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Originally Posted by tickle

gee, Clough, just happened on all of this now. You have already had the surgery cause this is Monday. Please let us know asap how you feel and what you are doing.

tick

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I think the surgery is this coming Thursday, the 18th -

At any rate, Clough, you're in my thoughts and have been.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tickle

gee, Clough, just happened on all of this now. You have already had the surgery cause this is Monday. Please let us know asap how you feel and what you are doing.

tick

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The surgery is this coming Thursday, the 18th, 7:30 A.M. I do appreciate your thoughts and concern, tickle! :)

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by thisisit

I'm pulling for you Clough, you are in my thoughts. Courage.... you have courage! I'll be calling about my skin cancer in a few minutes, soon as the office opens. Thank you for sharing your courage with me!

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What was the news, thisisit? I hope and pray that it was good!

Hey, thank you for sharing your good thoughts and courage with me! :)

My luck hasn't been so good today... My surgeon retired in December, just a couple months ago. The doctor who took over his practice does not accept my insurance. My insurance company informed me that I could make an appointment with any general surgeon or dermatologist in my area and they would approve it. So far none of the doctors I've called are willing to see me on those terms. The next doctor I call, I will be making the appointment as a self pay and will say I don't have insurance. The doctors I've called so far have said they cannot charge me if I have insurance that they don't accept~ so, they've refused to give me an appointment. The worst part, for me anyway, is just making the appointment. Taking that step is the hardest for me, now it is even more difficult due to insurance issues.

What about calling your old surgeon or maybe a nurse who worked with him to see what they have to say?

I'm sorry that you're having those difficulties!

Thanks, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. All the insurance reps were busy with other customers having similar problems. I did not get a call back this afternoon. If I get a call back tomorrow, I'll ask if there is someone at the insurance company who can arrange for an appointment with a doctor's office of their choice. If they can't, then I'll call a doctor myself, one I haven't called yet, and make a self pay appointment.

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Originally Posted by Clough

The surgery is this coming Thursday, the 18th, 7:30 A.M. I do appreciate your thoughts and concern, tickle! :)

Thanks!

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I am right there with you in spirit and thoughts. You will sail right through the whole procedure and come out a winner Clough *****high five*****

Tick

Thanks, tickle! :)

Does anyone have an idea as to how long the type of surgery that I'm going to have might take? Raised, bumpy area on nose that's about 3/4's of an inch long, maybe a little over 1/4 of an inch wide. Skin graft will come from collar bone.

Thanks!

Good luck for in the morning, Clough! This evening, you should do something soothing and relaxing, something you enjoy. Treat yourself with your most enjoyable relaxing *whatever it is that soothes you. Maybe record some of your fav music to take along in the morning. You could keep your eyes closed and listen to your favorite music while the good doctor does his magic?

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Originally Posted by thisisit

Good luck for in the morning, Clough! This evening, you should do something soothing and relaxing, something you enjoy. Treat yourself with your most enjoyable relaxing *whatever it is that soothes you. Maybe record some of your fav music to take along in the morning. You could keep your eyes closed and listen to your favorite music while the good doctor does his magic?

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This is Ash Wednesday, so tonight, I'll be going to church. That will help.

Thank you so much for your suggestions! They're great! :) I hadn't even really given any thought to doing something relaxing! It's just the way that I am...

Clough, We are praying for you down here.

Go do something that you enjoy to ease your mind.

Let us know how it goes.

God bless you.

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Originally Posted by jmjoseph

Clough, We are praying for you down here.

Go do something that you enjoy to ease your mind.

Let us know how it goes.

God bless you.

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Well, bless your heart, jmjoseph! It's much appreciated!

God Bless You, Too!

Thanks! :)

Hello Again, Friends! :)

Well, the surgery was a success and not really as bad as I thought it would be. The initial shots in my nose didn't really hurt all that much, but the shots above my right eye below my eyebrow did really hurt!

I really don't know why I was so afraid...

