posted
So, I've had this thing on my face for a couple years and it comes and goes and itches and bleeds and scabs and then it's back to skin color but still kinda there always. I'd been thinking about having my doctor look at it and I kept putting it off and thinking I was at the doctors in March for a procedure of another kind and noone says anything about the "thing on my face" and I've been to the dentist not only every six months but also had some work done which I think was an extra 3-4 visits and he never said anything about it either? So my sisters all came up this summer (in overlapping shifts) and they're all saying have that "thing on your face" looked at will ya? One of them even said , "That's cancer, you idiot, call the doctor tomorrow .
So this was in August, first I go to see my PC, and the nurse and doctor say, oh you're the one with the "thing on your face". The doctor takes one look and gives me the sad , pathetic look and asks about family history, sun exposure (duh, I live at the beach) and says it looks like skin cancer, probably basal cell. Normally she herself would do the biopsy but she won't do it because she doesn't want to mess up my face. She wants me to go to a dermatologist, they'll do the biopsy first and when the results come back then they'll probably remove it and have a plastic surgeon on hand to "fix" my face. The dermatologist is 40 miles away. I called to make the appointment and she says they have nothing until late December, I said , "um, I think my dr. wanted me seen before then, but o.k." So she takes all my personal info and then asks what the referall was for so I read off the paperwork "abnormal skin lesion on face" and she says, "Actually, I have an opening this Wednesday at 3" O.k., now we're getting somewhere.....
This is such a long post........There's more to the story, let me know if you're with me so far.......I do have basal cell carcinoma but they tell me it's the "best kind of cancer to have" Woohoo!
quote: There's more to the story, let me know if you're with me so far.......
I'm with you... ...and I want the rest of the story.
quote: We have a huge family history of such things and so my siblings and I are very familiar -- by observation and by personal experience.
I know nothing about this...don't know anyone whose had this. So, I'm kinda ignorant on the subject. All I know is...when I hear "cancer" from one of my friends, it makes me worried and upset.
Cindy
bbbbbbbbb Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Wow, you guys are making me cry , with your quick responses, I've kinda been brushing this off for a long time, like it's no big deal.....................thank you, now where was I ??? Oh yeah, so I go to the derm. and the physicians assis. was so awesome! She's pretty sure too that it's cancer, then checks my whole body and I point out to her all my thingies and she finds nothing else. But I ask her to remove these two annoyingly huge moles from my a$$ actually, everyone who has accidently seen them call it my lower back but they were just above my butt crack and with the pants nowadays and gardening well you get the pic! She took them off first and I told her I wanted them for a Christmas present for my Bro-in-law, he discovered my moles this summer and was teasing me and calling them my "cocoa pebbles" so I wanted to wrap them up for him! She wouldn't give them to me, but did give me some awesome ideas of hideous things to plop into a specimen jar for him.
Then she cuts off a tiny piece of the "thing on my face" and sends that off to the lab. She then suggests because I live so far away they have the surgeon peek in and do the consulatation now and I can skip that visit and (save some gas) the surgeon did come in , she said, yup looks like basal cell. They tell me that it should take 1 - 1 1/2 weeks before I hear from the lab, then we'll schedule the surgery Mohs surgery
I called them after 2 weeks had gone by and nothing. The woman who answered the phone just took my message and they called back 4 1/2 hours later and said they didn't know why the lab had been holding my results but ,yes , you have cancer (the two cocoa pebbles are normal). She starts talking about scheduling a consultation but I tell her we can skip that because I already saw the doctor, she says "oh, I didn't know that because we can't find your records (DUH, maybe that's why the lab couldn't send the results) I've had Steve looking for them all day. So I told her have him try looking in Dr. Byrnes records , and she's like oh good idea. I'll have the dr. call you on Monday.
posted
I'd be FLOODING that office with phone calls, Melcon! You should have heard something by the close of business today, so get right on the phone first thing in the morning!
