Impending surgery

Hi again, yep, loads of problems, madness! 

I did involve PALS and they told me they would be speaking to the surgeon, and that they would want the surgery brought foreward... I haven't heard a word from them since.

But it's closer now, and the sooner its over the better.

I have to admit, I'm getting a bit nervous now though! lol It feels really, real, lol... 

Also worried, I've got the flu, been in bed 11 days, and still poorly. I'm just praying this is not going to delay my surgery cos I'm having a general anaesthetic!

And I will update! 

Sorry to hear you're laid low with flu . Hope you're feeling better soon.

x

I can't believe I got here! 

Thanks to the help of G 'n J, I think your name is?

So I got over the flu which was a few weeks and boy was I il , horrendous, and terrified they'd cancel my surgery! 

But it went ahead! 

January 3rd, 7am...prepped for sedation at 7.30am. As I'm about to go through the theatre doors, this guy comes in and comes over to me! 

He asked me if I knew what he was doing to me. I told him, 

"Yep, you're going to get this cancer out, and remove all of this cancer!"

(As I'm making a huge circle on my face that the 3 previous surgeons said they were removing!)

He leaned in to me, squished and squeezed the tumour and the entire area, stepped back and said, with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, pointed at it and said,

"I'll do it smaller than that!!!!!"

And wonders will never cease! Cos he did!

The update so far is...

Surgery was set, I'm having sedation. I was told I was to have a general anaesthetic, but then the anaesthetist said no cos it was too dangerous. They all said is die.. Yada, Yada, Yada... 

So they put the needle in, and the last thing I remember was this lovely guy who was taking less away... He was about 10 foot tall, lol, with hands like shovels!

But a brilliant seamstress! 

I've no idea what happened or why... But they ended up having to do a general. I'll ask if I remember at my next check up.

So he removed the cancer, took a deep skin graft from my face and did the deed!

I've an almost perfect round hole, with the Graft in place. And another scar down my face in front of my ear.

The skin graft is a complete success!

Clear margins!!!!! 

Stitches are still in almost a month later but that's OK. It's looking a bit unsightly, but that's OK too.

My ear, well, that's cute! And I've had a left sided face-lift! lol

My ear is totally different! It's like, my cheek /face is flat and instead of seeing where the ear starts, you can't!

The side of my face just runs into my ear. If you get me? It's all totally flat. And the earlobe is shorter too. I love it! lol I'm weird like that!

Another battle scar to show I've fought and won again!

Thing is though, I've got to get new moulds for my hearing aids!! Because the whole dynamics of my ear has changed that much, it affects my mould! lol Who'd have thought eh! 

I did reply to one person or of many who came right out and asked me what I've done to my face!

I'm bad, lol, I told her my hubby slipped with the hedge cutters! lolol bit she knew I was joking and we laughed! 

So I'm almost 4 weeks I've only had my hearing aids in 3 times. Twice for church, once for going out! 

People can be nice, or nasty if we look different. I've been on the other end of both... I ignore them! Saying that, I've not been out except for that one time. It was an experience! lol

So, all I need to do is complete the healing process! 

I always count my blessings, always, and believe in every negative there is a positive! The positive in all of this is, I get to promote skin cancer awareness at every single opportunity that comes my way. And I do! 

I've 100% skin block

A huge wide brimmed hat

And a UV parasol!

I've beefcake sunbathed and never used sunbeds, yet it got me. Cancer of any kind doesn't discriminate, it doesn't matter how well protected we are. 

But I'm thankful I've always done the above anyway. 

Imagine had I not! How much worse could this have been?!

I'm blessed! My cancers gone! And of I do get another one which the professor told me I will... I'll know what to expect. And that's half the battle isn't it!

Wow! That's a really long post! lol All positive I hope?! 

So Latchbrook, thank you for your support through my nightmare journey! 

Now I hope I can support others here a little?! I do, on a fb support group though.

I'm making the most of bringing awareness! 

Excuse the typos! It's these stupid phones!

What do I do to enable me to get back to this group, because I cant find out how ? 

Which group are you trying to get back to ? You are currently posting in the skin cancer group. 

Hi 

Your message has started a new page (2) - if you click the chevron at the bottom it will take you back to page 1 

If you click on your username it will open up your profile page. Nearly all the info you want can be found there by using the menu on the left hand side.

Groups  - Activity - Friends etc

If on any discussion you click the 'Save this into My Favourites' in the 'Discussion Tools' box on the right hand side ->

They will be placed in the 'Favourites' tab on your profile page too. Helps you from getting lost 

G n' J

Hi

That's great news that you've had your BCC removed and that the surgeon was able to do perform a much smaller excision than you'd previously been led to believe!

I hope you continue to heal well and that you're able to stay around so that you can offer support to others who are newly diagnosed and anxious about their upcoming treatment.

All the best

x

Hi there! 

I've been trying since November to access this account but for some reason, it wouldn't let me in! 

But I did get a virus in my phone and it totally messed everything up! 

But yeah, it's great that he didn't do as big as the others were going to do! 

I believe if it was the others, they would have taken a lot more! 

But initially the graft went black and I panicked thinking it may have failed! But it never, he said it meant the blood supply was getting through! 

He told me they didn't attach all the blood vessels but they did a fair few, it's worked anyway. 

It's stated to look marble white, still angry red in parts around the Graft but I'm using antibiotic cream, from day one. Almost finished it now. 

24 stitches in total. 12 around the graft. 12 down the face. And now the proud owner of a cute little ear! lol

The nerve damage is pretty bad, but that's just a 'me' thing. That doesn't mean that it will happen to anyone else. When I have nerve damage, it never returns at all. Once dead, it stays dead. Though my face does weird and wonderful things! Like, twitch away!

He said to me that I've a weakness in my left side of my face. lol Cos my mouth wasn't working very Much! Of course, I knew that already! That's improved to what it was now though. I think when I'm tired it's more noticeable. Also when I laugh!

But I've still a lot of pain going on, that shocks me, never expected it to hurt so much. Especially after almost 4 weeks? But he did go in deep cos the cancer was deep. So I suppose its understandable. 

I've still lots of swelling though, which surprises me! Though he told me it'll be very many months before it's all healed. Wasn't sure I believed that, but now I'm coming round to the idea, lol, a lot! 

I want to thank you for all of your help and support! I don't know what everyone on here would do without you!! You're a gem!

Just got back from my afternoon walk to find your lovely post

Thank you very much for your kind comments but you're making me blush.

I'm glad that you've now found your way back to the group and that despite all that's still going on for you with your recovery you still seem a very positive person.

xx