First Ever Face Transplant in the USA

[Dew-Ax-238]

This woman lives about 20 mins from me...
Local Woman Disclosed As First-Ever U.S. Face Transplant Patient
Posted: 4:03 pm EDT May 5, 2009
Updated: 6:55 pm EDT May 5, 2009

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The injuries Connie Culp suffered on a late night in September 2004 were once believed to be permanent.

Her face was disfigured and she was blind after being shot in the face. The life-changing gunshot shattered her jaw, cheek and nose. She could not smile.

Until recently.

On Tuesday, after months of being shielded in secrecy, the Harrison County woman was disclosed as being the first person to ever have a near-total face transplant in the United States.

In a 22-hour procedure performed at the Cleveland Clinic in December, surgeons transplanted 80 percent of Culp's face, essentially replacing her entire face, except for her upper eyelids, forehead, lower lip and chin.

Culp's life took its first drastic turn during an attempted murder-suicide outside the OK Corral in Hopedale, Ohio. Culp's husband Thomas, shot her in the face from just 8 feet way, then turned the gun on himself. Both survived.

Now, five years later, her life has changed once again. At a news conference Tuesday, Culp was ready to face the world.

"Well, I guess I'm the one you came to see today," Culp, of Hopedale, said. "While I know you all want to focus on me, I think it's more important to focus on the donor family that made it so I could get this Christmas present, I guess I should say."


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[Dew-Ax-238]

It was on our local news saying that this woman may go back with her husband once he gets out of Kail down in Noble Co.. he may be released in 2010..

What do you all think about this? I say that she is dumb for wanting to go back with hiim if this is true

[EricShane]

if shes the same woman, she was on Oprah recently..

a very Touching Story..

[Gingerale]

surely your news is falsifying that info- why would ANY woman want to go back with her hubby after THAT happened!? sad, if true.

[EricShane]

surely your news is falsifying that info- why would ANY woman want to go back with her hubby after THAT happened!? sad, if true.

yeah.. thats crazy.. i never heard that..

[Dew-Ax-238]

it showed her talking to one of our news reporters that she has forgivin him and is considering it.... He is a changed man she says

[Mary J.]

surely your news is falsifying that info- why would ANY woman want to go back with her hubby after THAT happened!? sad, if true.

you would be surprised how many women go back. things i have seen the women go through and still return constantly amaze me. beaten, near killed yet they still go back. 

[Sis]

It is a combination of a bunch of psychological things the guy does to her during their relationship. He pretty much brainwashes her. I don't know why nobody has never compared it to Stockholm's Syndrome. It's the same thing. Psychological games playing with her mind, separating her from everyone, being cruel to her, then giving her some kindnesses throughout.

It's like she's a prisoner of war. He cuts her off, beats it into her head that nobody cares but him, that she's no good and if it wasn't for him she'd have nothing until she believes it. She begins to believe that she won't ever escape him. He will find her where ever she goes. She can't hide, so she tries to make the relationship better by trying to be what he wants. The trouble is, he will pick on anything and everything she does. She will never be good enough, so her self image is shattered. She's resigned to the life she has chosen for herself. Then he is especially nice to her and gives her dinner out, or buys flowers so things seem like they're improving. Then Wham! The whole cycle starts all over again. She's embarassed that she has let herself get into a situation like this and doesn't want to admit she has. She is afraid to ask for help because he will find out and hurt her again.

These guys are self-centered. Either spoiled rotten, or have been or watched abuse themselves. They learn that's how a man is supposed to treat a woman. She is owned by him. He can cheat and do whatever he wants, but she is his property and can't even eat without his permission in some severe cases.

And my biggest pet peeve is when people in their right minds, in a calm situation, say, "Why doesn't she just leave?" They don't know the constant fear she is in, they don't understand that when a woman who leaves that's the most dangerous time for her. These are the women who are gunned down by boyfriends or spouses, or found and beaten to death for daring to leave him.  It's not that easy. Just like a prisoner of war, when you live in constant fear that if you leave you will die, you don't try. Or even if you go, he may threaten if you don't return.  why do they think most women's shelters are hidden from the public?  Then many of the women are shipped out of town to another place to start over so they can escape their abuser. Many of these women have also been found and have died at their abuser's hand.

[Gingerale]

but my point is... why would the news post something like that!?

[Sis]

but my point is... why would the news post something like that!?

Donno!