Welcome

Hello, and welcome to my blog! I'm not sure exactly what I'll be writing about, but with the project I've been working on for the past 7 months recently announced, I felt compelled to finally start one. Of course, it has taken me almost a week to get my blog up and running - more on that in future blog entries...

Serchie

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

I got a new face

Lydia is 14 and has a rare condition that has disorted her face. She emailed us her story...

"Look at her" I would hear people say as I was queueing in a shop. I knew what they were thinking - "FREAK". But I knew I was gorgeous and I just ignored them.

A large eye

I was born with a rare condition called Crouzon Syndrome, which meant that the bones in my skull had either fused early or were unable to expand.

It may not sound that bad but it means that my jaw was misshapen and I had lumps and bumps all over my face. The older I grew the worse it got.


Potential cure?

School was hard too. I had a great group of friends but I still knew that loads of people stared at me. But when I was 10 something changed. The doctors said I could have surgery to correct the disorder. My heart started racing in excitement because I'd never considered the possibility of being able to change.

They told me the operation would take seven hours but then I would have to spend three months with a head brace screwed to my skull. It was a difficult decision to make because I was scared of the pain. But eventually I told my family I definitely wanted to go ahead with the surgery.

“ I had lumps and bumps all over my face”

Would I like my new face?

At that time I didn't feel scared but as the day crept closer I started to get more and more nervous. The day before the operation I felt sad to look at my old face for the last time. What if my new face was awful?

When I woke up after the operation I couldn't look in the mirror. The doctors made a 12 inch incision from ear to ear, then attached a metal frame with 10 screws in my face and scalp.

Scared of mirrors

A mirror

I knew it would look strange and for the next 2 weeks I stayed at hospital dosed up on drugs still not looking at the mirror. The screws had to be turned every day pulling my skull bones further forward it was so painful even with the drugs.

It felt like someone was crushing my bones. I would scream every single time. It was three weeks before I looked in the mirror. I started shaking I couldn't believe it was me. My face was bruised and swollen and I had a huge metal frame covering half my face. I knew it would heal, but had I made things worse?

The pain was unbearable

A week later I went out for lunch and people were staring, which was terrible. After that I went to a party with my friends and everyone was really nice. No one laughed or called me names.

Looking forward to the future

I still have the frame on now but it is coming off soon and I feel really positive about it. I also know that with good friends by my side I'll be able to get through all the things the operation has thrown at me.

If there is anyone like this at your school don't be awful to them. Being different is hard enough without people staring at you. I hope my story might make you think twice before judging someone.

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