Topic: Sara's Wild Ride

[Maid Marion]

Hi Sara,

Hang in there!  I'm sure it will get better.  Good to hear you are playing with your kids!

One thing I've learned with gardening is that it helps to have patience. 
The plants grow at their own pace.
No way to slow down the weeds, either!

Marion

[Oldandcreaky]

Your body will rebound and NOT WORRYING will help it.

That time with your girls sounds so sweet.

[TXSara]

Your body will rebound and NOT WORRYING will help it.

I know... objectively.  It's really hard to be objective when it's YOUR face, though.  I AM starting to see a small amount of reduction in the swelling.  It's not enough for me to feel like I'm presentable, but it IS enough for me to possibly see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Whether I like it or not, I'm going back into the office tomorrow.  I can't afford to hide out any longer -- there are things that need to get done that I can't handle from home.  Luckily, everybody at work knows where I have been and why -- there aren't going to be any confused looks where people are trying to figure out why I look different! 

~Sara

[Oldandcreaky]

I'm glad you're getting back on the horse, TEXAS Sara.

[ChrissyRyan]

Sara,


I hope your week ahead turns out to be wonderful!

Chrissy

[SoCal_Holly]

Sara, wishing you a terrific week and speedy recovery!

Hugs,

Holly

[ImAllie]

So, I have really enjoyed the past week with my girls. 

As the world has changed, kids are spending more and more time on their phones.  My girls are very sweet, and I love them more than I can ever express.  That being said, I just don't get as much quality time with them as I used to.  I miss that, and I'm always wanting to figure out ways to spend more time with them without being a nuisance.

Enter the latest installment of the Legend of Zelda games, "Tears of the Kingdom":

We have one Nintendo Switch in the family, and the girls and I all love this game.  It has been a lot of fun having the girls off their phones and down in the living room for once.  Like we did for "Breath of the Wild", we take turns playing while the others help try to figure out puzzles and navigate.  There's also some good natured ribbing going on as well.  I wish I could bottle this up and use it any time I want.  Alas, I'll get a few good weeks hanging out with my girls where nobody is fighting and everyone is all smiles... then it'll be back to the norm.

~Sara

Awww, Sara - love hearing this story! Cherish this! I'm SO glad too that your tone indicates you're aware this might be the final version of this special family event.  If there's one thing that we never, by definition, pay enough attention to, it's the "last" of everything... since we so often don't know when they've occurred.

My wife and I talk about those kinds of milestones with our son all the time.  When he was really young I had to hide in his room every time he took a bath and he expect me to "scare" him when he came in... and I had to make my hiding places increasing complex and Wile E. Cayote-level cartonish. But then one day... I guess it just stopped. And other traditions stopped when he was 5/6, then 8/9, in his teens, etc... and you don't mark them until later when you realize they're gone.

So yeah... suck all the marrow out of this last go round of this one, if it is to be that.

But don't be melancholy, just means a new tradition is around corner!!

Love,
Allie

[Oldandcreaky]

If there's one thing that we never, by definition, pay enough attention to, it's the "last" of everything... since we so often don't know when they've occurred.

So true.

So yeah... suck all the marrow out of this last go round of this one, if it is to be that.

Truth on truth.

[TXSara]

If there's one thing that we never, by definition, pay enough attention to, it's the "last" of everything... since we so often don't know when they've occurred.

I'm not sure I'd want that, to be honest.  As soon as I realized this would be the "last" of something, it would give it too much meaning and probably ruin the moment.

Nope, I'd rather live life like anything COULD be the last time, but never really know... 

~Sara

[ImAllie]

I'm not sure I'd want that, to be honest.  As soon as I realized this would be the "last" of something, it would give it too much meaning and probably ruin the moment.

Nope, I'd rather live life like anything COULD be the last time, but never really know... 

~Sara

That’s pretty much what I mean… pay attention to things and appreciate them like they could be the last time! You never know, except in unusual circumstances, when something is the actual last time. 

I felt like we took repeating events/traditions for granted a bit and then “poof” they were gone.

[TXSara]

So, Paola (lymphatic massage) came by yesterday for a session.  She remarked that my recovery has taken a real turn for the positive over the past 3-4 days.  She said, "The first time I came you were really tight, then the next time really swollen.  The third had a lot of bruising, and this time you're starting to look better!"  She said that I'm doing well enough with drainage that she doesn't think I need to continue beyond my 5th session (it's prepaid 5 at a time).  I'll delay my last session to next week.

It's funny how certain service providers become invested in our transition.  Paola has been there for every surgery (other than the one in Spain) since the beginning.  She saw me before I started hormones, and she's still helping me out today.  I imagine this is the last time I'll need her unless it is normal for people to do lymphatic massage after GRS!  I can see it now... "Uh, Paola, do you do massages... er... downtown?"    Anyway, I just thought about that since we were on the subject of "last times" and I now expect that the next massage may be my last one with her.  She has been very sweet to me, and we talk a lot during the sessions -- it's a lot like a hairdresser, to be honest.

