Tattoo Session #3 September 9, 2011

Yesterday I went for my third session on my Pirates of the Caribbean chest piece.  I didn't bother posting after my second session because it was just some more outlining and shading.  Yesterday, we added colour!  Photographs do it no justice.  Jarkko's doing an amazing job.  I have no more sessions booked before our trip to Disney in October.  Hopefully we can get back at it soon!!!  Jarkko wanted the top part that shows, including the cover-up of the old tattoos, to look decent before our trip.  I think he did it!!!

Click on picture for larger version.

The tattoo Gods were shining down on my yesterday as the appointment before me was a no-show (something I will NEVER understand...who misses a tattoo appointment?) Because we had more time, we were also able to do the Steamboat Willie I'd been wanting. He's on the outside lower part of my right arm.  He looks incredible!  and reminds me of my dear sweet Dad.  So happy to have it done before our Disney trip too!  Not related to my scar cover-up, but a really important piece to me.

Click on picture for larger version.

A Pirate's Life for Me!

Content Warning
This blog post contains content only suitable for adults.

Last Friday, I had my first chest tattooing session. The first 2 hours was spent reviewing drawings, designs and drawing with Sharpies and stenciling on my chest. This is a huge project which involves covering up some old tattoos. Once we were happy with the designs and their placements, I sat for a 2 hour tattooing session, complete with Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks blasting in my ear buds!

As promised, here are a few photographs. Warning, these do show my bare chest complete with mastectomy scars.

Before ~ mastectomy scars and old tattoos we're covering.

Artwork ~ designs superimposed over a photograph of my chest.
Left breast will be covered with a Kraken tentacle;
Right breast will have an open treasure chest with gold coins, the cup for the Fountain of Youth and Tia Dalma's necklace.

More artwork; The Black Pearl!!! The bow of the Flying Dutchman is in the top picture.

Stencils and lots of blue sharpie!!!

After first session. The Black Pearl is above my left breast; it's hard to see in this photo, but above my right breast is the bow of the Flying Dutchman surfacing. There will be a water vortex and waves added later. The signature Skull and Crossbones is centred on my chest with "Dead Men Tell No Tales" along my collar bone. There will be Hidden Mickey's hidden throughout the design. There is one in handle of one of the torches and there will be one hidden in the suckers on the Kraken tentacles! Jarkko is an amazing artist and came up with some "ironic" ideas for this design, like the "open chest" *smile*

Everything has healed wonderfully and the detail is amazing. It's hard to see in these photos as I'm cover in stencil and tattoo ink! I will publish detailed upclose photos when the piece is complete.

My next appointment is scheduled for August 19th...I can't wait!!!

It is not the destination so much as the journey, they say.

The above is a quote from Captain Jack Sparrow and is suiting to today's post as I embark on the final leg of my journey. Today we start my chest tattoo. My wonderful tattooist, Jarkko, has been drawing the piece and says he has some surprises for me. I'm not allowed to see until today! *smile* I'm very excited and very nervous at the same time.

I'm not sure how much we will get done today; I'm hoping we can get most of the outline done. It all depends on how my pain threshold is today. I will post before and after photos after today's session once the bandages come off; hopefully tomorrow.

Tia Dalma: You know of Davy Jones? A man of the sea, a great sailor. Until he run afoul of that which vexes all men.

Will Turner: What vexes all men?

Tia Dalma: What indeed.

Gibbs: The sea?

Pintel: Sums?

Ragetti: The dichotomy of good and evil?

Jack Sparrow: A woman.

Tia Dalma: A woman. He fell in love.

Gibbs: No, no, I heard it was the sea he fell in love with.

Tia Dalma: [annoyed] Same story, different versions. And all are true. See, it was a woman as changing and harsh and untamable as the sea. Him never stopped loving her. But the pain it caused was to much to live with, but not enough to cause him to die.

Will Turner: What exactly did he put into the chest?

Tia Dalma: Him heart.

Ragetti: Literally or figuratively?

Pintel: He couldn't literally put his heart in a chest. Could he?

Tia Dalma: It was not worth feeling what small, fleeting joy life brings.

Dead Men Tell No Tales

I know, I know, I've been negligent in my blogging. I've really felt no need to update. Since my revision surgery things have been going along wonderfully! I still have a little pain and discomfort but nothing like before my revision.

