Monday, June 29, 2015

Had my mini skin cancer surgery today

Mohs is that layering surgery that shears the layers of skin and tests as it goes along to prevent severe scarring, but removing any cancer cells.
I do have stitches and they will be removed next week.
My cancer of the scary squamous cell carcinoma type but in situ, meaning the very earliest, in fact mine just needed a surface removal the doctor stated as he did it to my very numb face that did not feel a thing! (Needles to accomplish this effect did burn at first.)
All those worries of being told it is done while awake and no special precautions have to be taken baffled me, that is the me used to the kind of surgeries they hook you up to monitors and knock you out type, ya know?
This was amazing, no pain and done entirely within less than an hour, due to the cells being checked right there and apparently I had clear perimeters and shallow enough disease that mine was a breeze!
The doctor spoke to me about current events and as we can all well imagine was plenty to discuss, all this while CNN was even on the TV in the room, as he worked on my face!
I did admit to the receptionist I was nervous before, about the surgery, since it was, fortunately, one I had not had before.
Apparently, she passed it on to him and he was upbeat and the time went quickly.
At least from my experience.
There are no special after instructions except to keep the bandage on until tomorrow and that is when I can with only a band aid go back into the pool! I still must keep the stitches dry until they come out and only Vaseline on it to keep it clean and that is all she wrote. I do have Mederma in the house for after to lessen the scar, I hope.
I met an older woman, yes older than me, who had had a few similar to mine surgeries around her nose and her scars were barely noticeable. She was waiting for her husband who was having the same surgery on his nose.
When I go back to remove my stitches I asked if the PA could check my bumps over my right eye that also look ominous, sort of similar to the ones she froze on my nose and lip.
Might as well while there, those two frozen ones were precancerous basal cells. I have been zapped with lasers and frozen a few times, maybe a dozen by now, boy that sunshine is hot stuff!
I was wearing zinc oxide but now 50 SPF and of course a hat and sunglasses and you should too. I have not yet gotten into long sleeve blouses and slacks treated for SPF protection but who knows, I might someday. Right now they are not too prevalent or cost effective while slathering 50  SPF is.

On that note of hope all of you enjoy your summer safely with that quiet deadly beast at bay, just take the proper precautions and all will be well and if not there is always Mohs...
Doc and I discussed Melanoma the deadliest of the skin cancers and he said they ARE making progress with that too. I had compared it to pancreatic cancer that we had lost a friend from in less than two years.

On that note of caring to inform from personal experience ... allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask all of you to kindly count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know whom and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear!

PS I had the surgery just after nine A.M. and I still have no pain, a little might be creeping in now, slightly though, it's six thirty.

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