Hello reddit, I am an 18 year old who just had a 12 hour operation to surgically remove a brain tumour. (pics inside!)

So now that you've had half your brain removed, are you thinking of going into politics?

http://i.imgur.com/VUAWW.gif

That haircut + scar looks just badass Gl on recovery!

Thanks, I definitely get the most awesome looks, it's a shame it's not closer to Halloween.

You are seriously my hero! So glad to see that you're so witty and funny at what people have been asking. This was the icing on the cake. :D

Aww thanks! Take care now!

Halloween? Try to get laid under the pretext of being a war hero.

I gotta give you normal people a chance though. :(

So how you feeling?

Quite dizzy still!

The nerve responsible for hearing AND balance was severed and so I still find it a bit difficult to walk about and stairs are an absolute bitch! But otherwise, well enough to answer questions and all!

edit: Thank you for asking!

While it is great to hear that you're doing pretty well over all, I was really hoping you were going to say "I'm feeling all right." Reddit has caused me to actively seek out puns, it would appear.

Ahhh missed opportunities! I apologise.

No worries! Oh, and you're right, that is a kick ass scar.

You mean "you're left"....

I envy punny people :(

[deleted]

[m]

Will you ever recover from that? D:

Average recovery time is 3-6 months. Hearing is gone for ever, probably taste too, but otherwise I should be walking normally like any other!

Thanks for your concerns!

Aww damn that sucks dude, well who knows, maybe your hearing in your right ear will get better to compensate for your left.

Take care dude!

Thanks you too!

Is something like a cochlear implant a possibility down the line to restore hearing?

Or is the hardware your body has for hearing just gone now?

Also, it's awesome how upbeat you seem about this, thanks for the AMA.

No worries and as everyone else has mentioned no cochlear implant for me.

I can however get a "Bone anchored hearing device" that essentially vibrates sound through your skull to the other ear! It may help the head shadowing effect I get but I'm yet to decide.

Great question, and have a great day!

Look on the bright side, now you get to go into the preferences menu of every software you use, and FINALLY use the "Mono" sound option! ^{but f'real hope it gets better}

I had to convert all my Beatles into mono. Honestly, stereo is like the devil to me now.

if taste is gone that opens up a world of awesome/not awesome opportunities!

Food tastes bad but healthy? Pass it on left side. Tasty? On the right side. PERFECT CRIME

A devilishly good idea.

That is fantastic to hear!

I am sure with time as you get used to your new balance you will become quite proficient. I wish you all the best on your journey!

"That is fantastic to hear!"

That was just rude... :D

I think it's brilliant :D

Thank you! I feel stronger every day!

[deleted]

I'm so glad to hear you mother is ok! Thanks for your encouragement, take care! :)

Do you know what nerve specifically? Based on my limited knowledge of anatomy, there are 3 semicircular canals in your inner ear that deal with balance and hearing (I think hearing, anyways). I think the official name for the system it's in, is the vestibular system.

Ninja edit: Googled an image of it to prove to myself I'm not insane

The image itself has a diagram of a plane in it, too. That was unintentional but you can enjoy a nice diagram of a plane if you want. :D

I believe it was situated on the eight cranial nerve. I hope that helps!

Awesome diagram by the way.

The doctors had to sever it to get to where they needed to get to?

Yes.

Any idea whether the deafness and lack of taste will be permanent?

Deafness permanent, pretty much no doubt about it.

When I talked to the surgical team afterwards all they could do was shrug and say it may come back.

I can still feel temperature and texture but just absolutely zero taste!

Sorry to hear that about the deafness, although you still have one good ear, so that's a plus.

With luck the taste will come back in time - the fact that you can feel temperature and texture there is probably a good sign.

Well I can only hope. I've actually started to get used to not being able to taste properly, I only really notice it now if I deliberately think about it, it's pretty neat actually, I put some of Nando's extra hot sauce on my tongue, didn't start burning till I moved it around a bit!

You want some superhot peppers? You could post YouTube videos like a champ!

A few friends want me to enter some sort of chilli eating competition when I feel up to it!

Not sure about the "Super mega death fireball chilli" or whatever they call them.

Just remember that your stomach still works. You won't taste it going in but...

I can finally eat my greens without throwing up :)

Haha! Good luck with everything man.

Thanks, much love.

