scar tissue

one hour before surgery - a marked woman (to confirm which side)

one day after surgery - a bit bloated and crooked again

now eight days out, my wound appears to be healing nicely.  stitches are starting to get loose and i cut one out myself tonight because it was bothering me.  while i was doing that, for the very first time, i noticed all the scar tissue from the first surgery around the perimeter of my mouth where my gum meets my lip and cheek tissue.

i hadn't really examined it before, i guess because that area was tender for so long, i avoided it, even just looking at it.  it has spidery white webs in it, some parts are thicker than others, some parts are higher and lower.  when you stretch it out (like by pulling out my lower lip) it becomes even more apparent that it is super webby scar tissue.  it's freaky looking and grossed me out.

i guess i was suprised to discover how irregular/unnatural it looks in comparison to the way that meeting point between the lip and gum did before.  and although of course i did know this already, it also is showing how the entire rims of my mouth on top and bottom were cut open.  it's clear that anyone who examines my teeth/mouth in the future will be able to tell i had something hardcore done!