I posted a couple of these photos to Zentastic when I got home from the hospital last night, but I thought I’d post the full set here. As you know, last year I found out that I had a bone tumor in my right leg just below the knee that was starting to affect my mobility as well as having caused about twenty years of chronic pain. After the biopsy was done, I had Chino tattoo Matthew 5:30 in script above it to help me deal with it —
Matthew 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
I find that “physicalizing the way I’m feeling” helps me to deal with things that are emotionally or intellectually upsetting to me, I think because it makes them tangible in a way that gives me symbols to think about them with, even though of course nothing has really changed. That said, I’m also a bit of a narcissit, haha, so one of the things I was really hoping was that I’d be able to get a surgical photo of this tattoo during the procedure of removing the tumor, because it was so appropriate. Anyway, the doctors were kind enough to snap a number of great photos of the procedure!
That’s an after photo; here are a few others from the procedure:
Everything seems to be healing really well by the way, although it’s just been a few days.
Comments
222 responses to “Matthew 5:30 Tattoo Made Reality”
wow, your doctor is quite the photographer! I like that he got a shot with little strands of flesh being pulled on both sides. It makes a nice picture. And im glad you could make something positive of your surgery 🙂
wow, your doctor is quite the photographer! I like that he got a shot with little strands of flesh being pulled on both sides. It makes a nice picture. And im glad you could make something positive of your surgery 🙂
I’m glad you’re alive, if that helps. Those pics are amazing.
I’m glad you’re alive, if that helps. Those pics are amazing.
THIS IS AWESOME. not so awesome that you had the tumor in the first place, but definitely really cool that you have some nice, clear pictures from the procedure. i just really appreciate this kind of stuff.. when i was a kid i used to watch those live surgeries they used to air on PBS. my favorite was when they replaced a woman’s knee cartilage, which had worn away over the years, with like a plastic thing. reeally cool.
THIS IS AWESOME. not so awesome that you had the tumor in the first place, but definitely really cool that you have some nice, clear pictures from the procedure. i just really appreciate this kind of stuff.. when i was a kid i used to watch those live surgeries they used to air on PBS. my favorite was when they replaced a woman’s knee cartilage, which had worn away over the years, with like a plastic thing. reeally cool.
The doctor actually had the exact same camera as me!
The doctor actually had the exact same camera as me!
Those are great shots, I love how they stretched the nerves out to protect them (I assume they’re nerves). Glad it’s healing well!
Those are great shots, I love how they stretched the nerves out to protect them (I assume they’re nerves). Glad it’s healing well!
speedy recovery, shannon! makes me wonder what my body looked like during my recent surgery, though. hm.
speedy recovery, shannon! makes me wonder what my body looked like during my recent surgery, though. hm.
What happened to the draping, shaving, and iodine? Isn’t that standard procedure? Whatever the case, I hope it heals quickly and completely. So glad to hear everything went as planned.
What happened to the draping, shaving, and iodine? Isn’t that standard procedure? Whatever the case, I hope it heals quickly and completely. So glad to hear everything went as planned.
oh god. i hope you are doing better and the tumor is all out 🙁
oh god. i hope you are doing better and the tumor is all out 🙁
it’s like train-wreak syndrome.. it’s pretty gross, so you want to look away. yet it’s so gruesome and fascinating at the same time.
it totally amazes me how beautiful the body is on the outside, smooth and even, and then when you actually see inside, it’s very complex and made up of SO many different kinds of tissues and whatnot… it’s weird to know that such a beautiful body is so… horrifying (for lack of better word) on the inside.
good luck with healing, Shannon, i hope everything goes well for you!!
it’s like train-wreak syndrome.. it’s pretty gross, so you want to look away. yet it’s so gruesome and fascinating at the same time.
it totally amazes me how beautiful the body is on the outside, smooth and even, and then when you actually see inside, it’s very complex and made up of SO many different kinds of tissues and whatnot… it’s weird to know that such a beautiful body is so… horrifying (for lack of better word) on the inside.
good luck with healing, Shannon, i hope everything goes well for you!!