I'm about to embark on the final stage of my long journey though; tattooing my reconstructed breasts. I am however putting a different twist on the usual reconstructive breast tattooing. To quote my plastic surgeon: "I know you won't do nipple tattoos, but I know you'll do something. Whatever it is, I want pictures!".

Well, she's right and she'll get her wish. I have a consultation with one of my favourite tattooists on July 9, 2011, for a Pirates of the Caribbean themed chest piece! WOO HOO

I'm a Disney nut and have been a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean since long before the Johnny Depp days (gasp, I know! but he has made Pirates even better!). I've loved POTC since I first visited Walt Disney World in March of 1972. I'm dubbing this tattoo, my "Dead Man's Chest". ARRGH!!!

I've been researching what Pirates "elements" I want to incorporate in my chest piece. I have 2 amazing POTC Artwork books that have been a fabulous help. So far I've come up with the Disney Pirates skull (goes without saying), the key to the Dead Man's Chest, a Kraken, an Incan coin, Tia Dalma's Pendant and of course, the Black Pearl. The tattoo will start at my collar bone. The collar bone will say "Dead Men Tell No Tales" in "Pieces of Eight" font, and the tattoos will go right down my chest/breasts to cover my mastectomy scars.

I'm not sure how/if he can incorporate everything I have envisioned, but I know he'll do his best to try! We'll work out all those details at my consultaton on the 9th. My first tattooing session is scheduled for July 22, 2011. I can't wait!

ARRRGH Mateys!

Excuse our appearance...we are currently under reconstruction...again!

I can't believe it's been over 9 months since Dad's passing. Life has been absolutely CRAZY this year. I listed my house for sale; finally found a buyer in July with a 3-week closing date; moved into Dad's house and are currently living in renovation hell! You'd swear we're in an episode of Hoarders!

I saw my plastic surgeon in July during the chaos and again today. I have never been happy with how my reconstruction healed, so I am having a revision surgery on December 10th...5 days after we get back from a fun-filled family vacation at Disney World.

The surgery should be about 2 hours in length; she will remove my current implants, perform a capsulectomy (removal of scar tissue) and insert higher profile "shorter" implants. This should make the implants sit little lower in my chest (they currently feel like they're on my shoulders!) and will be a bit wider at the base to help with the "flat" spots; this will all hopefully give me a bit more of a natural look. I have requested my guardian angel anesthesiologist too (explained here). Hopefully he's available that day.

I'll have a lot of preparation to get done in a VERY short period of time. The kitchen reno is scheduled to take place while I am away at Disney, so that gives me only 4 days to try unpack and organize my new kitchen (EEEEE...I'm getting my dream kitchen, I can't wait). I'm sure I won't get it all organized, but will at least try to get enough done so I can easily access a few things after surgery. I'm scheduled to work the Monday to Thursday before my surgery, but may need to take a half day off here and there to try get things ready at home.

Stay tuned....

On a blogging hiatus

Since the passing of my dear dad on January 15th, 2010, my urge to blog has completely stopped. I'm in a daze these days and the past few weeks are all a blur. I'm numb and it all feels like a bad dream that I just can't wake up from.

My unhappiness with my new foobs seems so inconsequential at this point. I really haven't thought about it much these days; I guess that proves what the real important things in life are and it doesn't really matter what my chest looks like...it's just not that important! Things may change as time passes, but for now, I can live with them...at least now they won't kill me.

I have lost both my parents in under 3 years to this fucking disease and at least for now, it can't catch me!

Good night dad...I love you!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

Surgery update...finally!

I've done my surgery update finally. It's a bit long, so hope I don't bore anyone with it!

Surgery Day ~ November 25th, 2009

My surgery wasn't scheduled until 12:30, so we headed to London the morning of surgery. My husband and I arrived at St. Joseph’s around 10:30. Dr. Temple was ahead of schedule so I was taken into Day Surgery early. At this point, the nerves hit. For my mastectomy in July, I didn't have the nerves. I should have seen this as a little foreshadowing that things weren't going to go so smoothly.

First, I changed into my sexy gown and then Dr. Temple came in to mark me up with her trusty Sharpie!