I have had a few people like that along the way -- there are Nicole, Jade, and Sara (she knows how to spell LOL) at my electrolysis center, Kim at Dr. Angobaldo's office (it's sad to know the staff at the plastic surgeon's, right?), and Susannah at Dr. Lam's office (it's also sad to know the staff at the hair transplant surgeon's).  I'm really appreciative of all of these women who have been both service providers and cheerleaders over the past few years.

~Sara

[Oldandcreaky]

Ah, good facial news! That has to be comforting.

[TXSara]

So, today is the last day of school in McKinney ISD.  My youngest had her 8th grade graduation today, so I took off work for a couple hours to attend.  Of course, she was all glammed up in a slinky dress, heels, and big earrings for the occasion -- the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, folks!

I also had a two-hour "downtown" electrolysis session today.  For the first time, Nicole had to really spend a lot of time toward the end of the session really hunting for any remaining hairs.  We're making some real progress down there, and I feel very confident that I'll be ready to go by the end of the year.  Nice.

~Sara

[ImAllie]

Congrats on the graduation! End of middle school, start of high school….(I assume that’s what that means where you are too), speaking of “transitions” 😘

[TXSara]

Congrats on the graduation! End of middle school, start of high school….(I assume that’s what that means where you are too), speaking of “transitions” 😘

Yep, that’s the way our schools are.  Emy was a little emotional because most of her friends are going to a different high school.  She’ll make new friends quickly, though!  Then she’ll have all her old ones AND the new ones! 😁

~Sara

[Oldandcreaky]

How's your face?

[TXSara]

How's your face?

It’s getting a teensy amount better every day.  I think that if you said that the surgery was money /pain free and that I could have the choice of today’s face or the one prior to surgery, I’d still choose the original.  I DO, though, think that we’ll eventually (probably within a couple weeks) get to where I’d change my mind. 

The swelling is going down, but it’s slow.  I think the reason it bothers me so much is the way it manifests… it makes my face shape more squared and that looks more masculine.  The swelling in my neck also makes me look more like a linebacker.  Not the look I’m going for LOL!  It’ll be better eventually.  I’m no longer worried that I’ll STAY this way!

~Sara

[TXSara]

Hi everyone!  I am now 17 days after surgery.  While I'm still swollen and a little discolored, I'm no longer looking "bad".  Here are some before / during / and after pics.

First, I'll show what I looked like the day before my surgery.  This is a pretty cool pic because it was at the hair salon while I was getting my extensions redone.  I took the picture so that I could remember exactly what my bio-hair looks like -- it was done during the time between when I got my old extensions taken out and when the new ones were put in.



Here is a picture I took yesterday.  I can tell that I'm still pretty swollen (it's really obvious when I feel my cheeks), but I don't think people notice that much.  With some makeup to cover up the discoloration and strategic manipulation of my hair to cover up my hairline in front of my ears, I don't look half bad.



To show you what I'm most concerned about, here are a couple pictures where I pulled my hair back.  The first one was about a week in (right before stitches came out) and the second is from today.  I definitely look younger, but I feel like (right now) I don't look "natural".  There's something "off" when you look at me still.  The swelling will go down, which will help, but the "fake" looking hairline in front of my ear is not going to get fixed on its own.

I'm pretty upset about where the incision went in front of my ear -- it should have been farther forward a just a little lower.  It looks really bad and very (dare I say) masculine.  I was on the fence as to whether I needed to go back to the well one more time with Dr. Lam to get my hairline "just right", but after this I'm no longer questioning it.  I'll just suck it up and pay the money.  I can get him to solve both this problem and the problem of my extremely high forehead.  Ugh.  It never ends.



--------------------------------------------------
I have had a really busy weekend.  On Friday, my old boss (now retired) and I went to see one of my all-time favorite bands, King's X.  I have mentioned them on the blog before -- they put out an album earlier this year, and they are now touring.  Yay!  They really sounded great.  Mark (my boss) was blown away because he had never seen them before.  He said he was amazed that these guys never made it big.  I agree.  It's an absolute crime.

Anyway, here are some pics of the concert -- we got up nice and close!  Even at 72, Dug Pinnick is in crazy good shape and still has great range.  Some people just don't age like the rest of us!



This weekend was also my daughter's dance production.  It was a lot of fun watching all of the kids perform, and of course my kid was the most beautiful and graceful of the whole group (I'm not biased at ALL)  !  I'm not gonna lie, though.  She's a REALLY good ballerina.



~Sara

[ChrissyRyan]

Sara,

You look nice. 
Keep smiling!

Chrissy

[CaelaNotKayla]

Sara-

You look great, and I love that Joy Division tee! One of my faves that sadly I’ll never get to see- but I did catch New Order last year and their encore was Joy Division songs!

Hugs!!

Caela