The burning isn't taste, though, it's just that your tongue is more sensitive to capsaicin then other parts of your body. I don't know why Five_Spice can handle the heat better now, but it's not because he can't taste. It's especially weird considering he can feel temperature and texture.

Well I'm no neurologist, but hot sauce ain't got nothing on me. And I'mnot a girl! I'm a real boy!

In regards to your tongue... the nerve input is rather complicated.

The lingual nerve, which is a branch of the trigeminal (CN5) is responsible for general sensation from the anterior 2/3s of your tongue. However taste on the anterior 2/3 is done by the chorda tympani, which is a branch of the facial nerve (CN7).

The posterior 1/3 of your tongue is innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN9), which is responsible for BOTH sensation and taste.

Movement of your tongue is controlled by the hypoglossal nerve (CN12), with the exception of one tongue muscle which is controlled by the vagus (CN10).

Good luck with your recovery!

Thanks!

So I feel like a terrible person for comparing this to what you're going through at the moment, but that sounds almost exactly like when I had my tonsils taken out! I legit couldn't taste properly for probably the next 6 months. No idea why.

But you know, if it makes you feel any better, my taste came back, I'm sure yours will too!

^{even though I'm sure you're more worried about more important stuff like traversing stairs}

Hey, don't feel bad, don't feel bad at all. Sounds as if you had it worst! I can still taste, just not that well!

Yeah, not all hope is lost and there are worse things to worry about as you said.

Take care and thanks :)!

You actually sound like the nicest person ever

Aww thank you!

Deafness permanent,

That's terrible... is that because of incompetence on the doctor's part or was it inevitable because of the positioning of the tumor?

Inevitable. If you picture it, the tumour grows around the nerve, think of it like a doughnut with the nerve running through it, you've also got to consider that's very hard to get to, practically encased in bone, so the only real way to get it out is to take out the affected part of the nerve. It was inevitable I am so grateful to my surgeons, they did awesome jobs.

Hey there. I had a very close family member have a 16 hour tumor removal. Don't skip on the physical therapy. Totally worth it. Pm me if u want to discuss it.... (therapist here)

Oh wow, send on my regards, I can at least sympathise slightly! And don't worry I have a physio booked and I can easily get there. Thanks for the offer too!

I'm a geneticist in the Dept. of Neurological Surgery at a major research institution. I just wanted to plug the Acoustic Neuroma Association. I'll be at their meeting in August collecting DNA samples from people as we begin phase 1 of a study to identify genetic causes of these tumors (specifically, in people without NF2 mutations). If anyone has an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) and would like to participate, I can provide you with my data manager's contact at Yale.

edit: Took a break from work to check Reddit, and now I'm using Reddit to work. Here's a bit more info about the project, and thanks so much for helping this to get seen!

My former adviser, Dr. Elizabeth Claus, is running a study about the genetic and environmental risk factors for acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma with support from the ANA. Dr. Claus is an epidemiologist at Yale and a practicing neurosurgeon at Brigham and Women's/Harvard.

We are gearing up to open the online survey about environmental exposures, dietary history, etc. next month at the ANA conference in LA. We will also be collecting saliva specimens to perform genetic research (my area of expertise). If you have an acoustic neuroma and would like to get an email when the survey opens up so that you can participate, please send an email to:

[email protected]

Include in the subject line "please add me to the AN survey list". I'll warn her to expect some emails.

Here's a bit more info about our study (hosted on the ANA website). http://www.anausa.org/index.php/symposium/yale-university-study

Hey, great to see your comment, nicely done guys getting him up here.

I'm not sure that the ANA really exist in the United Kingdom, we do have the BANA but I think that's a separate charity. Regardless what you are doing sound phenomenal and as much as I would love to help, I fear that my location rules me out.

Have a great day and keep doing what you're doing!

How'd they find the tumor? I mean, what where your symptoms?

Ultimately MRI scan.

The sort of tumour I had, acoustic neuroma, are quite rare last I checked 1/100,000, even more so with people who don't have NF2.

It started when my hearing started to dim in my left ear and I started to get wicked bad tinnitus. I remember going to the GP, my family has a history of ear wax problems, getting my ears syringed (horrible name and procedure) before getting referred on when that didn't help. Where I had an MRI scan!

