after surgery care....stinks!

The care to take care of surgical excision has not been easy regardless of what some may think! Not at all for me anyhow. My excision site could be in possible one of the worst spots! Hate to complain but it really has been awful. There is one person who really knows, that's helped me change bandages, and that's my loving husband.

I was feeling guilty for the two weeks off from work to make sure this heals properly...possibly could have worked out some type of light duty (up to 8 pounds) but it's just too much between walking up or down any stairs, standing on feet long periods, sitting long periods and using the bathroom when needed.... I would regret going to work without a doubt.

 If I have to go to bathroom and the bandage gets wet or something, then I am going to try and change my bandage in a dirty bathroom stall, uh, no, I don't think so! Got to wash area well, then apply the special antibiotic prescription cream, cut gauze strip, cut tape and tape it in place all around. With my bladder issues, that could be at least a few times at work.

 I just don't feel guilty tonight, yesterday, yes I felt guilt, but if others were going through the same, they would choose home instead of work, too. It's not really healed well yet, which is kinda a worry. It goes from looking good to awful again. :(

The care is as follows in general for mole excision surgery:


Home care 

After the procedure, you need to keep a layer of antibiotic salve and a bandage on the wound. Use an antibiotic ointment that does not include neomycin. Many people are allergic to neomycin and may develop a rash at the site. Polysporin is a brand that does not contain neomycin. (Yes, I have developed sensitive red skin in the whole area...soreness)

Clean the wound once or twice daily with either water or diluted hydrogen peroxide.

After cleaning the wound, apply the antibiotic salve and bandage. (Not easy, bending to reach the area to apply all this)
This is repeated (2 weeks+) the wound is healed.

Misconceptions about healing

Some people think that wounds need to be open to the air and that this helps healing. Several studies have disproved this and found significantly quicker healing with bandages and antibiotic salve.

Similarly, vitamin E has been found to slow healing rather than accelerate it, and scars were shown to be worse with vitamin E placed directly on wounds than without it.

Next Steps

Simple mole removals are frequently not followed up, but this may vary depending on the type of mole.
(especially if it turns out to be cancer...ugh)

For lab results: You may receive a phone call from the doctor if there is any indication of unusual features once the tissue is analyzed. Then you would see the doctor for a follow-up recheck of the area and full examination of the rest of your body. (and for some chemo type of topical cream that burns off layers of your surrounding skin, once it's healed of course, approx within 2 months, can start the cream that makes everything sore and bloody all over again)

For stitches removal: Follow-up depends on the area that received stitches and the type of suture. Facial sutures are typically removed within 4-7 days. Stitches elsewhere (that's me) are usually removed from 8-21 days, depending on the type of suture and the surgeon’s preference.

To prevent infection: During the time of the recovery, you need to be careful not to get the area dirty. Also, trauma needs to be avoided to the area, including avoidance of unnecessary stress and strain to the area. (hence, what I do at my job)

Healing (warning, stitches pic)

Feel like these darn things have been in forever, ugh. Very tender and sore but looks like its ok, I guess.

Finally went out to dinner tonight, after 6 days in the house. Also, spent some quality time with one of my besties tonight for coffee. Friend therapy is just what I needed. Had my second shower, since the surgery, today. Plan on going back to work next week doing light duty stuff I think. Have to talk to my boss. Just about finished a week though, one more to go with these darn things.

 What a pain in the butt to live with, I tell ya! Going to the bathroom is tricky, going up and downstairs tugs and pulls being in the crease of inner thigh/groin....everything I do, I can feel the pressure or pull down there. Trying to get in and out of the car is fun too...not.

Thanks for letting me whine....sorry but yes, for anyone interested in what skin cancer is all about, I must post more ugly pics...here are the stitches.

Biopsy results not sitting well

The resident doctor called today to give me my pathology results thus far, though she is still looking at the slides??!!  She was very surprised with the results as she said it looked like nothing from the beginning, "totally benign,"she said bluntly during surgery (training on me). "Hmmm, I'm not surprised at all that it's a form of skin cancer as I know my own body," I thought to myself.

She said it's squamous cell cancer. Said it's great I saw it and caught it early and that they removed the entire lesion. The diagnosis feels off to me. I will explain:

From the first visit to just look at the mole till now, they have all been off in their thinking that it's nothing and called it something else at first, then the first doc actually used a dermascope (the one who scheduled surgery after looking at it through the dermascope) and changed his thought on what it was and said it was then a nevus. So, now why aren't they listening to me, seriously?

It IS a nevus mole. Its been there for as long as I can remember and was brown , roundish and had a pale skin colored middle. I have compared it to hundreds and hundreds of photos online too. There was no texture, it was smooth and pigment of my skin. I wish I had a photo of my mole originally years ago, before it grew and changed, to show them. Thats another reason I think its possible amelanotic due to the fact that the middle of my original mole had no pigment and if the melanoma cancer started there it might have followed same path of no dark pigmented cells as it grew? Not sure if this last sentence is possible but thought I would add that in here.
 I truly believe this could be a rarer melanoma called amelanotic. I cant help but in my gut to make sure they check into it, do the tests for it using special protein stains on the slides. It wouldnt hurt and I will feel better if they rule that out. It does not resemble Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and its EXTREMELY rare for squamous cell cancer to start from a nevus. It just doesn't really fit the diagnosis.

