“This wasn’t exactly my birth plan, but they didn’t want to cause distress upon my unborn baby. I wanted to push, but my daughter was going to be born by cesarean. She was too big, a whopping 11 lbs 8.5 oz, and had a heart condition. Going into surgery, feeling the sensation of the knife cutting through my flesh I could only think of my bikinis. How it would never look the same, the scar being proof that my life would never be the same. The doctor cut close to my beach tan lines to help it blend into my seventeen year old body better, but little did I know how different it really would become. My newborn would be having surgery too. Only six days into life and she would be cut open. Her scar was thick and more scars developed on her body from the wires, tubes, and IV’s. Every photo except one tells her life story. It tells the pain she endured as an infant, and the struggle she will have throughout her life. I didn’t want someone to stare, I didn’t want her to be different. Two more open heart surgeries would follow and cut into her scar once again making it an inch thick.This wasn’t exactly my birth plan, but they didn’t want to cause distress upon my unborn baby. I wanted to push, but my daughter was going to be born by cesarean. She was too big, a whopping 11 lbs 8.5 oz, and had a heart condition. Going into surgery, feeling the sensation of the knife cutting through my flesh I could only think of my bikinis. How it would never look the same, the scar being proof that my life would never be the same. The doctor cut close to my beach tan lines to help it blend into my seventeen year old body better, but little did I know how different it really would become. My newborn would be having surgery too. Only six days into life and she would be cut open. Her scar was thick and more scars developed on her body from the wires, tubes, and IV’s. Every photo except one tells her life story. It tells the pain she endured as an infant, and the struggle she will have throughout her life. I didn’t want someone to stare, I didn’t want her to be different. Two more open heart surgeries would follow and cut into her scar once again making it an inch thick.”

“As the years followed, I bought every scar cream to help with the appearance. But she doesn’t care, and she never has about any of this. “It’s there,” is all she says. She looks at it as her badge of honor. She isn’t ashamed as I once was and doesn’t have a problem telling anyone her story. Her scar shows where she has been, but does not dictate where she will go. Through her courage, she has brought peace to my mind about my scars as well. I’ve went on to have two more beautiful babies, both born by cesarean as well. I am proud to say my scar tells a story.”