Dude! We're scar buddies! Mine wasnt a brain tumour though. It was a Glomus on my jugular (1/2million chance! :( ) & I too have complete loss of hearing on my right side but its due to them having to sever & sew up my ear canal. So my ear still works...on the inside. The whole right side of my face and shoulder was numb for weeks but its mostly recovered now with just a tingly feeling (after 4 years!). I also just found out after a check up scan that there is a tiny bit left in there but it grows so slow I shouldnt worry...apparently. Pic: http://i.imgur.com/LNGOgyC.jpg EDIT: Math fail

Wohoo! Scar buddies!

I'm glad to hear you're doing okay! Your scar looks even more awesome than mine, slightly jealous, then again, left side is where it's at.

I've been cautioned that a bit may grow back but yeah, they grow really slowly these things apparantly. Take care!

Huh, acoustic neuroma. My mom has that and unfortunately she can't get it removed as it is tangled within her facial nerve. She had surgery to allow the tumor to expand which caused her to lose her hearing as well.

Gosh I feel sorry for your mother. That sounds very stressful.

Well shit! I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember. I always thought there were more extreme symptoms were for brain tumors. I must also have a tumor now.

Oh for flip's sake... Tinnitus is natural everyone has it.

Much love take care :D

I had trigeminal schwanoma, welcome to the club. Can't feel the left side of my face.

Thanks, quite an exclusive club so I hear!

Or do you?

I'm sorry I'll leave now...

Oh Bravo.

What were the odds of you surviving the surgery, and what were the symptoms like to get the scan?

Very good, because of my age and fitness. But especially since KCH, where I was operated upon had such experienced surgeons, practically the best I could hope for.

What I did really have a high chance of was facial palsy, I can't imagine how that would have affected my confidence, and I don't want to. Thankfully, I got out without it.

I got the scan because my hearing had worsened slightly, I had very loud tinnitus and there were no visible reasons behind it (ruptured ear drum, wax etc.)

Since having such a life-changing operation has it given you any different aspirations career wise, like wanting to be in the medical profession or something like that?

Honestly? Not really, I would not envy being a surgeon or even a doctor for that reason, have a bad nights sleep and you may muck up someone's life forever, that's a lot of responsibility and I have nothing but respect for those who carry the burden, someone's got to do it.

I have tinnitus as well and the hearing in my ear has lessened. When I got the MRI, it was normal. Should I be worried? ( I'm also 18) glad that the surgery went smoothly.

Well everyone has tinnitus and whatever you do, don't take advice from me, all I have are some GCSE's and a few A-levels, ask your doctor!

While this may seem like a defining moment in life right now, you'll be surprised how little you think about the surgery and side effects in years to come.

I've been hearing that a lot, and one thing I can say is that it puts everything into perspective, loads of things just came worthless to me or so inconsequential it's hard to describe. Now it's all said and done, I feel it's merely a stepping stone in life.

I can relate to this as well. I never wanted to have a surgery. It was not something I ever considered putting on my bucket list, but by the beginning of next week I will have had 2 in a month. There has been a lot of crying and I know I may never recover the vision I have lost and that my eyes may never go back to normal, but I am thankful that I had the opportunity to try to protect them from further loss and the blindness caused by what I have.

I wish you all the best OP!

Gosh my heart goes out to you, I wish you the absolute best for your surgery, tell me how it goes wont you?

Take care!

[deleted]

Oh very good.

I'd like to thank you all so much for your questions, comments, witty remarks and of course your support. I've thoroughly enjoyed this.

It's probably time I get some rest however, I've been typing almost none stop for a while and I'm ever so slightly tired. So I'm gonna have a Dr. Pepper, maybe a sandwich, and have a nice nap.

I hope you all have an awesome day and once again thank you.

Edit: Just going to answer the odd question.

Edit 2: I just woke up, it's about 4am and so I'll just quickly say it's great to see that so many people are interested in this AMA! I'll definitely try and continue answering questions after I get a few more hours of sleep!

thanks for your time! I wish you the best.

here's a pretty bad sketch i did of your badass scar while at work today. hope you enjoy it or something

Hi, a friend of mine just pointed this out to me, it's brilliant!

Thanks so much and have a super duper day!

Seems like I wheel this out a lot, but high-five for awesome brain surgery scars!

http://i.imgur.com/9BiQt.jpg

Oh you win.

Nah, I didn't lose any senses. Just a few.. what are they called..

