I went to the dermatologist here in Florida last week, which can frequently be a traumatic experience, especially if you had a red-headed mother with fair skin like I did, plus the fact I had some red tones in my hair before it turned grey, and I have light skin. Some years ago I had to coat my forehead with a potent liquid called 5FU which turns you lobster red as it burns off the "AKs", those precancerous bits. The result was my forehead was SAAB (soft as a baby's ass). Since then I have had various moles excised, a couple of which were squalmus cells, the second degree beyond basal cells and not so dangerous as melanomas. You pay for the sins of your youth in your old age. Plus, you have to be sun-wary living in Florida.
Now my most recent visit has turned up a squalmus cell on my nose, necessitating next week MOHS surgery where they scrape a bit off, analyze it in pathology and then keep taking more slices until they get it all. I got lucky last time: they did it in one swipe. I guess my nose is long enough I can spare a bit.
But the nasty kicker is I have a melanoma on my left shoulder and a smaller one just below they are not sure about. Melanomas you don't screw around with. I am going to a plastic surgeon, at the advice of my dermatologist, for a consultation next week which will be followed by surgery where he will dig deep to get it all. I'm in an early stage, thank God, so they should be able to remove it.
So, I'm sitting here with red inflamed skin on my left and right temples, the top of my head where hair is thin and my hands and forearms. I do not qualify as an octogenerian sex symbol, I assure you!
But, hey, something good also happened this week: I had cataract surgery five years ago, and my right eye had developed what they call a secondary cataract, a thin film over the cornea that slightly dulls your vision. On Wednesday my opthamologist zapped my right eye with a laser for thirty seconds, and, voila, my vision immediately became crystal clear! Even the crossword puzzle numbers are clear now.
An old friend had a petitpoint cushion that sums it up: SCREW THE GOLDEN YEARS!
My, my when it rains, it pours. I assume you're going to have all these tended to asap. Glad you caught them early. I had a squalmus on my nose, where they sliced a chunk out, left a big old scar and a basil cell on my eye lid a plastic surgeon sliced and waited on pathology. Did a good job, both of them. Keep my fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteGlad they caught it early. Your nose could use some rearranging anyway. Best wishes from us.
ReplyDeleteWill be thinking positive thoughts your way! I had squalmous cell carcinoma removed from my back 3 years ago and now go twice a year for check up. Even have taken Justin to be checked. Hope all is well.
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