I really want good fish. In season Copper River Salmon, though obviously since that’s impossible I’d take good Chinook salmon right off the boat instead. Oh, Tennessee, why must you be land-locked? I’m settling for frozen Atlantic halibut. I feel cheated. Although that latin for it is Hippoglossus hippoglossus which is oddly satifying to say.
Lately I’m obsessing over my surgery scar from last year. It’s neither tiny, thin nor nearly invisible as promised. In fact it’s kind of keloid-y and lumpy. Any suggestions? Vitamin E? Sandpaper? Get over myself?
It was a fucking beautiful day out in Nashville today. I went for a walk in the park. Later I sat outside and did nothing. I washed the car. It’s bright, clear, beautful, cool, perfect and lovely. I could happily live in a world where every day was like this. Maybe I’ll dig through the closet and find all the clothes I realized I’d never be able to wear in a Tennessee summer. YAY cute fall clothes. And real shoes, not flip-flips, though the end of flip-slop season is sad. But one cannot be properly joyous for it’s return unless it goes away for a little while, right?
I recently imported all my bookmarks into del.icio.us. I don’t know how much I’ll use it, but come hook up with me if you’re using it too.
AJAX BELL 
September 20, 2006 at 11:20 pm
Any suggestions? Vitamin E? Sandpaper? Get over myself?
I’ve heard lots of good things about Mederma, it’s here along with a bunch of other scar removal products. I haven’t actually tried any of them myself but maybe I will because my scar has not gone away as much as I had hoped, then again, it could have been much worse had they gone in vertically instead of with a bikini incision.
September 20, 2006 at 11:27 pm
I have never lived anywhere that wasn’t next to the ocean and have a hard time imagining being landlocked… Funny the things to which we become accustomed.
September 21, 2006 at 1:29 am
A few suggestions for scar tissue:
1) Knead the fuck out of it.
Twiddle the thing between your fingers, move it as much as possible. Get the skin away from the attachments, and break down the keloids. It hurts like a motherfucker, but it flattens the keloid and smooths the scar.
2) Herbal Options
I use a mixture of Slippery Elm & Golden Seal Root (from opened capsules) in fresh wounds to heal from the inside-out and prevent scarring, but that’s not an option here.
Tea Tree Oil
“Clean” the keloid with 100% tea tree oil for a minimum of two weeks to reduce or remove the keloid.
Frankincense is supposed to break down scar tissue — even old stuff. Again, not tried it, but highly recommended treatment is topical application of the essential oil.
Gotu Kola (oral or applied to the scar) is supposed to help remove keloids, but I’ve not tried it. The references I’m finding say it’s more commonly used for venous insufficiency (varicose veins), so you may want to be careful if you have circulatory issues. Also, the recommended dose is (20 to 60 mg 3 times daily of an extract standardized to contain 40% asiaticoside, 29 to 30% asiatic acid, 29 to 30% madecassic acid, and 1 to 2% madecassoside) 3 months before surgery until 3 months following surgery “to prevent keloids.” I’m not sure if it works after they’ve set. I’d recommend speaking with an herbalist before trying this.
3) Western Meds
Neosporin covered with a bandaid is often helpful. Use overnight for several weeks at a time.
Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E oil are supposed to be similarly helpful.
As mentioned above, Mederma (based on onion extract) is supposed to help minimize old scars.
Sending healing vibes.
September 21, 2006 at 1:54 am
Cocoa Butter has always worked really well on my scars.
Maybe your body listened too well to that whole bodmod convo we had about it.
September 21, 2006 at 12:19 pm
silicon gel strips. They are amazing
September 21, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Tennessee doesn’t have a coastline, no, but unless you limit your piscine consumption to only salt-water fish, it still has plenty of sources for fresh fish! The Mississippi river & Reelfoot Lake bound the west side, and the Tennessee river system and the TVA lakes wind through the entire state. There’s plenty of fresh-caught catfish, trout, bass, bluegill, and the appetizingly-named crappie to be found in Tennessee.