I haven't been very good about keeping up my blog as of late. I guess with all the other media in my life, I feel like I share enough snippets about every day. But lately I've been feeling like to need to write something more.
During the summer I noticed a bump on my nose that was bleeding a bit. It would heal and I'd think it was OK then it would bleed again, etc, etc. I finally looked it up on the dreaded internet and decided it might be something more that just a sore. I had a biopsy in November and I could tell through my dermatologist's poker face that she was concerned. About a week later she called with the news that it was indeed cancer. She quickly explained the details. It is a basal cell carcinoma, the most common kind of skin cancer and the most treatable. I would need to see a specialist surgeon due to the fact that it is on my nose. I would now need to have skin checks more often and be diligent about hats and sunscreen. She talked a lot, but those are the important points.
OK, so I admit that I am a bit of a hypochondriac and tend to overreact. Paul knows this. I know this. It's a fact. I think I threw him for a loop when he got home from work and I told him I have cancer. It's not a word you want to hear. If you have to have cancer, though, this is the best kind to have. Maybe not the spot I'd choose, but the cure rate is 98% and it does not spread to other parts of the body or require chemo or radiation. Great news.
Since I'd been wearing a bandage after the biopsy, I decided to be honest and if people asked to tell them the facts. I was shocked to find out that one of my closest friends was diagnosed with the same thing just days before me...and on her nose! We've been able to swap stories, worries, doctor's advice, and send each other comforting and horrifying links. It's been very helpful. I watched the entire procedure I am having with the 3 possible "reconstruction" outcomes. Maybe not every one's choice, but I like to be prepared. According to most people who've had the Mohs Procedure, the worst parts are the shots to numb the area and the first few days after surgery. http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/mohs-surgery
I've had some mixed emotions. Scared for the procedure itself and the possible scars. Grateful for the cure rate and the slow type of cancer I have. Apprehensive about other cancers that might be lurking in the wings. Guilt for all the time I spent tanning in the sun and in the tanning beds as a teen and young adult. Mostly, though, I am extremely happy that I have such love and support. The surgeon doing my surgery is competent and successful in his field. I am hopeful and energized to get this cancer off of me and learn more about how to help cure cancer. I am volunteering again for Obliteride this summer and can't wait to do more to raise awareness for funding a cure. http://www.obliteride.org/
My surgery is scheduled for January 6th. It's a day procedure with a lot of unknowns. It can take 3 hours or it can take all day depending on the amount of tissue that has cancer cells and what kind of closure or graft is needed. I'm sure I will write more about that as I am healing. Maybe I can be persuaded to share some photos for the very strong-stomached, but for now I'll leave that to the archives of Google images. Be warned...it's not pretty. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment