Mile #10 Keeping It Simple

It is Tuesday again. Today, 10/22/13, is another surgery day. Wouldn't you know it I woke up in my sassy pants. Why does that matter you ask. My surgeon comes up to me upon my arrival and asks me to not be too bossy today as he has a resident with him. He's kind of joking but mostly serious.

For those of you who know me. I can be "interesting" when challenged. I did behave. I simply tell the doctor that from the chin up is off limits. When he asks if I want to skip a surgery all together today I tell him if that was my preference I would be home instead of driving 60 miles to smile at him. I will say it is the best time I have had on a surgery day.

Enough about me being silly. We did agree to do 4 smaller spots on my neck. Barring a catastrophe I could leave with stitches.

Right Neck Mile #10

Right Neck before sutures

 

Left Neck Mile #10

Left Neck before sutures

One stage and done on all four spots. It takes longer to close everything up (the resident gets to practice) than the rest of the procedure and pathology. I am truly thankful for the break.

Next week I consult the eye specialist. There is no denying it now. The cancer on my eyelids will be addressed in November. This is the part of this race I really never wanted to reach. Miles 11 and 12 will be my eyes if the scheduling comes together like the doctors want.

Left Neck after sutures

Right Neck after sutures

I am still beyond thrilled with the healing of previous surgeries. The previous miles disappear more every day. Both areas from Mile #9 are gellin. Like previous miles at this stage I am able to shower without bandages. Cleaning the wounds in the shower eliminates over 10 minutes of bandaging time. Both areas of Mile #9 can be covered with 2x3 inch bandages.

Mile #9 Right Side

Mile #9 Left Side

My husband is the resident photographer. He is awed at how my body heals itself and the morphing shapes of my wound sites. At least one of us is entertained. Until we meet again know that I am sleeping soundly in my own bed. Stitches are truly my best friend.

The Crawl to Mile #10

To this point I have tried to at least do weekly updates. My surgeries take place every other Tuesday.  Mile #9 kind of knocked me off that schedule.  In fact it kicked my butt!!  You saw the pictures in my 10/11 post.  This is what happened post surgery.

My surgeon and I agreed on 2 spots as we thought the left side might bless us with stitches. Once again I find I am writing the book on how Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome behaves. Nothing is as it seems. Once you meet the scalpel for the day your are committed to see it to the end.

I managed to sleep in my bed for about 6 hours. By that time any remnants of local anesthetic was gone. So off to my chair and ottoman I went. By Wednesday morning I was taking two pain pills every 4 hours to dull the roar in my head.  I thought a couple of days of this and I should pass the worst of the pain.  Wrong.

Early Saturday morning I text my surgeon. I apologize for not contacting him by Thursday. Then I essentially beg for better pain medicines. He doubles the strength I am on and still allows me to double up on those every 4 to 6 hours as needed.

Saturday evening is my first pain free night. Pain free does not mean I am able to sleep with any sort of pressure on my head. Any attempt at that and the little jackhammer gremlin go into overdrive.

Sunday morning brought another twist to the party. Pain medicine is producing nausea and sleeping upright left my ankles the same size as my knees. So I introduce an anti nausea agent to the party. Then Sunday evening I build a pyramid on my ottoman to try and keep my ankles above my heart.

Monday what relief I could wear shoes again. Still puffy but not elephant like. And by the end of the day I am on two pain pills every six hours instead of four. Thank you Jesus we are headed in the right direction.

Tuesday, and we are midway to mile 10. So here's how the previous miles looked on Wednesday 10/16/13.
 

Miles #1, #2 and #5

Miles #3, #7 and #9 left

Miles #2 and  #6

Mile #9 Right rear scalp

Thursday comes and I am down to 1 pain pill, all be it the stronger dose, every 6 hours. Still sleeping in my chair. Friday and Saturday are pretty much the same. 

Saturday, 10/19/13, I notice the little jackhammer gremlin has not made an appearance. I know a lot of people say sleep is over rated and that may be true. However, sleep in a chair for 10 days and then your bed becomes heaven on earth. I slept almost 12 hours once I got into bed. I texted my pastor between services to let him know the good news. I did not make it to church Sunday morning. I did however feel like a new woman.

