how you are feeling. You have been through a lot, sometimes people need a little assistance to get over the hump.  Best wishes to you.  🙂

At the age of 52, never having a scar, and now with 2 very long scars on my left thigh, even that was hard for me to get over.  I cried. A lot. And I am not a crier. You are young and have had a skin graft. There is a very definite change in your body and how it looks. It's gonna probably make most people cry.  That's normal. You are normal.  As it heals, it may start to look better.  And you will get more used to seeing it.  I read an article about a man who is a photographer and he works exclusively with people who have had disfiguring surgeries, he photographs their scars.  They are battle scars. It shows that these people fought and lived. You will come to a point in your healing, ( it may take a while) where you will begin to accept your new normal body image.  It sucks and it's not fun.  And no, it's not stupid to get counseling for how you are feeling. You have been through a lot, sometimes people need a little assistance to get over the hump.  Best wishes to you.  🙂

I am slightly upset about my body at this point.  I was never going to be a model or run round in the buff but I didn't necessary want to look worse than I did.  I feel like a science experience  gone wrong!  What really freaks me out is I'm pretty early in this.  I think we are who we are and sometime we have to allow ourselves to face the facts that thus is shocking to us.  Sending hugs to all of us!  

I am slightly upset about my body at this point.  I was never going to be a model or run round in the buff but I didn't necessary want to look worse than I did.  I feel like a science experience  gone wrong!  What really freaks me out is I'm pretty early in this.  I think we are who we are and sometime we have to allow ourselves to face the facts that thus is shocking to us.  Sending hugs to all of us!  

I am slightly upset about my body at this point.  I was never going to be a model or run round in the buff but I didn't necessary want to look worse than I did.  I feel like a science experience  gone wrong!  What really freaks me out is I'm pretty early in this.  I think we are who we are and sometime we have to allow ourselves to face the facts that thus is shocking to us.  Sending hugs to all of us!  

Like the first responder I look at it as a marker related to the positive steps I've taken to get myself well.  THe scar and the associated numbness is what reminds me that I am on the path to putting this behind me.  To Janner's point, over time, this will heal and with a little luck, this will be the extent of what you have to deal with. In addition to my excision, sentinel node biopsy and CLND I've had a broken femur, pin insertion and removal as well as a hip replacement (not the skier I thought I was !!!!).  I kind of look at the scars as organic tattoos, chronicling my challenges.

Hang in there!

Like the first responder I look at it as a marker related to the positive steps I've taken to get myself well.  THe scar and the associated numbness is what reminds me that I am on the path to putting this behind me.  To Janner's point, over time, this will heal and with a little luck, this will be the extent of what you have to deal with. In addition to my excision, sentinel node biopsy and CLND I've had a broken femur, pin insertion and removal as well as a hip replacement (not the skier I thought I was !!!!).  I kind of look at the scars as organic tattoos, chronicling my challenges.

Hang in there!

Like the first responder I look at it as a marker related to the positive steps I've taken to get myself well.  THe scar and the associated numbness is what reminds me that I am on the path to putting this behind me.  To Janner's point, over time, this will heal and with a little luck, this will be the extent of what you have to deal with. In addition to my excision, sentinel node biopsy and CLND I've had a broken femur, pin insertion and removal as well as a hip replacement (not the skier I thought I was !!!!).  I kind of look at the scars as organic tattoos, chronicling my challenges.

Hang in there!

It is tough at first but it gets better over time. My WLE and graft was on the outer part of my left forearm. I remember going into the plastic surgeon's office to have the bandage removed for the first time – I remember him saying how great it was healing and all I could think was I would never be able to wear short sleeves again as it was completely hideous.

Now I wear short sleeves most of the time. Sometimes people see the arm and ask what happened there… when I tell them about the melanoma, most of them comment that they need to go get checked or force their husbands/wives to go get checked because they have something suspicious. It is like wearing a public service announcement – if it helps anyone, then great. Stay positive as it will get better.

Kevin

It is tough at first but it gets better over time. My WLE and graft was on the outer part of my left forearm. I remember going into the plastic surgeon's office to have the bandage removed for the first time – I remember him saying how great it was healing and all I could think was I would never be able to wear short sleeves again as it was completely hideous.

Now I wear short sleeves most of the time. Sometimes people see the arm and ask what happened there… when I tell them about the melanoma, most of them comment that they need to go get checked or force their husbands/wives to go get checked because they have something suspicious. It is like wearing a public service announcement – if it helps anyone, then great. Stay positive as it will get better.

Kevin

It is tough at first but it gets better over time. My WLE and graft was on the outer part of my left forearm. I remember going into the plastic surgeon's office to have the bandage removed for the first time – I remember him saying how great it was healing and all I could think was I would never be able to wear short sleeves again as it was completely hideous.

Now I wear short sleeves most of the time. Sometimes people see the arm and ask what happened there… when I tell them about the melanoma, most of them comment that they need to go get checked or force their husbands/wives to go get checked because they have something suspicious. It is like wearing a public service announcement – if it helps anyone, then great. Stay positive as it will get better.

Kevin

Time definitely helps – don't worry!

I have a post about my experience and photos from a year later on my blog: amelanomajourney.wordpress.com

Time definitely helps – don't worry!

I have a post about my experience and photos from a year later on my blog: amelanomajourney.wordpress.com

Time definitely helps – don't worry!

I have a post about my experience and photos from a year later on my blog: amelanomajourney.wordpress.com