Recovery: Day 1 & 2

Op + 24 hours

Op + 48 hours

15/12/2016 10.50pm: The last 48 hours since returning home have been unusual. I have spent A LOT of time sleeping, and I feel far away from my usual 6am alarm and 10 hour work day. My neck is swollen, and I have a lopsided chin which I hope in time will tighten up and look ‘normal’ again. I have to remind myself that even though the incision is low on my neck, the cyst was removed from under my chin, along with part of my hyoid bone. Thinking about it like that, my body is an amazing thing.

I’ve mainly been eating soft food, such as my favourite yogurt and mum’s homemade chicken soup. Liam did bring me a Terry’s Chocolate Orange McFlurry last night, which was meant for sharing, but I ate the whole thing to myself (oops). I’m also trying to keep my wound dry, therefore getting shallow baths and avoiding washing my hair (although mum did a great job of washing  it for me last night!).

I went out to IKEA this evening with my family. It’s something we had been looking forward to for a few weeks – a festive feast, so I really didn’t want to miss it. It felt like a lot of effort to straighten my hair and apply some blusher and mascara. I look grey without it. I think I got a couple of ‘looks’, but two days in, I really expected my scar to look worse than I currently does. I can’t thank my surgeon enough for gluing me back together in a straight, neat line.

The reason  I have decided to post photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is because my scar is nothing to be ashamed of. I was so worried about what the cyst could be, and until I receive the biopsy results back on January 5th, I still won’t know for sure whether it is something which will cause me hassle in the future, but I will wear my scar with pride.

I’ve already found comfort in another young woman’s story on Instagram. She has had two operations to remove her Thyroglossal Duct Cyst, as it recurred, and her hyoid bone was only removed in the second procedure, which reduces the recurrence rate significantly. Again, I am thankful for our wonderful NHS, which has meant I have had only one procedure which will hopefully tackle the root of the problem, rather than a less invasive surgery but the potential of having a second operation in the future.