Monday comes and I am only needing regular Tylenol to keep comfortable. Pray for me, Tuesday is another surgery day.  


Take away nugget: There are two things you cannot change, Yesterday and Tomorrow. Be Present in your life.

Cancer...A Family Story... Part 2

Previously you met my Uncle Don. Today I want to introduce you to my Uncle Ray, "Unc" as I call him. Yes, I am going to talk about skin cancer again.

Unc is a different breed. He's a Vietnam vet. He has lived his life with love, integrity and a take no prisoners attitude. He makes no excuses for who he is or how he lives his life. You always know where you stand with him. It is actually very refreshing. In today's America the average person is rushed, hushed and too busy trying to "get there" to stand for anything.

It has been over 40 years since he noticed the little bump on his arm. For years it stayed the same and everyone assumed it was a cyst or in grown hair. Then it started getting  bigger and got tender.

He made an appointment with his doctor. She thought it was a cyst. Unc and his doctor decided to drain it or remove it. Once the doctor cut into it, they both realized it was not just a cyst. Unc says it looked like tapioca. The decision was made to remove it flat to the surface and send the contents to the pathology lab. The local hospital was Wichita, Kansas. The lab there assumed it was melanoma. The sample was then sent to the at KU Medical school lab . That lab also assumed it was a melanoma. Neither facility could 100% verify what type, grade or stage the sample was. The sample then got a ride to the labs in Berkley. It was Berkley that diagnosed it as a rare melanoma. Unc followed up with a plastic surgeon to remove the remainder of the tumor. The tumor had grown down his arm about 7 inches and had not visibly metastasized. The doctors recommended one year  of chemotherapy as a precautionary measure. So Unc drove three times a week to Wichita for his shot. He lost a lot of weight but none of his spirit.

Yet another case of something that did not belong but had not caused concern. You know my mantra by now. ABC...Always Biopsy to be Certain.

Take away nugget: A bad attitude is like a flat tire. you can't go anywhere until you change it.

Mile # 9 with Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome

I made it through another Mile. WooHoo!! All you marathoners out there should have warned me about the challenges you hit at each mile. Mile #8 was definitely a (birthday) gift.

My surgeon and I are wanting to get my face and head cleared up by the end of the year. We discuss a plan to do that.  Next year begins reconstruction and my torso.

To keep on schedule I agreed to do two spot on my scalp today.   So one on the left and one on the right it is.  My goal for now is to stop over thinking. Or even thinking too far ahead.

Mile #7 (top) Mile #3 (bottom)

Lets talk about the status of Mile #7 first. The greenish spot to the right is an area that was trying to scab over. My surgeon cleaned this off. He says it does not hurt anything but can lead to excessive scaring. Mile #7 is at the top and Mile #3 is at the bottom, loads of new skin. Yeah!! Not sure how much change there is from last post. Look through the archives of my blog if you want to compare.










On to Mile #9.  This is the left side. Before surgery the spot is a little bigger than a dime and has been aggravated.

Mile #9 Left side Before

Mile #9 Left side After

 After 5 stages this is what we ended up with. The wound is a little over 2 inches in diameter.

Hallelujah it is clear of cancer all around.










 The right side surgery site is a little over an inch long.   After three stages we opted to stop on the area for the day. There is still cancer down towards the back of the ear and along the front of the ear.

Mile #9 Over Right Ear After

Mile #9 Over Right Ear Before

 Another reason to not put off treatment, the top almost merged with Mile #7 which you can see in the upper left of the 'after' picture.

Like I keep saying, if there is something abnormal on your body get rid of it.

Take away nugget: Don't be trapped in the wilderness of thinking! Be Content, Be Happy and Be On Purpose.

Post Op with Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome

It's a week out of Mile #8. More Basal Cell gone. Lots of new skin.This morning there is no sign of stitches under my eye or along my jaw. That makes me do the happy dance.


I am sorry the pictures are only ones their owner could love. Each picture represents a step closer to being cleaned up from this mess. I am truly thankful for everyone's support through this. Open dialogue has made everyday brighter. Since I first heard the words Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome times have changed immensely. The internet and social media make getting accurate information so much easier and quicker.

