Us and our new normal: Scars and foreign objects!

I don't know why, but I've been thinking about Katelyn's scar a lot lately. I think a combination of being reminded of how physically set-back she has been because of her operation last year and also wondering how her scar is really healing. I've realised how I don't even think about the fact that she has a massive scar down the front of her chest as well as a very obvious foreign object inside there! (aka...pacemaker!). I've had to make sure that if i take off her top in front of others, that I warn them or explain why she has significant scarring.

Anyway...was interesting to look back at some pictures, be reminded of how far she's come..

Her initial scar after her first heart surgery (Banding) at 3.5 months. This scar is now a very delicate thin line that you can hardly notice.

The little body before...

Her after just being home for a few days...whole body battered and bruised with from all the drips and lines .

This is two months later, after the scar wasn't healing well (her body half rejecting the pacemaker) - they had to put her under again to restitch her up. Pacemaker was shifted a bit and still very swollen around the area.

This is just three weeks after the second operation - all bandaged up - trying to get the pacemaker to stay put!

Again - just a week later, the white plaster there just to help the pacemaker from shifting too much (in the end didn't help at all!)

Another week later...looking good...but still looks swollen.

Then two months later, the left and right side of her chest look very different (difficult to see), but there is a big step in her sternum so the one side looks more swollen or as though someone knocked her with a brick!