Well, it doesn't look like the graft around my mouth took. So I'm pretty upset about that. I just don't understand. Why does my body want to reject grafts and contract like it does? I mean, the graft is from my own body and it still doesn't want to take it. And then I have to go through intense physical therapy to prevent contractures, which even with PT contractures still occur. I am having a hard time with the contractures in my neck. I have had 3 surgeries on my neck so far and it still wants to contract. Hopefully, this fourth surgery using these tissue expanders on the back of my shoulders will keep the contractures down because he is doing a flap instead. But I fight them everyday. They are really bad in my shoulders too which is what prevents me from getting a cup or dish down out of the cupboard by myself. On this last set of surgeries he released the left shoulder but I don't know it's full capabilities yet because I still have stitches in and it's still sore. I can't wait to see it's potential once those stitches are out and I can push it a little bit more. My right shoulder is the worst. I can barely make it to 90 degrees high.
However, the grafts on my chest seem to have taken ok, so that's good news. I don't know what the surgeon is going to want to do about my mouth whether he's going to want to try and regraft it or not. I will find out everything he has to say this week on the 14th when we go down to Portland for a post-op appt with him. I just get so discouraged when grafts don't take. I don't know how to put my faith in God that it will work out.
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