Next came the part I dread, and that didn't go so well...the lab tech arrived to put in my IV. Not such a fun experience. I have small veins and it's usually difficult to give me an IV...today was worse! My wonderful caring husband held my hand for support (and for me to squeeze). She couldn't do it and tried poking and poking and poking at both hands. After about 10 minutes of this, she gave up and was going to speak to the OR staff. At this point I'm just about in hysterics. Despite my tattoos, I HATE needles and was almost at the passing out stage. I started to cry and could not turn off the waterworks. Shortly after a medical student working with Dr. Currin, the anesthesiologist, arrived. She did her 20 questions with me regarding medical history. She said not to worry about the IV, that she'd do it down at the OR. Ok, I felt a little better now. Since the hospital staff would probably frown on me bringing my dogs and cats with me, I brought Mickey and Minnie for moral support! This picture was taken by my hubby just before they wheeled me out.

About 10 minutes later, Dr. Currin's medical student and a very handsome orderly (had to mention that...I hate seeing a good looking man when I'm looking my worst!) arrived to wheel me down to the OR. They park my gurney in the hall just outside my OR door. The student doctor says she's going to do my IV now. Nope, my body had other ideas! She tried a couple of times in my right hand and ended up blowing 2 veins. My right hand turned a lovely purple colour! She said she was sorry and was going to speak to Dr. Currin and have him take a look at me. I start crying again!

Dr. Currin comes out of the OR and starts chatting to me. He looked familiar. He took one look at the Oriental goldfish tattoo on my right arm and says "I remember you, you have the carp on your arm!" He starts to laugh. He had been my anesthesiologist for my mastectomy in July. I knew I recongized him! He's older and English and had this aire about him that just wanted you to cuddle him like a grandfather or a teddy bear. He was such a sweet man. He put a tournequet on my lower left arm (instead of the usual upper) and started to slap my wrist VERY hard! OUCH!!! Next thing you know, I had an IV needle in me. He had that sucker in there in under 15 seconds and with no freezing first. What a wonderful doctor!!! The nurse hooked up my IV and started the antibiotic drip.

A couple of minutes later, they took me into the OR. As usual, I moved myself to the table and tried to get comfortable on a table that's only about 12 inches wide! They covered me with wonderful warm blankets. Dr. Currin rubbed my shoulders and said "You've been through a rough time today, I'm going to give you a treat. I'm going to give you the best buzz you've ever had." Whatever he gave me was WOW! Can I have some of whatever that was to go please? He put something into my IV and left me buzzed for a couple of minutes while the nurses hooked up the blood pressure cuff, heart monitors, etc. With my previous surgeries they had hooked me up wide awake and then just put me under. This time was definitely different!!! :-) They finally put the oxygen mask on me and told me to take couple of deep breaths. They injected the Propofol (a.k.a. Diprivan; think Michael Jackson, may he rest in peace) and out I went.

Skip to Recovery. I wake up and with worst sore throat EVER! I could hardly speak...the worst laryngitis I've ever had. I had been previously told that I was difficult to intubate and they had to use a special type of tube on me. Apparently this time was no exception. The recovery nurse told me the sore throat was from that. Other than the throat, I felt pretty good with very little pain although I'm sure the morphine I had been given during surgery was still at work. I'm lucky and wake up very easily from anesthetic and never feel nauseous, etc. As soon as I was able to sit up, the nurse gave me some Tramacet for the pain. I had two drains in (yuck ~ I HATE the drains).

After about 30 minutes, they took me back to the Day Surgery Unit where my hubby was waiting for me. The same very handsome orderly mentioned above got me some ginger ale and a cherry popsicle to help with the throat. He was very very kind and chatted with me for a few minutes. Shortly after that, Dr. Temple came in to see me. She laughed at my throat and said Dr. Currin really had to ram my throat a few times to get the tube in. I told her how wonderful I thought he was and she said if I decide to do nipple reconstruction or if need to do a revision surgery, we can request him again. I've made a mental note of that because I have a feeling there'll be a revision in my future...but more about that further on.

