re:panniculectomy, panniculotomy, potato, potahto, etc.

[Guest guest]

The pannicula (sp-- no medical dictionary in my spell check) is the overhanging skin and fat that droops over the upper legs (isn't that a pleasant picture?) some of us have worse ones than others-- mine isn't too bad, but the Doc thinks the switch surgery, which he rates a 10 on the Richter scale of procedures, will be easier with less "stuff" to go thru to get to the "stuff" that has to be rearranged. Plus, it will help me be more mobile immediately post surgery -- and since I have arthritis in both knees anyway ... anything will help.

My BMI is 70 (5'2", 386lbs.) which makes the potential complications of wound infection and dehesance (sp?)( incision comes open due to excess fluid accumulation and/or infection) is pretty great anyway, so removing some of the abdominal fat is a good idea in my case. Now, mind you, I am not thrilled with 2 surgeries in one year, and I am doing some serious emotional processing of my responses to the foregoing, and the fact that my navel goes with the extra fat. I like my navel, having it removed for someone's convenience bothers me. Having my pearly white and flawless, albeit enormous, tummy sliced up also bothers me. having a hip to hip incision left open to heal from the inside out bothers me. I had a bikini line hysterectomy incision come apart. I am not happy about this. But I will deal with it.

Any body else out there feel the need to say good-bye to body parts about to be sliced and removed? I am thinking of making a plaster cast of my navel as a sort of ritual commemoration of its existence before they snip it out.

Nan

pre-op, Dr. Anthone, USC