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You think it can't happen???

I turned 35 this past December.
I had a tiny spot on my nose that had been there the past seven years. Six months ago, Jamyson scratched the spot and it bled and never fully healed. I noticed it was slightly patchy underneath, almost like a dry skin spot.
I remember hearing that if you had a "spot" that bled, you should have it looked at by a dermatologist.
Okay, I thought... I have three children and don't have time to deal with this. My kids and husband are more important than a "blemish" on my face.
I told my husband about it and he thought I needed to go see a dermatologist.
I went through the hassle of getting a referral from my PCP who lives two hours from my house.
Then, I finally found a dermatologist in Rockwall that accepted my insurance.
Appointment made... "this will turn out to be nothing" ( I thought).

I went to visit the dermatologist and explained the spot had been there about seven years. "Why didn't you come in earlier", he asked.
"I didn't really have the time", I replied. "I was busy raising my daughter as a single mom, then got engaged to the love of my life, and since then we have added two more children to our new household".
He looked at the spot and said, "I think it's actinic keratosis. We can either freeze it or biopsy and then freeze".
I told him to just freeze it because I didn't want to have to come back.
So, he froze the spot and said to return in one month if it still didn't go away.

A month went by. Spot still remained. I told Rob, "I don't have time to go back in and have it biopsied".
"Just go get it done", Rob told me.
I called the dermatologist and said, "I need to have this spot biopsied for my husband's sake",
I had the biopsy and waited 10 days for the results. The dermatologist had told me again, I'm 95% sure this is just actinic keratosis.
Phone call.... "you have Basal Cell Carcinoma and will need to have a MOH'S procedure to remove it".
"How long does the procedure take?", I asked.
They told me 1-4 hours, depending on how many times they had to go back in to remove the cancer.
So, one month later I had the MOH's procedure done. Rob and I were there 4 hours, as it took them three cuts to remove all the cancerous cells. I was the youngest person in the waiting room by an average of 45 years.
Then, my worse nightmare came... "We are unable to close this in the office. You will need to go see a plastic surgeon...."
"Am I going to need a forehead flap?"
"Probably not", said the nurse.

Fast forward five weeks and three surgeries later...
I did, indeed, need a forehead flap.
The flap surgery took 2.5 hours and resulted in enormous amounts of pain. Then, for 4 weeks, I had what looked like a small finger on my nose and had to walk around in public looking frightening.
With the help of all of our family members, we were able to make the surgery happen and I am now free of basal cell on my nose.
Here are some progress pictures...

Circled the "spot" with eye liner-night before surgery.

After 3 cuts of the MOH'S surgery

1 day post up forehead flap

1 week post op before suture removal

2 weeks post op

Night before division and inset surgery (finger removal)

1 hour after division and inset surgery

What I've learned from this experience...
1. You are never too young for skin cancer to happen to you
2. Get something checked out if it appears different than your normal skin.. flaky, peeling, bleeding, discoloration
3. Always listen to your husband
4. If you've met your deductible for the year, get everything done before January 1st, if possible!
5. General Anesthesia makes you feel like you are waking up from a terrible nightmare. All I did was yell for my husband.
4. Never make fun of someone who looks different than you. You never know what they are truly battling.

That's all for now
@----)----)----

Comments

Guru Indonesia said…
hi jodi,
hope you are well
nice to know you
best regards,
ruanguji

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