I'd also give the surgeon a "head's up" the next time you see him, that his staff wasn't exactly efficient in this matter.
Merme
bbbbbbbbb
"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
From: Maine | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote: I'd be FLOODING that office with phone calls, Melcon! You should have heard something by the close of business today, so get right on the phone first thing in the morning!
I second that!
bbbbbbbbb Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Thank you sweetie, , I'm going to bed, I'm tired tonight from staying up too late on the forum last night, all those shotz from Weezie did me in!
posted
Hi Mel..... Sorry I kept you up so late, it was just fun doin' "shotz with ya"
Skin cancer runs in my family.. so, I am know what you are going thru.. My Grampfather had a great big rectangle patch on the top of his forehead...*he used to call it his landing spot for flies...
My dad had it.. his brother... my brother has them removed... and I am diligent about watching for them..
I had one taken off the top of my thigh... It wasn't cancerous.. but am careful to watch them for change....
Keep us posted... and keep after that doctor/and doctor's office.....
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Mel, ditto what duckie said. My brother had the same kind of cancer on his back - they took it off last summer, and it's totally gone. He worked at a cancer center at the time, so he was well prepared/educated by his colleagues, etc. - and he said the same thing to me at the time - that it's the best kind to have...so you're okay I would be on the horn with that office too though - no excuse for such inadequacies when it's so important that they're NOT! Hang in there - I'm with ya - and it's all gonna be okay!
bbbbbbbbb
From: z6 S. Illinois | Registered: May 2005
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posted
Wow, Mel, that's crazy! I'm glad to hear it's the "best kind to have", but even so, it must have scared you some. Hope you're fine, and give the doctor's office h@#l!
bbbbbbbbb
From: Van Nuys, CA | Registered: Sep 2004
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Well...I'm kinda like Cindy...the word "cancer" in itself is a scortcher for me...but..I am so glad you had the proceedure done and since everyone here says you're fine...then hey...take it and run! This is a pretty smart bunch of cookies!
bbbbbbbbb
Happiness, like a dessert so sweet. May life give you more than you can ever eat... *** ***
From: The Land of JOY | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Don't be scared Mel, basal cell is the most common form of cancer and is easy to remove. It's unsightly but not deadly and is pretty slow growing. Eventually it will get large enough to leave scarring when removed but it sounds like yours is not that large yet. Don't wait too long but also don't worry.
posted
They finally called back to schedule the surgery, but they only do it on mon or fri and my days off are wed and thurs so I have to ask my boss which day would be best. They've got Dec. 5, 12, or 16 available . The 16th would be best because that's my last day of work then 3 weeks vacation and then it can heal and my "kids" at school won't see it, but it's clean-up day and none of us can miss that day because we scrub the kitchen from top to bottom and it's the work Christmas party so I'll miss that but........I gotta call my boss today and see what he thinks.......it's funny how I've had this thing on my face for two years but now that I know it's cancer I can't wait to get it off!
quote: I've had this thing on my face for two years but now that I know it's cancer I can't wait to get it off!
Good, you don't need to wait to get it off...I would be like that too....that would work good if you could do it before your vacation....but, if not...I don't think it will look that bad..if you are worried about it "scaring" the kids.
bbbbbbbbb
Happiness, like a dessert so sweet. May life give you more than you can ever eat... *** ***
From: The Land of JOY | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote: I don't think it will look that bad..if you are worried about it "scaring" the kids.
They're high school kids, so not so much scaring them as will it look gross! When I had the biopsy it was scabby for over 2 weeks and the kids thought I had blemish problems and pick at my face or something, I did have a chat with some of them and told them what it was . I've talked to some of the girls who like to go tanning, trying to get them to think about the future and taking care of their skin, but you know teens , they always think it won't happen to them.
When I was growing up sunscreen was a t-shirt thrown on after 1/2 day at the beach and already turning red! We spent summers living on Cape Cod and going to the beach or out on the boat every single day. Now that I live at the beach , I take pride in my own kids lilly white skin! Some people always think they are too white and they need some color, I say
posted
Melcon, I absolutely agree with you about protecting the children's skin.
