And I can breathe freely again! What a relief. The cast--the stiff piece of material that covered the graft--and the bandages really inhibited free breathing, especially at night. The incision next to my ear where the graft was taken is healing well, almost invisible already. I have to keep both places lightly bandaged for another week, but with a lighter, smaller bandage.

The doctor was pleased with the graft. She tells me it might look red for many months still, but since I'm not going anywhere without a mask to cover it, I'm not too concerned. And I don't have to worry about whether or not I should try covering it with makeup!

Compared to what so many are going through now, this is a relatively minor trial.