Memories! That's the one. I think.

Aha, wow Reddit gold? Snap!

Have an awesome day!

are you a man or a woman?>

[m]

What was the percentage of risk involved?

My aunt had a brain tumor the doctors tried removing but they fucked it up. They didn't remove it and she lost all movement on the left half of her body. She later died of the tumor and the radiation she was given.

Risk of what exactly? Brain tumours really differ in side effects and risks, I had about a 20-30% chance of not being able to move my face again, but as far as death was concerned, not likely.

I'm very sorry for loss also, thanks for asking.

Glad to hear you are feeling well! How did you feel when you woke up? Did the anesthesia make you nauseous at all? Did they give you anything to counter-act the sick feeling most people get when you wake up after surgery?

Waking up, in my experience is exactly how you see it in the movies, no joke.

I remember just like sitting in a pitch black room when you hear your name, get louder and louder, almost annoyingly loud and then bang! You open your eyes and there are nurses looming over you.

I was very nauseous when I came around for the first few days especially since they had altered my balance so drastically. I was given lots of anti-nausea drugs.

So I guess it was a Tumor.

Yes!

That is Awesome scar! Glad your doing okay!

Thanks so much! It definitely turns some heads!

I had a really big tumor taken off my neck about a year ago when I was 18, probably not as serious as this, but it was a bit of a shock at the time...I'm obviously not a doctor or anything, but I lost movement in my right arm due to nerve damage and its finally back to full strength! so maybe something similar might happen with your tounge? Also did you get morphine? that was the best. Best of luck with your recovery!

Thanks your your kind words, I'm glad your'e back to full strength, and honestly, yours sounds a lot more serious.

I was never given like the IV morphine or anything but for the first week, whenever I wanted Oramorph, no questions asked unless I'd had it in the previous 3 hours.

I hear they flavour it to taste repulsive to stop you habitually taking it, but I thought it was the shit!

Codeine Sulphate however, that stuff really works.

Was you scared?

Yeah, I was actually put to sleep on the operating table (it was made of memory foam!) and so I could see all the lights around me and everything. The anaesthetist was so lovely though.

Also before being walked in, the consultant surgeon literally came up to me asked "Left side right?" then used a sharpie to draw a cross on the correct side of my head.

It did have me thinking.

Wow I can't begin to comprehend what that must have been like, You are a very brave person. Best of luck to the future and I hope that everything is well

I keep getting this from people but in reality, I did what I think any other reasonable person would have done in the same situation.

Regardless, thanks so much!

Once I had surgery to my foot and I remember the surgeon asking seconds before I was put to sleep "It's the 'right' one, yes?". After I nodded he said to himself "Well, let me just cover the other one." I wasn't given to much time to think on it, but it was strange at least. But well, at least they checked - it would suck to operate you on the wrong side of the head, right?

Good luck on the therapy!

Ahhh what was that Askreddit "Worst things to hear before surgery?" I think you would qualify.

No questions really just wanted to say glad your feeling well! Brain surgery is scary! My mom had an acoustic neuroma removed in April of this year, behind the same ear. Her surgery was expected to take that long, but ended up being about 7 hours. She is doing great now, and has less and less 'bad' days where she doesn't feel well.

Thank you so much, and I'm glad to hear your mother is doing well and recovering, it definitely takes time but you really do feel stronger everyday.

[deleted]

I know this is going to help, and I'm sorry for being a little cryptic but

Regardless, I wouldn't take any advice from besides perhaps see a therapist? I can't say I've ever had that sort of mindset and I can't really tell you to get better it's something you need to figure out for yourself.

I hope you have a great day anyway, take care.

Glad you are doing better. Did you get any superpowers?

The power to eat my greens without throwing up! and a .5 reduction to spicey food effectiveness.

Don't you just want to give that chair in the background a hug?

Those chairs really suck, I couldn't stand them, they look comfy but no! the backrest is like stone.

[deleted]

Yay, congratulations much love :)

How do you feel about having a bad ass hair style :D

Bad ass.

Oh my god, man. Serious props. Just had a surgery to remove a cataract 2 days ago but suddenly that seems like something you could just brush off your shoulder. Get better soon!

Hey! All surgery is surgery none the less, thanks for your kind words and I hope your surgery was a success as was mine!

Can you tell us where the tumor was?

