[redhed35]

Next time someone says something negative,insulting or just plain stupid,you can say... codswallop!

[Clough]

next time someone says something negative,insulting or just plain stupid,you can say...codswallop!

Good response! I couldn't spread the "love" so soon after having given it to you so recently!

[thisisit]

I don't know anyone personally, Clough. I know of patients who have had skin grafts, but mainly my experience with patients with skin grafts was while I was a student. I did work medical/surgical for a couple years and some of those patients had skin grafts. There are different types of skin grafts. Did your doctor give you any literature to read while you are waiting?

The skin graft generally creates another 'wound', and of course the area the graft is moved to has to be watched carefully for signs of healing or tissue death. Usually some antibiotic cream will need to be applied three times a day till healing is complete.

I stayed away from burn patients, who are the patients most often to receive a skin graft. So my experience is very limited in that area. I could never tolerate the suffering of a burn patient while I was a student, so I avoided working with many patients who had skin grafts.

[redhed35]

Good response! I couldn't spread the "love" so soon after having given it to you so recently!

You sound in good form.

Good.

[Clough]

I don't know anyone personally, Clough. I know of patients who have had skin grafts, but mainly my experience with patients with skin grafts was while I was a student. I did work medical/surgical for a couple years and some of those patients had skin grafts. There are different types of skin grafts. Did your doctor give you any literature to read while you are waiting?

The skin graft generally creates another 'wound', and of course the area the graft is moved to has to be watched carefully for signs of healing or issue death. Ususally some antibiotic cream will need to be applied three times a day till healing is complete.

I stayed away from burn patients, who are the patients most often to receive a skin graft. So my experience is very limited in that area. I could never tolerate the suffering of a burn patient while I was a student, so I avoided working with many patients who had skin grafts.

No, I wasn't given any literature to read. Although, I do really trust this doctor. I know that he's one of the best in this area. I also know him on a professional as well as personal basis.

Perhaps I've already read enough things though...

Thanks!

[JudyKayTee]

You were in my thoughts all day - I think you find a Physician you trust (which you have done), someone with a good reputation (if not a great reputation), someone YOU can work with (my sister's Doctor isn't necessarily someone I can work with) and then you count on prayers and good luck and just plain "thank God I caught this now."

You are doing all the right things - but you already know that.

There used to be a John Wayne Skin Cancer study which was very comprehensive, came out with comprehensive (printed) results - most helpful in times like you are going through. I don't know if it's still an active study, still around.

[Clough]

I'm glad that you were thinking about me, Judy! That means a lot to me! It's much appreciated!

The doctor wants to excise things all the way down to the bone! He also wants to make a skin graft. That will be skin that will come off my chest area.

Any other moral and emotional support will be much appreciated here!

Thanks!

[JudyKayTee]

I'm glad that you were thinking about me, Judy! That means a lot to me! It's much appreciated!

The doctor wants to excise things all the way down to the bone! He also wants to make a skin graft. That will be skin that will come off of my chest area.

Any other moral and emotional support will be much appreciated here!

Thanks!

How about "thank goodness you caught it in time" and you will have a whole lot of people praying for you?

Sounds like a real shock - I can't imagine hearing these words BUT I do know that the medical profession really does perform miracles. You want it removed and you want to make sure it does not come back and this appears to be the only way. Sometimes coming to terms with a shocker like this is the worst part. Sounds like you're staying strong and working your way through this. I trust you have some personal support? That means a lot.

I really do have a sense that we are all family here and pulling for each other so you can get some comfort in knowing that people whose faces you wouldn't even recognize are pulling for you.

Please keep us informed - I wish I had magical words but I don't but I hope I've "said" something that comforts you.

[Clough]

Originally Posted by Clough
I'm glad that you were thinking about me, Judy! That means a lot to me! It's much appreciated!

The doctor wants to excise things all the way down to the bone! He also wants to make a skin graft. That will be skin that will come off my chest area.

Any other moral and emotional support will be much appreciated here!

Thanks!

How about "thank goodness you caught it in time" and you will have a whole lot of people praying for you?

Sounds like a real shock - I can't imagine hearing these words BUT I do know that the medical profession really does perform miracles. You want it removed and you want to make sure it does not come back and this appears to be the only way. Sometimes coming to terms with a shocker like this is the worst part. Sounds like you're staying strong and working your way through this. I trust you have some personal support? That means a lot.

I really do have a sense that we are all family here and pulling for each other so you can get some comfort in knowing that people whose faces you wouldn't even recognize are pulling for you.

Please keep us informed - I wish I had magical words but I don't but I hope I've "said" something that comforts you.

I've already written this previously, might have been on this thread or on another - don't really remember. But, it's so nice to know that I'm not alone!

Thank you so much for your support!

[Clough]

Update:

Went to see the surgeon last week. All he did was look at it and said that he was 99% sure that it is basil cell carcinoma.

I'm having surgery at one of the local hospitals, this coming Thursday at 7:30 A.M. Need to be there by 6:30 A.M.

I would appreciate thoughts and prayers!

Thanks!

[thisisit]

I was just thinking of you. You can count on me. I'm very sure your surgeon is right! I'll be sending you lots of positive, healing energy :)

[Clough]

Would you please share with me how things went with the procedures that you've already had, thisisit?

Thanks!

[nikosmom]

Awww, just seeing this Cloughy... please keep us posted and you're not a pansy- you're human. It's OK to be scared; we all are at some point in our lives. It takes a strong person to admit it.

Hang in there!

[thisisit]

OK... I went to the hospital, nervous, of course. I was brave, just like you. I did not look at the doctor's instruments or the needles. I had two spots on my collar bone, one was a benign cyst, the other basal cell carcinoma. I made sure I looked away the whole time. I was injected along my collar bone near both spots. That made my skin nice and numb. The surgeon then cut out the cyst. That was harder to get out than the basal cell carcinoma. The cyst was kind of deep so there was some digging around, but all I could feel was pressure. About an inch away was the basal cell, which the surgeon cut out after the cyst. Then he stitched me up. It took a lot longer than I thought, but the surgeon just wanted to be sure he was thorough. The stitches were very irritating. They were the kind that are supposed to dissolve on their own, but they didn't. After a couple weeks I scraped the skin away from a couple knots in the stitches and pulled them out with tweezers.

I'm going to call the surgeon next week for the spot on my leg, I'm pretty sure it is basal cell carcinoma and its not going away by itself. You have inspired me stop putting it off and make the call. :)

[thisisit]

Also, the spot on my cheek was taken care of at the dematologist's office. He just used a Q tip type thingy soaked in liquid nitrogen and burned the area on the side of my cheek. That didn't hurt much and required no special treatment.

You will probably be given drugs to make you go to sleep for your surgery, or to make you sleepy, I'm guessing.

[Clough]

I've been told that I will be given a local anesthetic and be awake the whole time.

He also is going to do a skin graft, taking the skin from my collar bone area.

He will be taking the stuff off my nose down to the bone.

I don't like needles. But, I guess they aren't that bad!

[thisisit]

Well, that is lucky. You won't have to recover from anesthesia, which is a big plus on staying awake! Needles aren't bad, compared to scalpels! The thing with noses, there is not a lot of thickness as far as tissue goes, so, to be safe they have to go down to the bone... that isn't really very deep on the nose.

[Clough]

Well, the "count down" is here! If I haven't mentioned it already, surgery is this Thursday, at 7:30 A.M.

I would appreciate thoughts and prayers!

Thanks!

[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

[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!