Basal Cell Carcinoma ...... Oh-oh!

Getting older seems to bring a few not-so-great surprises with it. I had one Thursday.

I went to my dermatologist for my yearly "look-over." (Always makes me think of monkeys looking for bugs on one another.) Dr. Kelly checked my face, my hairline, my ears, my arms, my legs, and then while looking at my back said, "Oh-oh."

No, no, no....no "oh-ohs"!!!! He'd found a tiny basal cell carcinoma on my shoulder blade. At first I thought it was like the ones he'd frozen off on previous visit....once on my upper cheekbone and once at the top of my nose right where my sunglasses sit. But "No," he said, "those were pre-cancerous. This one is cancerous!"

I felt my stomach flip. Thank God I hadn't had breakfast. It just wasn't a very good feeling. I said, "So...what happens now?"

He said, very calmly, "We'll get it out of there...right now...today!"

As it turns out, it was tiny. I got a look in a hand mirror...and had I seen it before I went I wouldn't have thought anything of it. It looked like a tiny pink scratch..about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long...just slightly pink. Anyway, he removed it completely after numbing the area, and they'll send it in for a biopsy. I can call in for the lab results "if I want to" after a week. The nurse said, "If there's anything odd or unusual, WE'LL CALL YOU! But if you just want to hear the lab results, you can call in."

I was assured they don't think there will be anything odd or unusual and that it's GONE and nothing further will occur with this. However, now I go for checkups every six months instead of once a year.

I commented that I'd just a month ago sold the house with the swimming pool and that maybe it was just as well. He said, "Well, I can nearly guarantee you that this was caused by a bad sunburn at some time in your life." 'Nuff said!

Anyway tonight was the first time that I got to see the remnants of his work. Not bad. Kind of looks like I leaned back into a burning cigarette...about that big around and just a nice clean scab (does that qualify as an oxymoron?)

Well, now that I've probably grossed you out completely, here's my message: Go get checked out! Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, is usually caused by UV rays, and if caught early is almost always "fixable." Dr. Kelly said if you have to have a skin cancer, this is the best one to have!

Go get checked out! I counted my blessings that I went! Go!