Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Biopsy: one of the top three scariest words in the English language
I had a biopsy done today.
I found a weird shaped mole on my shoulder a few weeks ago. Okay, it was more like two months ago. Dermatologists freak me out. I don't really know why. They do. I figured I was most likely over reacting and it was just a mole.
Then, out of the blue, Middle G's good friend's mom stopped over to pick up her kid and shared news of her recent skin cancer removal. I thought, how odd? I find a weird looking mole and the next conversation I have is about skin cancer. She told me she was glad she had it looked at and it wasn't terrible to have it removed.
I asked her for the name of her dermatologist.
But I didn't call.
Then I went to the beach with my girlfriends. You know the trip that is better than therapy. One of the ladies there noticed my mole and asked about it. It's on the upper part of my back shoulder. It doesn't come up in conversation often. I shrugged it off.
Coincidence.
Then I was working online. Okay, I was playing on Facebook and stumbled upon this video entitled Dear 16-year-old Me.
Does that sound like a PSA for skin cancer? Imagine my surprise when I realized it was.
That's when I thought "Just how many signs do you need?"
I called the doctor and I went today. I figured she'd tell me I was overreacting but she agreed with my assessment. Suspicious. She said she needed to biopsy it right away. She numbed the area and cut a chunk out of my shoulder.
Then I was given a "wound care" handout. Until then I was under the impression that she just scrapped off some skin. Nope. Apparently they don't want it to scab. Ummmm...okay? I am supposed to clean it out everyday and apply petroleum jelly. That sounds....um...pleasant.
I won't hear anything for at least a week. Of course, given the fact that Monday is the 4th of July, I am anticipating a longer wait.
Waiting sucks almost as much as the word biopsy.
I found a weird shaped mole on my shoulder a few weeks ago. Okay, it was more like two months ago. Dermatologists freak me out. I don't really know why. They do. I figured I was most likely over reacting and it was just a mole.
Then, out of the blue, Middle G's good friend's mom stopped over to pick up her kid and shared news of her recent skin cancer removal. I thought, how odd? I find a weird looking mole and the next conversation I have is about skin cancer. She told me she was glad she had it looked at and it wasn't terrible to have it removed.
I asked her for the name of her dermatologist.
But I didn't call.
Then I went to the beach with my girlfriends. You know the trip that is better than therapy. One of the ladies there noticed my mole and asked about it. It's on the upper part of my back shoulder. It doesn't come up in conversation often. I shrugged it off.
Coincidence.
Then I was working online. Okay, I was playing on Facebook and stumbled upon this video entitled Dear 16-year-old Me.
Does that sound like a PSA for skin cancer? Imagine my surprise when I realized it was.
That's when I thought "Just how many signs do you need?"
I called the doctor and I went today. I figured she'd tell me I was overreacting but she agreed with my assessment. Suspicious. She said she needed to biopsy it right away. She numbed the area and cut a chunk out of my shoulder.
Then I was given a "wound care" handout. Until then I was under the impression that she just scrapped off some skin. Nope. Apparently they don't want it to scab. Ummmm...okay? I am supposed to clean it out everyday and apply petroleum jelly. That sounds....um...pleasant.
I won't hear anything for at least a week. Of course, given the fact that Monday is the 4th of July, I am anticipating a longer wait.
Waiting sucks almost as much as the word biopsy.
Labels:
biopsy,
dear 16 year old me,
signs,
skin cancer
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
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9 random thoughts:
I will be praying for you my friend. Hopefully it's nothing more than cutting it out and calling it good.
I understaND THIS ALL TO WELL MY FRIEND...iVE BEEN DEALING WITH SOME SKIN cancer issues myself...I'll make you a deal...I will send prayers up for you, and you send them up for me:)
hugs
Can we be scared together?
Because you're the second blogger to mention this the past week ...and I have a suspicious mole too.
(It's too late for me to watch this video. I've been an incredibly dumb 16 year old.)
I'm glad you went. And I've put a visit on the top of my list too.
Sending positive thoughts for a good outcome.
My grandpa has had hundreds of skin cancers and he is still kickin' at 95. I'm not saying it's not a big deal, but I believe you are going to be a-okay. I'll keep you in my prayers.
I hope it will be okay! It's not fun; I've had 4 removed now over the years and the waiting is hard. I have one on the bottom of my foot the doctor wants removed since it got so big during my last pregnancy, but who wants a doctor digging around on the tender skin under our feet? So I said I'd just watch it for now. Not fun.
*hugs*
I've had two different moles removed in the past -- for one the biopsy came back weird (not the technical term, but when it wasn't officially cancer I let myself forget the details :P) and they had to remove a bigger area. They used something a little like a hole punch, and I got four stitches... but looking back it was still (comparatively) no big deal. TOTALLY better to go and just deal with it! Yay you for making that doctor's appointment and being proactive! :)
Praying for you -- keep us posted!
I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and will be waiting to see good new posted soon.
I'm posting that video on my facebook. People just don't realize what the sun can do to you. I'm very fair and had a sunburn all the time when i was a kid. My brother is a redhead and has had some spots of cancer removed, luckily it wasn't malignant melanoma.
Hang in there. I'm so glad you went to have that taken care of!
I'm praying for you, my friend. I'm glad that you went to get it checked out. You're making me think that I better go too. Thank you.
Thinking of you with tons of positivity and sending so many hugs!
Yikes! THat is scary. I had the same thing last year and had to get one of my "precancerous" moles removed. If you have to go that route, let me advise you to go with stitches instead of "natural healing." The results of my natural healing are not pretty at all. Sending good thoughts!