About an hour after I was in back in Day Surgery, I was allowed to leave. Yes, as hard as it is to believe, my previous mastectomy and today's breast capsulatomy and implants are day surgery. I was given two cards with my implant serial numbers (one for each side) and a prescription for Tramacet as well as a heavy duty antibiotic to prevent skin infection. I joked with my hubby that if they ever find my body and can't identify it, they can use my implant serial numbers to identify me. The nurse and I talked about the serial numbers and noted a recent case where this had been done. We both wished the authorities had never released that type of information because they are a lot of sickos out there. If someone would go to the efforts of disfiguring a body so much that it can't be identified (cut of finger tips and knock out her teeth), then we said we could see women being mutilated to remove their implants as well. But I digress. I was also given the instructions for the home care nurse.

DH went to get the car and the nurse wheeled me down to the hospital entrance. I was starving so part way home we stopped at McD's to get me some chicken nuggets and fries. The drive home was uneventful. It was good to get home.

Skip to next day. Good thing I had experience emptying drains. When I called the homecare people, I was advised someone wouldn't be here until Friday (my surgery was on a Wednesday), but I could call if there was an emergency or I had any problems they would send someone over. I saw my first homecare nurse on Friday. She's a neighbour of mine and she had visited me back in July after the mastectomy.

My tubes were removed on Monday. Dr. Temple had ordered that they had to come out on Day 5 regardless of home much drainage I still had. Removal was virtually painless and it felt good to have them removed. Sleeping with them in is next to impossible! I was pretty sleep deprived at this point. The nurse showed me the tubing and explained how much was actually in my breast (nearly faints)...I didn't need to know that!!! LOL I did enjoy many naps with my fur-nurses. Cats are the BEST fur-nurses. Raven (the little black cat) never left my side. Animals definitely have an instinct for when you're not feeling well. Both of my dogs who can be pretty rambunctious didn't jump on me once during the healing process.

Skip to next week. I'm so depressed and hate my new foobs. I have this horrible arm pit cleavage (for want of a better term) and to me my foobs look like flat hamburger buns. I spent about a week crying. Everytime someone would ask how I was doing, I'd start crying. I was miserable. I had moments where I had wished I hadn't done reconstruction at all and had opted to remain a no-boober.

I had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Temple on December 7th. My sister came along as driver and moral support. Margo was there too (my angel Margo). Dr. Temple said I was healing nicely. When she asked what I thought, I started to cry. I told her I didn't like how I looked and had been afraid to tell her for not wanting to hurt her feelings (silly I know). She said I still had a lot of swelling in my chest muscles and that it will take quite some time for things to settle down. She said not to be silly about hurting her feelings. 10 - 15% or reconstruction patients require some sort of revision surgery. I'm to go back to see her on June 21st, 2010, the day she returns from her maternity leave. If I'm still not happy then, we'll schedule a revision to place them differently, or perhaps change the profile and/or size. I currently have medium profile implants. Dr. Temple showed me some massages to do on my foobs. I'm to push them up, push them down and push them together to create cleavage. This is done because there's scar tissuing forming and this is to help put the implants where I want them. She said to do them everytime I sit on the toilet, or whenever. I told her "hell, I'll do those at work! LOL" They joked about the guys looking at their watches wondering what time Shari starts work! LOL I almost obsess about the massages. I'm constantly doing them. Anyone who doesn't know I've had reconstruction surgery could see me and think I was constantly playing with myself! :-) The only down side is the massages to cause some discomfort. That's probably from breaking up the scar tissue.

Once Dr. Temple left the office, Margo sat next to me and we had a good chat with me and my sister. If you recall from my first blog entry, my sister tested negative to this nasty mutation. Please read here from an old blog of hers for an account of our genetic testing and my positive result. Margo said she understood my emotions and that I'd been through so much in the past year (3 surgerys virtually removing every female part I had). She was going to have a psycologist friend of hers, Colleen, give me a call to talk. Margo is so wonderful!

After my appointment I felt so much better. I can wait six months. I'm hoping with the constant playing with my new foobs, that things will settle down and I'll start to like the way I look.

For your viewing pleasure, this is how my foobs look today. I have to say the incisions are healing very well. Dr. Temple definitely is a talented plastic surgeon. Her incisions are very fine.

I finish my sick leave tomorrow, and start Christmas vacation on December 24th. I'll be back to work on January 4th, 2010. It will be good to get back. I have certainly missed everyone and my work (yes, I love my job and the work I do!).

I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone for all your support in 2009. I couldn't have done this without you. I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010.

Love,
Shari