CASE # 1287

It started with a ruptured appendix when I was 17. Three (and a half) surgeries and 6 weeks later I was released from the hospital with this set of scars. I had a series of infections that wouldn’t go away, and each operation after the main one was an attempt to root them out. 12 points of entry. The wounds had to heal “open” to allow for infections to work their way out. I used to just tell people I was bitten by a shark. I don’t often go shirtless, but it’s more because I’m embarrassed of my love handles than my scars.

My 12 year old daughter (not pictured) sports a series of overlapping heart surgery scars that run the length of her sternum. We go together well. If only her mom had gotten a vertical cesarean, we would all match.

CASE # 1286

My husband likes to say that he has 'more operations than Iraq'. He came to the states in 1982 at age 18 from Argentina as a dialysis patient. He has had two transplants, the kind that leave scars that wrap around the waist. He has a fistula (now with an aneuryism) in his right arm, a failed graph in his left forearm, scars on both knees from permanent pins to correct knock-knee because of bone problems, one on his lip to his chin from cancer, one on his temple from a biopsy, one in chest from the temporary dialysis entry, on his wrists to correct nerve damage,and one from removal of his gallbladder. Marcelo's first transplant lasted only a month, the second 11 years. He has been back on dialysis since 1997. He has suffered through everything from a stroke to gout as byproducts of this insidious disease but still raised 3 fantastic boys into men (our oldest was discovered last year to have one kidney fail and shrink, but the other is functioning fine). Marcelo ran 3 successful businesses and received recognition from Governors Warner and Kaine as well as Mayor Wilder for his contributions to the betterment of the Latino community. Although no longer able to work, Marcelo continues to promote cultural awareness as a Producer and host for the last three years of a Latin Rock and social commentary program on WRIR 97.3 FM.

CASE # 1285

I have two scars, from a motorcycle crash when I was 24. One scar is on my right hand, a neat 2" scalpel line where I had implant surgury to fix my broken wrist from the crash. A year after the surgury I had the hand tattood with sacred geometry (long story but I can write it up succinctly if that's the one you decide to profile). Photo attached, this will take careful photography with the right angle of light to show the scar and tattoos together.
The other scar is a large scar in the shape of the norse rune "Kenaz) (you can google that). This is where a very hot shard of my motorcycle punctured the side of my knee, burning while it cut into the flesh. Between this and my crushed ankle, I was unable to walk for about a month and endured a lot of physical therapy. The rune Kenaz, interestingly, signifies stabbing, piercing, burning, and also carries connotations of new life and rebirth. As the rune was made in my flesh, it was piercing and burning at the same time. A joke from the universe. I have never had this scar photographed. You can see my portfolio at this link. I live in Reston VA now.