Friday, October 24, 2014

biopsy and the selfie


Early September, I had an appointment with the dermatologist to look at a spot on my nose that had a tendency to bleed. Not often, maybe a couple times a year.

I had already been to her previously about it about 4 years ago. She looked at it and determined it to be a vein that had migrated to the surface. Sounded plausible to me. She gave it a shot of that freezey stuff and it went away. For over two years. But then it came back so I made another appointment.

She sliced it off and sent it in to be biopsied. The results were basal cell carcinoma and she wanted me back in for further treatment. I've had one of those before and have a small circular scar beside my nose under my right eye because the dermatologist I went to back then wanted to send me to a plastic surgeon to have it cut out and stitched up so it wouldn't leave a scar. I declined. This current one healed into a nice little divot on the end of my nose.

My follow-up appointment was Wednesday. Before the doctor came in, the nurse?, attendant?, said the doctor would either scrape and burn or use a medication and I needed to sign this consent form first. Personally, I thought going to the doctor to get treated was consent but, whatever.

Anyway, the doctor, who is a really nice young thing, came in and said there was still some bad tissue, that the biopsy had not got it all and I actually had three options...scrape and burn which would leave a bigger deeper divot on the tip of my nose, I could use a medication that costs $800 (yeah, that was my reaction too), or she could use a little tool to take a deeper plug out of my nose and then stitch it up which would leave a little line of a scar. The cost of that was barely more than my first visit with the biopsy.

So that is what she did. She injected the spot with a deadener, much like the dentist does, waited for it to numb up, used that little tool to extract a plug of tissue, and then stitched it up. Then she put a spot bandaid on it which wasn't doing a very good job since it was still weeping blood and the ends of the sutures were sticking out (I was holding a mirror).

She took the little bandaid off and I got a good look at her handiwork. I have a little spider with wonky legs. Seems appropriate for the season. I'll just tell everyone I got my nose pierced and this is my stud.

I told her I didn't need a bandaid, that I was fine but she insisted.

It will make me look bad if you walk through the waiting room bleeding.

Because a 3" long bandaid starting on my cheek and over my nose, tucked into my nostril, looks so much better.

But I can take this off, right?

Which I did as soon as I got in the car.






16 comments:

  1. "Are you kidding me?" Now, that's a label!

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  2. I'm glad you had it looked at again and took care of it. Too many people in my life have had melanoma and I'm a real nut when it comes to being careful. Good for you. Oma Linda

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  3. I like your spider. I'm glad you got that taken care of. I had a tumor removed from my right cheek by plastic surgeon so that I wouldn't have a scar or a divot. it turned out great. But the vanity gods decided to give me a rather pronounced divot on my left cheek, about the size of a fingertip that has no known cause. The gods are laughing and laughing and laughing.

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  4. I just had a biopsy done on a mole on my back. I hadn't even noticed the thing (it's on my BACK). Hoping it was one of those "well I couldn't really see anything wrong so let's just take this" dealios. We shall see.

    I kind of like your spider. Here's hoping that that's all there is to it!

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  5. I think it looks like a star.

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  6. Oog. Not a fun appointment. But as you've said, at least you're in keeping with the season. Maybe next month you can somehow turn your spider into a tiny turkey.

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  7. Such a trendsetter you are Ellen!
    Now everyone will be wearing stitches rather than earrings.
    Seriously, glad you were able to get it taken care of so easily.

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  8. Not too bad and great timing before Halloween. I would have been a coward and gone the plastic surgeon route since it was on the NOSE. Hope they get every single nasty cell!!!!

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  9. Isn't it funny how, as we age, our scars and dents just become who we are? I am glad you went and had it taken care of.

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  10. You are very wise and very brave. Your scar is going to be awesome. I love you, Ellen.

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  11. I hope you're totally healed now. All the best.....

    Hugs and positive thoughts...

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  12. How timely for the season. I hope they got it all and that it's not hurting. When do you get rechecked?

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  13. You crack me up! I'm glad you had it checked and took care of business. Scar schmar ~ our skin does its job as long as it holds everything in place. Call it a beauty mark:)

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  14. Ouch! Usually they take more than they need and leave a big sore, so you are lucky.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.