Hope you get all better and stuff soon Shannon – was wondering when the op was…
and heh, if you do loose the ability to walk, you’ll just *have* to spend more time with the lovely people of ModBlog…
in all seriousness though, I hope they’re giving you some damn good painkillers!
Hope you get all better and stuff soon Shannon – was wondering when the op was…
and heh, if you do loose the ability to walk, you’ll just *have* to spend more time with the lovely people of ModBlog…
in all seriousness though, I hope they’re giving you some damn good painkillers!
I suppose I should be really revolted by this and want to look away, but I can’t…to me it’s fascinating! Lol! Hope you’re feeling better soon Shannon!!!
I suppose I should be really revolted by this and want to look away, but I can’t…to me it’s fascinating! Lol! Hope you’re feeling better soon Shannon!!!
thats fucking awesome! i love the way people’s insides look. tumors especially. i really hope this alleviates your pain brother. heal well
thats fucking awesome! i love the way people’s insides look. tumors especially. i really hope this alleviates your pain brother. heal well
Wow. Glad you’re doing better. Thaks for sharing pictures, very fascinating to see. I love the one with the scar right under the tattoo.
Wow. Glad you’re doing better. Thaks for sharing pictures, very fascinating to see. I love the one with the scar right under the tattoo.
*shudders*
*shudders*
Glad to see it all went well. I hope this cures that chronic pain you’ve always had. I guess you’ll know by winter, eh?
Glad to see it all went well. I hope this cures that chronic pain you’ve always had. I guess you’ll know by winter, eh?
Isa – They don’t shave for surgical procedures any more because they found that it increases the rates of post-operative infection, and there’s definitely iodine, it’s just not obvious in the photos…
Isa – They don’t shave for surgical procedures any more because they found that it increases the rates of post-operative infection, and there’s definitely iodine, it’s just not obvious in the photos…
Woww. Huge hole ! Hope you feel better real soon !!
Woww. Huge hole ! Hope you feel better real soon !!
Welcome back and i hope everything heals up all right 🙂
Welcome back and i hope everything heals up all right 🙂
hooray! glad it went well! get better soon!!!!
hooray! glad it went well! get better soon!!!!
Oh Shannon! I’d have passed out on my face looking at pictures of the inside of my leg. That’s quite the lump! Did you get to keep it??
Oh Shannon! I’d have passed out on my face looking at pictures of the inside of my leg. That’s quite the lump! Did you get to keep it??
looks like there’s baked beans in there haha:)
awesome!
looks like there’s baked beans in there haha:)
awesome!
Shannon, surgical mods rock. 🙂
Heres lotsa healing vibes your way. *vibes*.
Hope she heals up nice and quick so you can be back on your feet.
Rad pics too!!! its so cool they let you take them mid operation. Awesome.
Shannon, surgical mods rock. 🙂
Heres lotsa healing vibes your way. *vibes*.
Hope she heals up nice and quick so you can be back on your feet.
Rad pics too!!! its so cool they let you take them mid operation. Awesome.
I wish I could have kept the lump — I asked them if I could but they said that they couldn’t due to followup analysis (I believe their exact words were “you know, CSI shit” — seriously) and medical waste disposal laws.
I wish I could have kept the lump — I asked them if I could but they said that they couldn’t due to followup analysis (I believe their exact words were “you know, CSI shit” — seriously) and medical waste disposal laws.
We’re so glad you’re doing well, Shannon!!! Hope you heal fast and safe! 🙂 🙂 Those are damn good pictures, by the way!! I love the lighting on the first picture.
We’re so glad you’re doing well, Shannon!!! Hope you heal fast and safe! 🙂 🙂 Those are damn good pictures, by the way!! I love the lighting on the first picture.
Man, that hole in your leg is deep. It’s a pretty intense photo.
Man, that hole in your leg is deep. It’s a pretty intense photo.