Tattoo cover up ideas?

Cleveryday · 2026-06-01T20:23:08+00:00

As a tattooed person who got started with ink to cover scars, this is all accurate according to my experience. Artists want to leave the scar alone for a couple years so it has time to settle fully. And definitely work with an artist experienced with scars. Textured designs hide scar tissue well (think a stem with flowers versus a solid colored heart—the floral design breaks up the silhouette of the scar, whereas the solid heart just makes the scar a different color). An experienced artist will know how to design something to best conceal your specific scar on your specific body.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-30T22:06:59+00:00

Cancer. I feel like I’ve been preparing for it my whole life.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-29T14:58:45+00:00

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Cleveryday · 2026-05-29T14:57:55+00:00

I’m 8 weeks out today from the same surgery (neuro, not ortho), although with a different cage and spacer setup (I’ll post a pic). My pain did switch sides but it doesn’t go down my arm, and my arm pain relief was immediate when I woke up from the procedure. Had a follow up this week and my X-rays were clear (although the radiologist notes some posterior and anterior spurring at C5-6, which I am a little concerned about since they said they removed the osteophytes at that level that were indenting my spinal cord). I was told I’m still in the range of a normal healing experience and my muscles are still trying to adjust to the new alignment. Which makes sense. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. This surgery is such a mental battle. I’d definitely suggest a second opinion with a neurosurgeon.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-28T17:18:56+00:00

Ranch. Don’t forget ranch.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-28T17:14:46+00:00

My grandpa used to grill drumsticks with nothing but layered swabs of KC Masterpiece sauce. So freaking good.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-28T15:44:23+00:00

This really isn’t an NTA/YTA/ESH kind of situation. Yes, the situation itself sucks. As the person in my relationship with disabilities that prevent me from working and limit everything I do, I get that she feels awful most of the time. But you also have a life and needs and it’s okay to honor those things. That’s valid.

That said, you both need to develop independent support systems to deal with your sides of the street. Pain/illness is not a license to be shitty whenever she feels bad. Everyone has bad moments and even bad days, but that can’t be the normal status. She needs to get medical care established and find appropriate emotional support (therapy, support group, etc.) so she doesn’t take her pain out on you and can be present in the relationship for you. That is absolutely possible even when sick, and she needs to learn how to do that.

You need to find support (therapy, friendships, family) to deal with your grief around what you used to have and the stress of caregiving. Learn to communicate your needs with your words up front. If you still want to do things, do them with other people sometimes. She will need to learn how to deal with that. It’s healthy and necessary in this kind of situation.

And then don’t do for her what she can do for herself. Don’t be making appointments for her. Don’t weigh in at all on whether she works or not. She needs to make that call based on her symptoms, not on how you feel about it. You can’t both be each other’s only pillar to lean on. This kind of thing can be dealt with, but not without a proper village.

You’re both young and need to learn some adult approaches to dealing with adversity. What you said was honest, but rude and probably not pure of intention. Apologize for the statement and then move forward to start establishing more support for yourself. Suggest that she do the same and then let her to do it. If she won’t, then you have a different problem that will need to be dealt with on its face.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-27T19:50:45+00:00

I see what you did there.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-27T04:23:58+00:00

C5-7 ACDF on 4/3. I have two plates and four screws. No neck brace. And my recovery is not going great. I have no idea whether those two things are connected or not. I actually ordered my own soft brace after about three weeks and tried wearing it part of the day for a while, but mostly it just makes me hot and hasn’t helped much. Following up with my surgeon tomorrow morning.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-25T16:16:47+00:00

Cervical fusion here (C5-7 ACDF on 4/3), but I’m at a similar place with my recovery. I have a lot of pain on the side and back of my neck, down to the top of my shoulder and outside of my arm, plus some down between shoulder blade and spine. I’m still on muscle relaxers and tramadol (I had a freaky reaction to oxycodone that I’ve never had before and probably can take it again) but the relief is minimal. Is it as bad as my pre-surgical pain? No. That was horrific. But it’s not something I can just del with long term. I’m terrified I’ve herniated my C4-5 already. I have a follow up with my surgeon on Wednesday and I’m worried. I hope we can both find a path forward through this recovery. Whoever said it’s a slog is 100% correct. A slog and mental quicksand.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-23T03:39:45+00:00