I found this brilliant MRI scan online, it's not mine but it's fairly identical. It's on the Acoustic nerve.

How did you find out thou had a tumor?

MRI scan after a very lengthy process, the audiologist who was responsible for me was rightfully very sceptical, the MRI was really just a precaution, initially they thought it was viral damage of some sort.

I got called, they pulled me in to see the consultant, time with a consultant is very valuable and hard to get without weeks or months of booking, so I was concerned, she essentially told me straight.

are you excited to have a sweet battle scar?

It's pretty unique I guess! My friends have come up with all sorts of alternative reasons for why I have it.

How was the procedure? And what were the risks associated with it? My best friend has a tumor currently, but it's in the back of his brain in a really delicate spot, from what I'm told. He is still debating whether to get the operation, or to just live it out...the tumor is benign, but it gives him the worst kinds of migrains. He has since cancelled any appointments to get it removed. This one really hits home for me.

I would have been able to live a relatively normal life for a few more years before things started to get bad, in fact, when older people, and I mean older people, normally get these sort of things it's either radiation, which is much cheaper than surgery or they live it out because they have a higher chance of dying from something else and the stress of the surgery is not worth it.

A bunch of risks namely facial paralysis, double vision, stroke, facial numbness. Death was an unlikely probability.

I debated the surgery but eventually convinced myself, especially since I don't know how much longer the NHS will be able to dish out these incredibly expensive operations for. But it was hard, either have a few years of normality before having the surgery, but always knowing that you were in fact getting less and less treatable everyday or go with the surgery now and risk dis-figuration.

It is a hard decision to make and of course I can't comment on your friend's choice but I always stand by that you always do what your doctor tells you to do, who's more qualified?

I hope your friend does well, and thanks for asking. Take care.

Not that odd! It sounds like your chorda tympani was affected on that side. It's the nerve that carries taste!

edit: I forgot to ask something, but I haven't anything to ask. Have a good recovery!

I had to sign a huge waive before surgery where they had listed practically everything the two consultants could think of, they didn't add this, still! I could not care less, as far as I'm concerned they did a great job, I can still move my face!

You can't taste?? Holy shit I feel you.....

I can taste on the right side of my tongue, just not on the left!

1) You're awesome! 2) How/when did you find out about the tumor?

Late last year!

What thing about normal life will be the mot difficult do you think after this surgery?

Hearing is a real bummer, I cannot hear unless you are either:

A) On my right side. In which case it's fine.

B) In a very quite room.

If you try to talk to me on my left side and we're say, walking down a street, I may catch a few words but it's likely I'll ask you to repeat yourself.

Are you worried about balance at all in the long term?

I should be back to normal in a few months, they say total recovery is typically 3-6 months! I've had a few tumbles, but everything will sort itself out. I am by no means as bad as I was.

Thanks for all the answers... Wishing you a speedy recovery from Australia :)

No worries, that's why I'm here!

Thanks a bunch :)

A surgery into your brain affects your ability to perceive the world and control your own body. Has this affected your sense of self?

I certainly think of myself as being far greater than all of you, peasants. /s

You have the worlds best attitude and I hope the best for you!

Aww thanks!

You sound like you're really toughing it out. Great job.

Hey thanks, take care :)

i am intrigued by the way they opened you up. do you know why it's shaped like that?

By the way, congrats!!! Glad youre okay!

As far as I've seen it's quite typical for this sort of surgery and thanks!

First thing you noticed or did after surgery?

Because I was so scared of facial paralysis first thing I did was try to move my face. Biggest delirious sigh of relief ever, first thing I noticed were just how many lines were in me!

Friend of mine got his removed 2 years ago, he just got his driver's license back quite recently.

I did declare what was happening to the DVLA without lying, they haven't revoked my provisional but there's no way I'm going near a car, it's a shame that the only two widely accepted forms of ID are driving license and passport, I'm not bringing my passport to the bar damn it!

You realize you can get an ID that is not a driving license, right?

Yeah, I know there are all these CitizenCard and things, but most places reject them. They're so weak and really just a racket since they don't have nearly the amount of proof required to get.

Is everything gone on the left side or just hearing and tasting? Left leg still works?

Just hearing and tasting thankfully. The surgeon's did an excellent job.

you had pics inside your tumor? WTF?

get well!

What do you mean, like MRI scans? Confused.

