This all started out as what appeared to be a little paper cut on the outside of my left nostril. This then became what I thought was a little pimple. In the space of 4 weeks it got bigger and it was rock hard like there was a grain of rice under the skin.
Because of Christmas etc I didn't get to my doctor until Dec. 28th. I told her that I didn't want to wait (weeks?) to see a specialist I wanted her to cut if off that very day, so she did and sent it away for analysis.
It took 2 weeks for the results to come back and to my absolute shock it was skin cancer!!
I was then referred to a specialist to have Mohs Microscopic Surgery. So that is where I was yesterday!!
I get to take this lovely dressing off this afternoon, apply some special silicone ointment and put on a much smaller dressing. I'm a little apprehensive to see the damage as they said the tumor went deeper than first thought.
We are trying to take a natural healing process for this. I couldn't have stitches as there was no extra skin so stitches would have pulled my one nostril up and out of shape-lovely!! This process takes more work and time but the scarring will hopefully be minimal. I go back to see the specialist in a week. If it is progressing as she feels it should then I just continue on with the same process. If it hasn't progressed adequately then I will have to have a skin graft that they will take from in front of my ear-this will result in a bumpy scar on my nose. We will have to wait and see.
Some of my shock at having skin cancer is that I DO NOT go out in the sun if I can help it. I'm not a sun worshiper at all. What I did learn though is that the sun damage that causes skin cancer. for the most part, happened before the age of 20. Well, as I was born in 1951 I don't think there was any such thing as sunscreen back in those days. I remember my mum putting Nivea cream on us so we wouldn't burn. No sunscreen there.
I think parents today are much more aware of the damage the sun can do and usually slather their children with sunscreen-thank goodness.
I am supposed to rest at home for 3 days, which is good because that's how long I have to put a similar dressing on. After that, all being well, I don't have to put a dressing on,just the silicone cream.
So I hope to do some reading, which is what I was doing from 3 to 5 this morning. Hard to turn the brain off so didn't get a very good sleep. Will just take it one day at a time.
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