Chemical Shift

WARNING: This post may not be suitable to read if you have just eaten or are easily grossed out. You have been warned!

Last Friday, I had some minor surgery performed to remove a small lump on my left shoulder. The surgeon suspected it to be a lipoma. After he cut it out, he said that it was a lipoma, and that it would be sent off for pathology, though they usually aren’t bad. The nurse let me see it before they sent it to the lab. It was a gnarly, white to off-white, round object, about an inch in diameter, that looked like gristle. Earlier, I asked the nurse who checked me in if I could take a picture of it, but she gave me a weird look and seemed stunned for some reason, then said it wasn’t likely that I could.

I only had local anaesthetic for the procedure. The surgeon asked me if I wanted general or local during my prior office visit, but I said local since it was supposed to be quick and simple for him to do and I’m a little scared of general anaesthesia. For the procedure I had to lay on my chest with the table angled up with my face facing away from the doctor and nurse. They injected the numbing agent around the area and it began to work right away. I felt pressure and tugging during the operation and heard their laser system being used. He sewed it back up with four or so stitches, which I will have removed in two weeks. The whole procedure probably took about 30 to 45 minutes.

This is the first time I’ve ever had stitches as well as any type of surgery, besides work on my big toes for ingrown toe nails, back when I was in high school.