I am camera shy. Why? Most all photos of me are terrible. I played around with my computer camera, and took this pic. I think that it is pretty good. I am surprised. Hum.... this is what 65 looks like. Not terrible...really. Next week I am going to allow my Dermatologist do a treatment on my face. I am an ongoing skin cancer patient. I had my first cancer, melanoma, very near my left eye...over 20 years ago. I see my derm every year, and always have cryo treatments on my face. She told me that this treatment would be very good for me. It will remove the tiny spots of future cancers and even out my skin tone. The recovery is going to be pretty long, there will be lingering red skin for up to two months. Wish me well.
This is an old photo, it looks the same now, with about 12" snow. It was a chilly 8 degrees F last night. I am staying home most of the week. The roads are terrible, and the city has worse roads than the rural area. I have watched log trucks,and school buses going by at a crawl all week.
I had an appt with my Derm doc this week. I always come home from her appts with many pre-cancer freezing treatments, on my face and hands. She has been my Derm for 20 years, and been with me, and seen me through skin cancers, including Melanoma, Basal Cell, and many pre-cancers along the way. She thinks that I need a full treatment of my face, because I have blotchy skin from the many freezing treatments. Now, that I have had several days to think about it, she has a good point. I keep needing treatments on my face, and this may help resolve the ongoing pre-cancers. I believe that I will benefit.
The wintertime gives me time to heal, and rest. The rest of the year is very busy, and I work outdoors on the farm. I am enjoying the quiet time of this winter, sitting beside the fireplace, reading, playing my ukulele, and planning my adventures to come.
I thought that you might be wondering how my scar looks from the skin cancer removal in July. It has been two months and I have a small pink scar at this time. I do not scar very much, and I think that in a few months there will be a slight reminder of the removal. I am happy to report that healing is going well.
Oh, BTW, my left hand is finally back to normal!
This is what I look like 2 days after surgery. I am pretty bruised, and swollen. The spot was about 1/8th inch, but the result is pretty serious. A Basal cell carcinoma. This is not a trivial thing, sun is dangerous.
I said it out loud...I have skin cancer, again...basal cell carcinoma. I went to my Dermatologist, Diane Baird (she is great, we have had a relationship since 1997) last week. I wasn't there for the area in question. The problem area was nothing to worry about. I just said what about this spot? It is just below my neck, on my sternum...it is just under the neckline of this shirt. A small spot, raised a little, and I have been keeping an eye on it. OK, just a small biopsy...to see what it is...probably nothing. Today the call, Dr Baird, it is cancer, I will need a inoffice surgery. Here we go, July 9th...........just to get rid of it.
This is our Black Labrador Retriever...Radar, named after the MASH show character. He is now 4 years old, an still a very energetic wild thing. I have been taking it easy from the second cancer removal on my right hand. I go back on August 1st, and I hope to be released by my wonderful derm, Dr Diane Baird. I have been under her care for 15 years. I am ever watchful, and very happy that I had this taken care of - invasive, well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. I had a rapid growing tumor.
I don't want to scare anyone with this serious subject. Today, I have just been diagnosed with another skin cancer. The last 30 days I noticed a a raised red bump on the back of my right hand. The size? About the size of a pencil eraser, a bit sensitive and growing quickly. I have had many pre-cancerous spots removed with cryo-surgically (frozen) from the backs of both hands...and don't remember if this spot was one before. OK, it was removed in the office and I have 3 stitches. I am certainly happy that I took action very quickly and will only have a tiny scar left. These things can grow into horrible lesions and will be deadly. Please...watch your skin. The name of this - Squamous Cell Skin Cancer.
