This Race Is Not Over

Most marathons end at 26 plus miles. This marathon might be over but the race is still on. I learned the hard way you can not ignore BCCNS. This is a beast that requires your attention and diligence. It is a race to just stay up with it let alone get ahead of it.


Its been miles and miles since I thought my face was clear of any big tumors. Just a year later there are two more showing themselves on my left jaw. On December 29, 2014 my Mohs surgeon took care of those.

Two sites marked for surgery

They appear small and relatively insignificant. The lower tumor required two stage to get clear. The top tumor ran into another one below the surface and required four stages to get cancer free.

Both sites clear

My surgeon did some awesome stitch work. I got a mini face lift and  should have only a hairline scar. For a few hours after surgery my face stays blotchy and swollen. Once the anesthesia wears off the coloration and texture return to normal.

blotchy and swollen after surgery

day after surgery

I returned to the surgeon's office a week later to get the stitches removed. The area is healing nicely.

I saw my cardiologist January 12th. I do have a cardiac abnormality along the left wall of my heart. I do have scarring from a heart attack in 2000. Thankfully I do not show any signs of fibroma and he is not concerned that I might develop any in the future. He does require my smiling face to meet with him every 6 months "Just because". 

My back has proven a to be a learning experience. I got my first infection since starting this marathon on my back. Evidently the bandages and clothing promote enough heat to lead to all kinds of bacteria. I clean my sites daily yet I managed to get an infection. Thankfully, a round of antibiotics took care of it.  Due in part to my infection, my team has decided to take a more relaxed treatment schedule. 

January 23rd I will have more sites on my back addressed. January 26th I start a four week round of chemo cream on an area of my chest. Doctors are hoping this cream will work better than the first one I tried.  February 20th we will follow up on the status of my back and check for any change with the use of the cream. February 26th my surgeon will do another laser procedure on my face. We will decide what to do about my right nostril at that time. The scar tissue is still tight and requires some attention.

Aside from my cancer treatments I am seeing a chiropractor regularly to keep the rest of my body in line. I have started going to the YMCA regularly and am able to walk 2 miles each session. I have become more conscientious of what I am feeding my body.  It is my goal to lose at least 50 pounds this year and get in better physical health. 

The unspoken goal is to keep killing this cancer faster than it kills part of me.

Take Away Nugget: Don't get hung by your tongue. Speak only good things into your life and those around you.

Mile 26 with Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome

As mentioned earlier, my back will be the focus for the next few months. I had surgery dates on December 8 and December 23 of 2014. The technique we are using on my back is more of a procedure than what I consider true surgery.


Once I am checked in by my dermatologist's nurse, the doctor comes in and marks the tumors he wants addressed for the day. After he marks the area he numbs it with local anesthesia. On December 8, 2014, he removed five different tumors. Those are shown after the anesthesia in the pictures below.

First 2 tumors left of Mile 24

Third site the center of the nape of my neck

The fourth tumor is on the left shoulder area

The fifth tumor is on the left side of my neck

Once all the sites are numb the doctor performs biopsies on each one. This is new this year as the insurance companies are becoming more critical with all procedures regarding the skin.  Several of them don't pay unless each site is proven to be cancerous. At this point there should be no question about my having basil cell. My doctors are having to go on the offensive to make sure they get reimbursed properly and I don't get wrongfully charged.

After the biopsies are completed the sites are E&C. That is electrodessication and cauterization. The tumor is scrapped away and the skin then cauterized to stop any bleeding.
I have found this procedure to be more uncomfortable in the days that follow than the Mohs surgeries. This procedure is more shallow and evidently affects the nerve endings at the skin surface in a completely different way than other surgeries.

On December 23 I had two more tumors removed.

 

Center of back next to Mile 24

Site on rear of left shoulder

Take Away Nugget: Never get discouraged about taking the time to do the right thing.