This is Andrea

This is Andrea's story:

i have a cooler scar than you.

due to much demand: the story.

when i was born (prematurely), i was born with a hole in my diaphragm. my liver and intestines would invade through the hole and repeatedly collapse my lungs, i think about 8 or 9 times. the doctors told my parents that i had no hope of making it... but nonetheless went in when i was 2 weeks old and fixed the hole. they saved me (rather obviously), and left me a fantastically large scar to enjoy. it has never stretched, so you can imagine what it looked like on a 4 pound baby!

the best scar-related comment i've ever had was in grade four, in the girl's changeroom after gym class. cool girl (not me) to loser girl (me):
"i feel so sorry for you! you can never wear a bikini."

perhaps in retaliation, by the time i hit grade nine i not only had a surface piercing in my scar, but had also cut a scar-shaped hole in a tank top the better to display it.

hurrah for living, and for surgeons.

______

Andrea sent me the link to her story on Flickr. These are some of the comments her posting inspired:


"Scars are tattoos with better stories."

"Wow! Medicine can be so amazing. How wonderfully fortunate for you! :o)"

"I agree: wear your scars proudly."

"Thanks for the story. I'm a nurse in a neonatal ICU and it's great to know these crazy miracles babies grow up to be proud of their scars and what they went through."

"Great story, great scar, great shot. ... I cut my finger once. Is that anything?"

"amazing everything."

"That's totally awesome! I say we should all be proud of ALL of our bodies, including the things others perceive as imperfections!"