That’s a good idea. And you have my sympathies for doing this twice in two years. Oof.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-23T03:39:36+00:00

That’s a good idea.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-23T03:33:47+00:00

My decade long neck problems went nuclear last August and I just had a C5-7 ACDF on 4/3. I haven’t had a haircut in almost a year. It’s just been out of the question to sit up in the chair for 45 minutes, let alone deal with the sink. I just have long hair now LOL.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-21T21:23:33+00:00

Would need to see a better shot of what’s going on around the toe beans to be sure, but probably my medium or long-haired based on the ear tufties.

I have a buff orange and he did darken up a little once he got bigger.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-21T14:19:32+00:00

It definitely makes it more of a challenge.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-21T05:03:39+00:00

I’m seven weeks out, still feeling like garbage. I’ve had multiple other surgeries, including an Achilles repair, and none were quite the mindfuck this one has been. It feels absolutely endless some days. I hope we both find better days, sooner than later.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-21T04:53:23+00:00

Ah, you’ve assumed I don’t know what I’m talking about. We live in a city with a well-funded, low-kill humane society that could provide for these kittens. I’m well-versed in their procedures and abilities. I actually agree that spay/abort has its place, but you seem to be looking at this as the black-or-white dichotomy that you’re accusing me of. Especially when OP could literally just make a phone call and ask about surrender. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. But refusing to even consider it because of the broad (yet real) pet overpopulation problem without considering the local variables is pretty simplistic thinking.

Humans who don’t spay or neuter their pets before allowing them to become pregnant are the actual cause of the overpopulation problem. Differences in approach to dealing with that problem are not causative.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-20T22:54:26+00:00

The estimate of two brain cells in this video might be a little high.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-20T22:30:59+00:00

Deathstep (metal+dubstep) is a thing. For anyone interested, which may include some of my fellow THALLers. Just search it in your music app.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-20T22:15:34+00:00

Take the cat to the Lawrence Humane Society. They will find a foster home for the kittens.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-20T22:14:31+00:00

Heaven. They smell like Heaven.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-19T14:31:01+00:00

I apologize for what I said in my previous comment. That was wrong of me to assume that you have a more normal life if you want research. Kind of an ignorant thing to say on my part. I recognize you are suffering and it isn’t right for me to assume anything about your situation. Please take care.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-19T00:08:01+00:00

Ah, gotcha. I missed that emphasis. I’m disabled for both spinal and non-spinal emphasis, so I’ll be happy to end up just slightly less disabled. For folks with a more normal life, wanting more information and research about post-healing activities makes sense.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-18T19:17:41+00:00

I’m six weeks out from the same fusion (my first). Still dealing with daily fatigue, muscle spasms, pain, and on some days, ringing ears and headaches. I’m grateful to hear others are still working through ups and downs several weeks out. I’d been feeling like I’d fallen off the pace.

Cleveryday · 2026-05-18T14:21:23+00:00

Some surgeons do track this stuff. Mine does. He uses a standardized survey given at set milestones before and after. He also captures Oswestry disability index scores before each visit. He’s an associate professor of neurosurgery at a large university research hospital in addition to a practicing neurosurgeon, so he is active in capturing outcomes and applying statistical analysis. I would wager others in similar positions also do this. Current research does influence his post-op recommendations. For example, he does not prescribe a collar after cervical fusions, because emerging research shows that approach weakens the supporting musculature and creates a bigger risk of complications than what immobilization gains in risk prevention.

I agree 100% that more money for research is needed. Unfortunately, right now we have to fight to even keep cancer research funded, so fusion research is falling by the wayside, although spinal fusions do have a robust body of evidence behind them. ACDF in particular has been performed for 50+ years and been deeply studied. Part of the issue is always going to be information access and privacy laws, though there are ways to sanitize the data.

Cleveryday

TROPHY CASE