A lump looking like a sty developed on my lower eyelid. My very good optician, when I had my eyes retested for my glasses, thought it might be a 'rodent ulcer' and wrote to my GP. Of course I looked up what that was! Oh oh! My GP referred to eye unit as urgent. Phone call within days to book me into a triage clinic but concerns that eyelid surgeon not available and about to leave.
Specialist doctor called triage consultant in. Said very suspicious, very urgent. I've never seen two doctors hit the phones faster. I was booked in for biopsy for two days later - eye lid consultant's last day.
Burst into tears in front of my neighbour when she asked if I was alright at home over a coffee. Wailed no. She sweetly came with me to see what surgeon was proposing to do and drove me there and back. Eye lid consultant reassured me that he thought it was just pre-cancerous not cancer and that it was very positive that he could see my eyelashes. Biopsy operation better than I thought and over very quickly, although I did not like local anaesthetic injection. However pleased that I couldn't feel a thing after that apart from my eyelashes. He said he was only taking half out in case there were 'nasty' cells they had to remove so they could find them again. He thought it was probably a keratoacanthoma (pre-cancerous) lesion.
Looked up keratoacanthoma when I got home. Saw it would have to be removed anyway.
Found out about and contacted local Macmillan Advocates. A lovely professional advocate came to see me. Asked me to tell her what had happened so far which was a great opportunity to debrief. Helped me think through what I wanted to ask in my feedback session. Said if it was cancer she'd come with me to all my appointments if I wanted.
Boring having eye patch on, then not being able to wash hair ugh, having to keep eye dry but it passed. Exhausted all week. Probably because of winding down from the stress I was feeling leading up to the biopsy. Very pleased no scar and no sign of lump.
Then it was time for my feedback appointment after two weeks. Much to my surprise I was told it was a benign papilloma. Any further surgery would be cosmetic only and wouldn't be covered by NHS. I was discharged. My Advocate asked if I was happy with that. I said what about having it out privately. I was told that it would be a problem to remove anyway. I couldn't see why because as far as I was concerned half of it had already been taken out with no trouble at all. But by this time the eyelid consultant had left. Dr advised that if it grew so that I couldn't shut my eyelids, affected my sight or itched then the NHS might be able to do something. I wish I'd pursued having it removed privately at that point because I think that that would have been very minor. However I was on to the next biopsy for a different part of my body that was being investigated for cancer this time under a general anaesthetic. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.......