I am not a confrontational person by nature, pretty much a pushover but I just cant let this go. Its a fact that amelanotic melanomas have been misdiagnosed by some of the best pathologists as Squamous cell cancer and I dont want to chance my life unless they are positive by doing an actual test for amelanotic cells.

I may be a bit overboard on googling stuff but it is a real possibility that just shouldn't be overlooked. Not something as serious as this....It could be a matter of life and death here. Ok, I am getting a bit emotional now, but all I want is to be sure so I know I will be getting the proper treatment I need for it. Any skin cancer is just not good, if it had to be one or the other I would choose squamous cell of course over melanoma.

to be continued soon.....

Here are some more pics of it over the past several weeks as a changed mole....

How cute are these?

At home still healing from my excision in my groin area...a little sore. Hard to take care of this being in the spot its in but managing my best :)
Instead of gross stitches photos, maybe on another post lol, here are my cute Puppy Dog slippers i mentioned in a latter post.
They really are cute and comforting! TY mom.

Hours after, it's been brutal...

The day finally arrived .. Had my excision surgery this morning. The surgeon was so nice... She looked at my mole/lesion again to decide if in fact she wanted to do the surgery, just to make sure and she decided what the first dermatologist set me up for, complete removal. Thank God its done but omg dont know if I would do it again in this area!
OUCH.... Not the surgery though.. Surgery was fine, numbed up good and took about an hour on operating table. Ouch with the aftercare. It's been difficult to walk without too much pressure and rubbing, lying down and sitting up both are uncomfortable. So sensitive, swollen and just not a fun spot to care for :(

I was bleeding still through the gauze, decided to change it since it was pretty bloody, even though it was recommended to wait till the next day. Too worried about a stitch having been loose or something so had to do it. With help from my poor hubby of course. Both of us got so weak and woozy just thinking about changing it... Actually changing it was not fun, too! Took acetominophen for the pain. Lots of sharp pinches and sore now. She said there are lots of nerves in the area where they excised.
Used the prescription antibiotic topical ointment Mupirocin. Can't lift anything more than 5-8 pounds and shouldnt bend etc... Too much to worry about. Nine stitches total 3 inside and 6 outside. Go back in two weeks for removal. Can't do much at work, longer than planned. Oh boy, hate to have to tell them.

20 hours to go......

Lots of anxiety. Lots.  I think at this point I am more nervous about the excision than the biopsy results... one day at a time and surgery day is just about here. ugh!

The problems I am worried about is where it's located, my upper left thigh, inner upper left thigh basically where my leg meets my groin. Not even sure if it will be charted as a groin or thigh removal at  this point. Such a sensitive area, so I think its going to be extremely sore, yikes...it's already bothersome and that's before the removal! Then trying to keep it clean so it doesn't get infected is going to be another task. It will make going to the bathroom a tedious chore, especially with my bladder issues :(

Just want it to heal with no issues...I will probably be walking like I was riding a horse so I don't pull on stitches. lol. I am just emotionally tired and keep getting bad headaches these past few days, wake up with really painful ones daily lately. It's gotta be stress, I think.

I tend to think a lot and worry a lot. That's me. These fears and concerns are real for me. I know many have it worse but it doesn't mean I can't be allowed to feel what I feel. Many might not even know what   I feel (haven't shared this blog with family and friends, yet). I make it hard too, for people to understand , as I have a hard time being expressive. I am very reserved and keep a lot in. I am crying so bad on the inside right now...I just want this over with and to know the results of it as well. I want to stick around and enjoy more days of blue skies, flowers, photography, and my dogs. I don't want to leave my husband and son.  One aunt, who is going through her own battle, said if it's cancer, fight like a girl! That's what I will do.

Six more days...

The week of my mole removal is finally coming up... I feel this strong "nesting" instinct...gotta prepare, gotta get ready! Must clean the house, must buy some loose sweatpants that won't rub against the excision area and stitches. I must make sure my mother's blood pressure pills will be enough to last her until I am up and about again...maybe I should refill just in case.. I must do this, must do that... geez, its not like I am having open-heart surgery or anything, I really need to breathe... surgery just scares me, what can I say. I think its knowing that this can go either way afterwards, might be that all will be good, biopsy will come back fine, or all hell will break loose if its malignant, ugh! Hopefully taking care of my little wound afterwards will keep me preoccupied while waiting for the pathology report.

On a happier note: My mom got me some adorable doggie slippers for my post surgery recovery around the house. I will post a pic of them this week. They put a smile on my face.

I have been waiting for this to finally happen and to be over with but now I feel, all of the sudden, like I am not prepared yet....well, It's time to get prepared!!!

Now, onto a gory reality: This is an example of what my surgery will consist of...the same type/shape of excision except mine will be in a very sensitive spot- the inner thigh/groin area :(
I warn ya, Its not an easy video to watch, its surgery. Surgeries aren't exactly pretty.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lcsLn9VkKMg