Sunday, October 11, 2009

Face-off

This started as a birth-mark on the upper lip:



It is actually vascular malformation- just some blood vessels that took it into their head to grow big.

Horrible condition.

5 comments:

  1. Haemangiomas are rather common in these parts and sometimes one can only sympathize if inoperable.

    Head and Neck area h'omas are quite frequently in that category due to intricate links with blood vessels of the brain.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kind of you to have commented here.

    I can't believe that an ordinary birth mark will grow and grow to totally cover the face.

    Is there no way to cut it away?

    Fills you with pity- I saw the film, "Elephant Man", and initially I was repulsed to look at him, but then it turned to sympathy.

    It is very difficult to treat someone with some different condition than ours the way we would treat one another.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah well, I just dropped by so commented..

    Not all can be operated for they could have intricate vascular connections, often impossible to unravel, with nearby vital structures or organs. Sometimes they may be the only source of blood supply to that organ or region of the organ.

    Removal may be impractical then...definitely negligent if not first exlored for through investigations.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have a vascular malformation on my left calf, but it looks completely different to this. But then again, ive never seen two exactly alike. Im 16 and ive had it since my mum spotted it when I was a few months old as a tiny bump, then it grew and grew. It's about the size of a rugby ball as the moment, but seems to have stopped growing with me.

    Ive been told time and time again that it cant be operated on for me because it's an unusual type where it's grown actually with my muscle all the way down my calf. Therefore operating would be unthinkable due to the muscle contact and blood loss.

    It's extremely hard living with them, and ive had a growing interest with people the same, such as the elephant man, because I know how tough it is.
    Isabel.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am really sorry. Hope doctors find a way to make it right.

    ReplyDelete