Hey, just wanted to say that i'm glad that you're feeling well and that i'm impressed with your AMA.

How did you feel going into the surgery? I got my wisdom teeth taken out a month or two ago and was scared for my life (note: I'm a huge pussy). I'd probably be freaking out before a brain surgery!

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it and oh my God, I hate dentists so much I would probably rather be in my situation than yours.

I was really scared, I would be lying if I said I wasn't, but the surgeons and especially the anaesthetist was so so so friendly they made me feel much better.

Congratulations on having your tumor removed! I'm just wondering because I'm a neuromonitoring technician and we monitor acoustic neuroma removals if you had any neuro diagnostic testing performed on you during the operation? some guy or gal (not anesthesia though) would've hooked you up to a whole bunch of electrodes when you got into the OR if you did!

Not that I remember, however I would not be half surprised, before the operation there were a lot of people in suits blending in with the surgical team who I had a chance to meet with, afterwards I found out they were specialists from India and Japan conducting some sort of nerve probe study!

Thanks for your curiosity!

How did you find out you had a tumor?

MRI scan after a lot of getting bounced around!

Could you feel the tumor while it was in your body? I'm sure the pressure on your head must have been awful.

As far as feeling goes, I wouldn't say I could feel it pushing outwards like a balloon or anything, however I could sense it because it made my tinnitus so bad.

Have you tried to see if you can taste in the BACK of the left side of your tongue? The front and back of the tongue are innervated by different cranial nerves! (Taste for the anterior 2/3 is from the chorda tympani, a branch of the facial nerve, and the taste for the posterior 1/3 is the glossopharyngeal nerve, if you were curious!) You can still feel other sensations because that is again more nerves! Sensation of the anterior 2/3 is from the lingual nerve and sensation of the posterior 1/3 is the same as taste...glossopharyngeal. So if you can feel sensation in the back 1/3, you should also be able to taste...

It's very difficult for me to test this I find, I mean I can wet my finger and dip it in a bowl of salt and rub it along the tongue, but I'm not sure I want to stick my finger that far back!

Still thanks for your educated words, take care!

Was it cancerous? I have a pseudo-tumor (non cancerous) in my head that has caused me headaches my entire life. And every doctor I've been to says surgery is not necessary.

No, it would not spread to other parts of my body, however, if I continued to let it grow, the shear pressure would start to kill me, but not for a good few years :)

I hope you manage to find something to help you, that sounds like a real bummer, take care!

Since you can not taste have you considered Soylenta?

Soylenta?

So was the tumor related to cancer at all?

No secondary tumours would form as a result of it.

Okay, so you said don't hold back. BTW, I haven't read through this and I'm just going to throw some hungover thoughts out there.

So, you have a brain tumor which sounds pretty serious and they cut it out. In doing so they fucked up your hearing, taste buds, and god knows what else. And you could still possibly die from this in the "near" future? I mean it could reoccur? I guess my question is....your quality of life is worse now and you could still die, suffer longer, while spending brazillions of monies on future surgeries? I guess it's worth it or you wouldn't do it. I'm in the dark on this and now I'll read through the thread. Just curious man, not hating.

Just remember those aren't my brazillions, they're the NHS's. And the doctors recommended that I have the surgery it was inevitable, my probability of dying from it from now on is so negligible it's not worth considering, consider myself cured.

Thanks for your question, curiosity is fine here I think :D!

What lead up to you discovering you had a tumor. What kind of symptoms etc did you experience?

Mild hearing loss, and very bad tinnitus!

Sucks that you can't taste bacon anymore man. I will eat a strip for you.

I can at least taste half the bacon! But you go ahead and eat that strip, you've earned it!

Will you shave your head and get more scars so your head resembles a baseball?

Also, kudos for being so cool about what I assume to be a shitty ordeal. Hope you're okay!

Not sure how well a baseball would go down in the UK.

Thanks for your comment, take care!

You totally look like MGK with that haircut #LaceUp

Ahah, I hope that's a compliment.

I think it's pretty rad however it is one sided currently, I'm waiting for my hair to completely conceal the scar, then I'm going to cut the other side to match.

I get the strangest looks.

Chicks Dudes dig scars.

Ahah.

Were you conscious through the operation of did they put you out?

oh god.

Thankfully I was out.

What are you talking about?

Anything!