In late spring 2022, I realised that a small ‘bump’ on my scalp was bleeding a bit. I’d lost hair & my hairdresser said I had developed a bald patch call it vanity, but I’ve had kind blond hair all my adult life and it’s precious to me. Hairdressers see parts of our scalp we can’t see so it was partly due to her and my rapidly thinning hair that made me contact my GP.
it’s now December 2022 and I’m still waiting for some kind of treatment. After my initial urgent 2 week visit to a dermatologist, I had a large scab removed from the lesion, she looked at it & said she didn’t think it was cancer. I was given shampoo & ointment and a follow-up for 6 weeks.
onviously the shampoo etc didn’t work. When seeing her, I’d explains that I experienced pain at the site which she didn’t seem to understand. I contacted PALS and one week later, I saw the consultant dermatologist who, standing over me examined my scalp and murmured to her colleague ‘BCC’.
of course I’d been on Google and knew what the term meant. I would have appreciated it had she sat down with me to explain rather than talk about me as though I were a specimen of some kind. They biopsied that day which left 2 large scars. Unfortunately the lesions are at the front of my scalp & my thinning fringe just covers it though I wore bandanas in summer.
5 days later she rang with the results. I needed an ‘Urgent’ referral to maxillo facial. I told her I’d found another but she said “ Tell them” I also got a letter informing me I’d been discharged from their hospital & can’t help wondering if my contacting PALS had something to do with this? After all, a dermatologist who gets it wrong is actually quite dangerous.
so, my first appointment was cancelled due to staffing. I eventually saw the surgeon 10 days ago where he also diagnosed another BCC on my nose. He was very cavalier in his attitude; no respect for my feelings whatsoever. I’d taped the conversation to ensure I’d asked all appropriate questions etc.
At one point he actually says” You can leave them if you want
( pause) I wouldn’t but if you want to, you can”.
I then asked about my scalp & types of surgery as they don’t do MOHs. He said I should ask the consultant at my next appointment which is scheduled late January 2023.
The nurse was very helpful & told me the minimum wait list was about 9 months. She seemed anxious as she spoke possibly because there were quite a few people in the waiting room.
im a psychotherapist - I have been for 31 years. I’m empathic and regard human beings as being ‘whole’ with feelings and emotions that need to be taken into account. I’ve had clients who were doctors, including one surgeon.
with my experience I can honestly say that I’ve had ‘bin-end’ interactions at hospitals and clinics.
having cancer is terrifying. End of. There are no smiley faces in my story thus far. It’s been almost 7 months and because of staffing in the NHS, I’ll probably wait a long while.
I’m here to talk. I can’t talk to my husband because I think he’s done with the whole thing. My daughter thinks that I should just go ahead with surgery and ‘get rid of it’.
But, it’s a part of me that they’ll cut away. I’m already scarred by the whole gruesome experience and I don’t think enough people realise that skin cancer is devastating. I wake up during the night googling it; knowing it’s pointless but feeling like I’ve been thrown out of a plane without a parachute.
I have found a support centre and once the holidays are over, I’ll go there to talk.
I think this is a long tortuous journey. I’m in my mid 60’s and am continuing to work as a therapist and have to say that this really ‘lifts’ me. I focus on my clients and take time out from my own stuff.
yeah, I have moaned but I need to. I have bottled up everything and am so glad I found this forum