Mile #3 (bottom) and Mile #7 (top)

Mile #3 is surrounded with approximately 1/2 inch of new skin. Mile #3 can go naked now except while sleeping. All wound sites are covered to eliminate the new skin getting damaged from bedding. Mile #7 is finally getting to the gellin stage and I can shower without a bandage. There are at least two spots visible in this picture that still have to be removed. One is directly over the earpiece of my glasses and the other is just inside the shaved area down from the back edge of Mile #7.





Mile #2 (top out of frame), Mile #6 (above glasses) and Mile #8 (along the jaw)

Mile#2 is all new skin yet very pink.  Mile #6 is past gellin and just mildly tacky it can go naked now as well. Mile #8 is absolutely beautiful. This is why I love love love stitches. My body heals from them within seven days. It is still tight and slightly puckered. Mile #8 is naked all the time.

Mile #1, Mile #2 and Mile #5

Above my earpiece is a spot of Basal that has yet to be removed. Mile #2 is the skinny fading scar along my jaw. I still butter everything that is completely covered with new skin. Mile #1 is my nose and it is still tight and drawn up from the new skin. Mile #5 is my cheek and only two of the three wound sites are even visible. 

In my next update I will include a picture of Mile #4. My chin is completely healed  and getting buttered every day. If you did not know better you would mistake it for a dimple. My brothers have dimples in their chins. We may finally have some sort of resemblance. LOL for those who know us all.

Take away nugget:  Information becomes Revelation by Meditation. Your brain is your on-board computer. What are you programming into it for your life?



Mile #8 with Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome

Reminder: Pictures are Graphic

At home after surgery

Prior to each surgery my doctor checks the healing process of previous miles. Mile #8 starts with instruction to leave all miles except #7 naked. Leaving these sites open will allow the new skin to finish closing over the surgery sites. Now that is great news. I am beyond thankful. The past two weeks have been the most difficult I have had so far. I was taking pain medication every four hours for the first five days and every six for two more days after that. Prior to Mile #7 I had managed with pain medication every six to eight hours for no more than three days.

Remainder of Mile #2 (top) and Mile #6 (bottom)

 

 

Mile #2 is completely covered in new skin. It is slightly irritated at the top left side from being covered and getting overheated. Mile #6 is gellin. Meaning the new skin is started yet still tacky to the touch and glossy in appearance. In the photograph is a little hard to tell where one mile ends and another starts. The only edge not cancer free in this photograph is the area above my ear and going down my jawline. My jaw is part of Mile #8 below.

Remainder of Mile #3 (bottom) and Mile #7 (top)

Mile #3 is almost completely covered in new skin and is also irritated from being covered. That will be resolved now that Mile #3 can go naked. Don't let Mile #7 freak you out. It is the deepest wound so far. It is discolored but not infected or anything like that. It has gone through the first two stages of wound healing. Technically called hemostasis and inflammation stage and is headed to the proliferation stage. Now aren't you glad I just call it swellin and gellin. I say the coloration is caused from platelets in overdrive. If you insist on the medical jargon feel free to google "stages for wound healing". The final stage is maturation or remodeling stage. That is where new skin is grown over. The skin becomes tight and scars can develop. That is when you hear me say "I am buttering the wound site". Cocoa butter is my best friend right now. I choose not to use expensive scar creams. I am not a designer kind of girl.

My husband cut my hair in prep for another scalp surgery. The nurse cut more from my bangs so the hair won't lay on the surgery sites. I cannot remember ever having hair this short. So be it, short it is and short it may stay. The doctor said keeping it this short should allow him to operate on the rest of my scalp and not have to completely shave my head. the thought of not having to be Mrs. Clean is appealing. 

For Mile #8 we take on my left jaw line and a little guy below my left eye. After this procedure I should be finished with surgeries on the lower half of my face. The basal that remains there should be treatable with laser or a topical agent.

Mile 8 A Before

Mile 8A After

My doctor was not so sure about messing with the spot below my eye. He thought for sure it was just a Seborrheic Keratoses, something like an age spot. The spot under my eye was indeed Basal Cell.