It all worked out fine and I also wasn't a basket case! Just need to get through the healing process now.

Everything extracted was basil cell carcinoma and would appear to have been completely removed. Halleluia!

The whole procedure took about two hours and forty-five minutes. That was with waiting for reports from the lab three times, as to whether the edges were clear of cancer or not.

I could hear the surgeon scraping on the bone of my nose!

I tried to open my eyes a number of times. However, they were covered in blood, so I gave up on that until the end.

I have this cotton balls "thing" on the top of my nose that makes me look like a cyborg, cyclops or maybe even a pirate!

Arghhhh maties!! https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/../ima...es/biggrin.gif

The cotton balls are held together with sutures and would appear to function as a clamp for the skin graft. Makes it look like a big spider is also there!

It's impairing my vision. I do need to be able to play. Have requested from the person who'll be selecting the hymns for Sunday to choose those that are easy to read as well as play.

One concern that I have right now, is that there is still blood flowing down the right side of my face occasionally. Is this normal?

Thanks!

Hi Clough, how long ago was your surgery finished? Are you still getting trickles of blood down your cheek? I'm so glad everything went as well as it did. I cringe reading the part where you could hear the surgeon scraping bone! Eeeek:eek: It sounds like you had some cutting very close to your eye, it is possible that your eye could be tearing a lot and that is mixing with small amount of blood making it seem like you have active bleeding. The main bleeding should be stopped by now. Have you been on aspirin or blood thinning medicine?

One bright side: For a while, at least, you'll be reminded that you have a nose with all the bandages.

It wasn't so bad, was it?

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Originally Posted by thisisit

Hi Clough, how long ago was your surgery finished? Are you still getting trickles of blood down your cheek? I'm so glad everything went as well as it did. I cringe reading the part where you could hear the surgeon scraping bone! eeeek:eek: It sounds like you had some cutting very close to your eye, it is possible that your eye could be tearing a lot and that is mixing with small amount of blood making it seem like you have active bleeding. The main bleeding should be stopped by now. Have you been on aspirin or blood thinning medicine?

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It was finished at about 10:15 this morning.

Yes, I'm still getting, I will say, a stream of blood down my cheek.

Part of the cutting was right by the right eye. No real gap there!

A retired nurse friend of mine who was there meantioned the tearing thing. That could be what it is concerning the blood flow.

No, I've not been on aspirin or any sort of blood thinning medication.

I really do appreaciate your concern!

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

One bright side: For a while, at least, youll be reminded that you have a nose with all the bandages.

It wasn't so bad, was it?

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Yes, it wasn't so bad as I thought that it would be! The surgeon did go out a couple of times to meet with my kids and a friend who were waiting for me. He did mention to them both times about how much I moaned.

He mentioned that to me in the operating room about my moaning and that he just needed to do his work.

I reminded him, that he did this thing all the time, but that some of us have never done it.

We also joked around a lot...

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by jmjoseph

Clough, We are praying for you down here.

Go do something that you enjoy to ease your mind.

Let us know how it goes.

God bless you.

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I believe that the prayers really worked!

I've not been that calm, ever, for any procedure that I've had done!

Thanks!

Something to keep in mind: just a tiny little bit of blood mixed with water/tears looks like a lot of blood. If you think it is actively bleeding, can you apply light but firm and gentle pressure over the area you believe is bleeding. If it gets worse, call the doctor's office. He should have an after hours answering service who can have him give you a call.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thisisit

Something to keep in mind: just a tiny little bit of blood mixed with water/tears looks like a lot of blood. If you think it is actively bleeding, can you apply light but firm and gentle pressure over the area you believe is bleeding. If it gets worse, call the doctor's office. He should have an after hours answering service who can have him give you a call.

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I don't dare to apply any pressure at this point. I really don't know about everything that's underneath the cotton balls.

Don't really want to disturb anything.

Yes, I agree. A tiny bit of blood mixed with tears can look like a lot of blood.

I will call him if things get worse.

Thanks!