Plastic Surgery

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ppEQmjFO6A

 

Two words: Plastic surgery. What do you think of it? Implants, augmentation, reduction, liposuction … it’s interesting. People should do whatever makes them feel beautiful, but I do feel that there’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed. In this particular post, I’ll be focusing on face lifts.

                A face lift is done by making an incision in front of the ear, and cutting underneath the first layer of skin so that it’s able to be lifted up. The skin is then pulled back towards the ears, tightening the skin on the cheekbones and jaw. This is usually for people who want to look younger, and their face is starting to sag.

                In the video, notice all the markings the doctor is making on the woman’s face. This is so they can know exactly where to cut so that no mistakes are made. Part of her head is shaved for easier cutting.

                The doctor takes his instruments and repeatedly slides it underneath the skin. This is to make sure all the tendons and tissue still connected to her cheek is separated from the layer of skin he’s working with.                     

                He then scrapes/cuts the fat off of the inner layer of her cheek. This is a simpler form of liposuction. After he does that, he pulls the skin tightly back to her ears and sutures her up.

 

                A facelift is simply making someone look younger. It’s not like they’re changing what their face looks like- they’re going back in time to what they used to look like.  However, I still don’t agree with plastic surgery. It’s natural for the human body to age, and a beautiful process like that shouldn’t be played with. But some people age quicker than others, and I can understand how it would be frustrating for a forty year old to look sixty.

                Now as for breast implants… this surgery is not only stupid (in my opinion), it’s risky. There’s risk of infection, a reaction to the implants, and the implants not working out well. A breast reduction I understand, because too big of breasts can be painful and difficult with everyday life. But IMPLANTS…  Everyone woman is born beautiful. The size of a woman’s breasts shouldn’t determine how beautiful she is. Anyway, the point is, plastic surgery is a strange thing. Yet very common.

Shadowing at Mercy

 

A while ago, I filled out a form to get me into a job shadow program, done through my high school. I got “accepted” into it, and I have a job shadow tomorrow at Mercy Hospital. I stated that I wanted to see what a live Emergency Room is going to look like. I can almost guarantee that this desire is not going to be fulfilled, because why would a hospital let some teenager see all the gory stuff that takes place in an ER? Um, because I want to be doing that in less than ten years. I WILL be doing that in less than ten years. The medical shows I watch (some realistic, some unrealistic) such as Grey’s Anatomy and Untold Stories of the ER, are now failing to satisfy my craving for medical action. I don’t want to continue looking up surgery videos. I want to see, for my own eyes, in real life, someone being cut open and sutured back together. I’m sorry if that sounds creepy, but it’s the truth. I want to experience it, and I don’t want to wait until I’m the one doing it myself. I want to observe.

 

                Even thought I get to have a more professional job shadow experience, I still have the opportunity to tour a hospital and get one on one advice from a doctor. A friend of my dad’s works at a hospital downtown and has agreed to talk to me about my future and let me get an inside look at the hospital. I would actually rather do that because my dad would be with me and it would be more personal, and I’d feel more comfortable asking questions and such since the doctor/my “tour guide” is a friend of my dad’s.

 

                I’m curious to know if the doctor will actually let me see some sort of procedure. Nothing like a real sit-in surgery in an OR, but something small, like a minor suture procedure. That would be so cool. I’m not easily grossed out by those things, but then again, I’ve only seen videos. It’d be cool to see if I’m bothered by the real thing, and actually helpful. I can’t be nauseated by those things if I want to be an ER nurse.

 

                Anyway, if I do get into the job shadow program, I’m still going to do the job shadow with my dad’s doctor-friend. I would have two different, yet similar experiences and I would benefit hugely from that.