My dad died at age 40 from malignant melanoma, the kind of cancer that starts with a mole that gets changed by the sun. His was on his back, up near the shoulder, and like most healthy young guys back then, he ran around outdoors without a shirt.
All of his kids have been hyper-vigilant about our children's skin. Even when they complain! And because our physicians all know about our family history, they pay attention to our skin as well, just keeping an eye out in case we miss something. In fact, one of us visits a dermatologist routinely to have photos taken of all skin areas so the doc can have comparison shots.
So even if others think you are bonkers about insisting on protecting the children's skin, you just keep right on doing it.
And good for you, too, trying to educate the "invincible" teens at your school...
I hope your boss comes up with a good suggestion on which day to pick for your surgery. One that doesn't just work out ok for his schedule, but one that also works well for you, giving you enough time to have it done and feel your best again before returning!
PLEASE keep us posted.
Merme
bbbbbbbbb
"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
From: Maine | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote: Some people always think they are too white and they need some color, I say [/QB]
As a member of the lily-white, I identify with the feeling. I can't wear shorts for fear of blinding someone with the reflections coming off my white never-seen-the-sun sausage-legs. It's particularly embarassing out here in Cali, since most people are darker, and even in panty hose, I'm paler than anyone I know. Still, better to be pale than get skin cancer, and melanoma runs in our family, too.
Um, Mel, to want it taken off ASAP as soon as you heard the word "cancer", well that's just good common sense on your part. No need to tempt fate.
bbbbbbbbb
From: Van Nuys, CA | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Mel, a teacher at my school had that kind of cancer years ago. I recently talked to her about going to the Relay with me in June as a survivor and she said "well, it was only basal cell...." and I said, "BUT it was STILL cancer". So, she didn't seem to think it was all that bad. ANYWAYS...the point of this is that it seems like it won't take much to get rid of it!!
I'm like geegee...absolutly no color on my skin...and Stephen is the same. We hate the sun...and the sun hates us. I guess its a mutual hatred.
posted
All three of my wives were lilly white a contrast to my family we brown up easily and seldom burn. I sunburnt once as a kid was irragating a grape vinyard in New Mexico tore sleeves out of my shirt knowing better with 120 degree heat hot sun reflecting off the water on the vinyard got 3rd degree burns on both arms. Outside of that we all just turn brown back whe I was working outside all the time I got really dark about all bleached out now. Mel hope all goe swell praying it will. Send you some of my brown genes if I could. Jimmy
bbbbbbbbb Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
From: Irving,Tx. | Registered: Aug 2004
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Celebrating 10 years of helping your gardens grow!
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actually, everyone who has accidently seen them call it my lower back but they were just above my butt crack and with the pants nowadays and gardening well you get the pic! ![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
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She took them off first and I told her I wanted them for a Christmas present for my Bro-in-law, he discovered my moles this summer and was teasing me and calling them my "cocoa pebbles" ![[tongue]](graemlins/neener.gif)
so I wanted to wrap them up for him! She wouldn't give them to me, but did give me some awesome ideas of hideous things to plop into a specimen jar for him. ![[wayey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
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Shari
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I would be on the horn with that office too though - no excuse for such inadequacies when it's so important that they're NOT! Hang in there - I'm with ya - and it's all gonna be okay! 
***
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so I have to ask my boss which day would be best. They've got Dec. 5, 12, or 16 available . The 16th would be best because that's my last day of work then 3 weeks vacation and then it can heal and my "kids" at school won't see it, but it's clean-up day and none of us can miss that day because we scrub the kitchen from top to bottom and it's the work Christmas party so I'll miss that but........I gotta call my boss today and see what he thinks.......it's funny how I've had this thing on my face for two years but now that I know it's cancer I can't wait to get it off! ![[flower]](graemlins/flower.gif)
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