Healing continues. Not much to see. I’m really hoping the dark spot is the magnet showing through my very fair skin and not an indicator of oxidation (i.e. coating failure). My previous assumptions were that, based on a number of other magnet failure stories, a dark spot would develop after weeks of oxidation. I’m not sure why I failed to unite that data with my observations of the magnet in a nearly saturated saline solution; in that case, less than 24 hours was necessary for the formation of iron oxides.

That being said, if the magnet was nicked with the cutting edge of my suture needle, I would expect formation of highly localized darkening, at least in the first stages. However, from day three or four of healing, the dark spot was uniform over the entire magnet, aligned perfectly with the magnet even as it has migrated under the skin. Also, parylene is not like silicone in that a failure of the seal exposes the entire surface; rather, the vapor deposition would bind the parylene tightly to the magnet, meaning a slit would not endanger the entire magnet on the time scale I’ve been able to observe.

While I am cautious, I am much less worried now that I have recalled and reconciled my observations of magnet oxidation.

I’m on my 5th liter of water today, and taking guaifenesin 400mg q4h and ibuprofen 600mg q6h for expectoration and throat pain respectively. Hope this bug passes quickly; I’m not super concerned about it in and of itself since this is the perfect presentation of the way I get colds but it does make it harder to watch my body as the magnet heals.