Mile 8B Before

Mile 8B After

I believed the area along my left jaw would be a twin to Mile #2 my right jaw. That is just me comparing before pictures in my head.


My new mantra is if it annoys me it has to go.  This surgery required only 1 stage at both sites to be clear of basal cells.  A first for me!!

Another Hallelujah. Both sites get to leave with stitches. They may not look pretty.  But they are a breeze to care for. I am believing that history will repeat itself and in 7 days I will be stitch less. Another bonus for me with stitches is that two days post op I am off prescription pain medication.

Mile 8 A & B Stitched & Ready to Go!!

 Take away nugget:  Sometimes God calms the Storm. Sometimes God lets the Storm Rage and calms his child.

Cancer...A Family Story...Part 1

A few days post op and I am reflecting on conversations I have had over the previous 3 weeks. I would like to stay as transparent as possible through this journey.

Everyday I ask God to smile through me to someone. I am determined to see the positive in everything I do. 

When I started this marathon I was still working full time. I am in management with Wal Mart. The majority of my work day is spent on the sales floor. Several of my co workers and regular customers are shocked by the extent of my cancer. These are people who see me every day, more than my family in truth. They did not see anything that alarmed them.  My husband sees me everyday and the only thing that concerned him was the spot on my cheek that bled periodically. I have said it before and I may say it in every post forward. Know your body. Stand up for your body. Do not let anyone convince you that any changes in your skin are OK. Make them prove it. BIOPSY anything that even remotely seems out of place. Get your camera and someone you trust and start your skin journal today.

For more and more people, Cancer has become A Family Story. This is part of mine.

Meet my Uncle Don. An awesome tennis player, the family natural medicine health nut and guru, and now our beloved warrior.

He is a man who has always practiced what he preached. "Take care of your body and it will take care of you."  In 2002 Uncle Don had several basal carcinomas removed.  In 2004 he was diagnosed with his first melanoma which was removed with a Mohs procedure.  After that he kept dermatology appointments every six months.  He and his wife pointed out any concerns they had at every single visit. My aunt tells me that in 2010 there was a spot that popped up on his head resembling a blood blister. At their next visit she pointed it out to the dermatologist saying "we are concerned about it".  The doctor lightly pushed her hand away and said "it's nothing".  The spot grew rapidly and changed in appearance. She became more concerned. She even had a dream about it prompting her to push up Uncle Don's next appointment. At this visit she was more than adamant. The doctor was surprised "they had missed it" at the last visit.  He tried to excise it in the office but it was too deep.  A biopsy revealed melanoma. A second procedure with a surgeon removed it. The cancer was stage 4 melanoma by that time.  Given the advanced stage and lack of proven protocols for treatment, Uncle Don chose to let it run its course.  He has now been on Hospice for almost two years.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A SPOT DON'T LET THE DOCTOR BRUSH YOU OFF!! BE ASSERTIVE.  IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE.
























We are bombarded with all sorts of colors. Gold is for childhood cancers. I lived through that one. Pink is for breast cancer. I had a sister-in-law that lost her fight to that just a few years ago.  Light Blue is for prostate cancer. My father passed six years ago from that. I learned recently the black ribbon is for melanoma.
 
One of the vendors in our store confided to me that she lost a brother to melanoma. He had a spot on his thigh. He figured it was an age spot. He was a self professed nerd and rarely spent time out doors. He had fallen on the ice in his driveway and during surgery to set his leg the surgeon sent it to pathology. It came back melanoma. Further testing showed the cancer had spread through out his body. He passed away a year later.

In route to Texas I met a young woman on the plane who lost her husband recently to skin cancer. She was traveling with their 3 young children. She and her husband were high school sweethearts. He had a spot I believe she said it was on his back.  She doesn't recall it changing. She doesn't remember it not being there. During one of his physicals the doctor asked him about it. He decided to get it biopsied. The biopsy came back melanoma, he was gone within 8 months of his diagnosis. 

Every color of the rainbow now represents a form of cancer.  Long before these colors represented anything else they were simply the rainbow, God's promise for hope.

Take away nugget: Faith grows in the soil of Gratitude and Thankfulness. What are you truly grateful and thankful for?