Awaiting WLE & Skin Graft (Thigh)

Oh wow thanks for this info!  I'll make sure I have plenty paracetamol at home post surgery.  I was told I'll be in every 3 days for dressing change, so hopefully that should keep it from sticking to the donor site.  My nurse has helped calm me down and prepare me - but this site and your info has also been a great help, thank you!

Thanks for this info.  I'm usually a quick healer so I plan on following the rules 100%

Sending you positive vibes for your biopsy results :-)

Hiya.  Oooh you got your date!!!!  How are you feeling about that in terms of waiting until the new year?  I think it's ideal on some levels as like you said Jan is pretty dead.  But are you ok to wait a bit longer?  I am thinking my date is a good excuse for us as a family to do Christmas differently this year so it's not too bad timing for me either.  Just got to make sure I rest properly when the house is full of people.

I'm so pleased you've got a good relationship with your Skin Cancer Nurse.  I don't know why I'm so reluctant to contact mine.  I haven't felt they are as accessible as yours seems to be. Hopefully I can pluck up the courage to contact them at some point. What kind of questions are you asking (if you don't mind my asking). I think I would def like their opinion on what recover will be like.

I just had 12 hours away with my best mate so did get to do lots of bleating on about it all which was nice.    Sorry the weathers crappy at your end. Hope its' not too cold.

Hey!  I'm really pleased that its not happening soon, I've just got too many things happening in December so its a relief that I'll be able to enjoy the festivities.  Oh yes you MUST rest, let everyone fuss over you!

Aw sorry that you're not hearing form your nurse.  Perhaps once you touch base and express your worries etc they will be more proactive and keep in touch with you.  Do you have a cancer support centre close to where you live, perhaps it might be worth dropping in there for a chat.  

I asked really silly questions....the main one "will it hurt" hahaha seriously what an idiot!  Everyone has different pain levels, I got my microblading done on my eyebrows and it didn't hurt at all, my cousin got hers done and said it was the sorest thing she's ever had done.  

I also asked how long my surgery will take (she said 60-90 mins)

I asked if I will be in crutches & strapped up (yes I will be)

I asked if I'd be able to climb the stairs after the surgery as I live in a top floor apartment (yes I'll be able to do stairs but once I'm home I need to rest up for the first few days as its crucial for the skin graft)

I'm glad you managed to get away with your friend.  Its always good to talk to those who know you best.  

I went to my personal trainer today, first session in 4 weeks since I burst open my wound.  My wound has healed perfectly now so no issues today.  It healing that well that I'm scared there wont be any mark by the time I go in for the WLE.  I'll maybe ask the nurse if they took measurements so they know where the mole was.  I dont want them cutting into the wrong leg hahaha

Ahaha!  Your message made me laugh out loud! Mainly the thought of them searching for where your mole was.  It just made me smile cos everyone’s bemused that I’m under a breast surgeon and we’re just hoping he puts the arrows in the right direction and I don’t end up losing a boob! 

Also the eyebrows.  I used to have mine threaded and cried every time.  My daughter just trained as a brow specialist and thinks I’m pathetic. 

I’ve found the site where my mole was more uncomfortable than painful but it’s lingered a long time. Probably only stopped a few weeks ago. I can definitely see where mine was - the scar is horrible, so goodness knows what it will look like after the next bit.

Yeah I’m a bit like you with the date in that I’ve got fun stuff coming up that I didn’t want to have to cancel and I’m glad to think differently about Christmas.  Ideal timing for you then.  You even get to have a dance @ New Year!

Hope you're doing ok.

Hey!

I'm serious, I actually emailed my nurse today asking if anyone took pictures or measurements as my scare is healing really well.  What are you using on your scar?  I use Vaseline and also Night Face Cream.  To use a Scottish phrase...I CLART it on.  Which means I really do slap lots of it on.  I also use Vaseline on my crows feet - it works so it must be good for scars.

I think my plastic surgeon is also a breast man....I think they do everything that involves a scalpel and reconstruction.  I guess its like being a painter, they can do walls, roofs and windows. Hahahahaha I've had a lot of sugar today, can you tell :-)

I've stopped worrying now I know my date.  Sometimes I wake up I completely forget I've got / had skin cancer.

Did you manage to check your area for a cancer support drop in clinic near you?  I'm sure MacMillan would be able to help you find something.  We have a place near me that have a drop in clinic for cancer patients and their family, they give free tea & biscuits and massages etc for anyone affected by cancer.  I've not been yet but my sister did go with my parents last year when my Dad was diagnosed - they went a few times, my Dad even went to an exercise class they held.  Its worth doing your research for your area.

Its horizontal rain here today so I'm working on my family tree, I'm a bit of a genealogist nerd.  I've been working on my family tree for many years, when the weather is bad I really do get stuck into it, its also a good distraction.

Have a nice weekend :-)

Ah that’s interesting.  My daughter is OBSESSED with vaseline on her face.  I gave up on the vaseline on my scar as I figured they are just going to remove any work I’ve done.  It’s about an inch big and has furious dark lines on it where the stitches were so no hiding mine. Not sure if I should have worked harder at that or not.

Glad you’re feeling more at peace about everything.

Thanks for the tip about the Macmillan centre.  They are at one of our local hospitals but it’s half an hour away and parking is awful.  I did get a 'sorry you've got cancer' letter from my surgery today with details of a cancer drop in but it didn't sound like it would address my questions so I will still aim to contact the SCSN soon … honestly … ;)

Hope you're doing ok.

Hello!  Sorry for the delay, I've had a busy week and not had time to put on the laptop.

Oh your scar is a bit bigger than I have, I would say its about 1cm now, it started off at 4cm but its slowly fading away.  I'm living in hope that by the time I get my op in January, the surgeon works miracles and manages to do it without a skin graft.  Fingers crossed! 

Maybe once you have your op and the scar begins to heal you could hide it with concealer if the scar will bother you?  I doubt anyone will be looking at my ankle so I'll just wear my scar with pride :-) At least once we have the surgery we will be skin cancer free, just think of it like that.

Hopefully you manage to touch base with your nurse or visit a center for some reassurances.

Its snowing here today and its set to get worse by the weekend.  Stay warm! 

Hi Leroy

Thank you for posting this, I am meeting with the plastic surgeon this week for WLE on my shin and the nurse previously had said it would have a skin graft from my thigh, I’m having my SLNB done at the same time, I’m petrified of the surgery. How did they fix it without a graft did they do a skin flap as I’ve read others that they managed to do this for.

Hello you!  My turn to apologise. Things at my end are hectic with my husbands folks and also trying to get everything sorted before my surgery.  Only TWO weeks now!  Had my pre-op assessment today.  Very thorough.

I did pluck up the courage to contact the skin cancer nurse and got a very brief reply that wasn't super helpful ie basically telling me to contact my surgeon if I have questions.  But that's ok. With everything else going on I haven't had much time to worry really.

I hadn't really thought that the more the scar shrinks the less likelyhood of a skin graft - doh.  Clever you! Let's hope that's the case.  My daughter has bought me these strips off Amazon that are supposed to reduce scaring so I might give them a try once everything has settled down.

TWO WEEKS - yikes!!! Did i say that already? ;)

Hope you're doing ok.