the big c word

I had struggled for a while to tell anyone and especially put it on Facebook or Instagram because it was a personal thing.  Different things were told and I wanted the truth to be told. I am so thankful for this experience I've had and that it has had a good out come. It was inconvenient because I did not have time to deal with it. But I made the time begrudegenly. 

  In January I noticed something on my face. Looked like a zit but would heal.  I ignored it and ignored it but i dint really think it was cancer.  I am talking about a tiny sore.  Like the size of a ball point pen mark.

Before any thing.  Looks like nothing. 

June 26th 2013

Marked for the first biopsy

July 9th 2013

After 6 biopsies on my face

July 9th 2013

So I headed off to Girls Camp and a friend said that looks like cancer.  then the next day another friend said that looks like cancer.  I don't know if it was the elevation or what but it would bleed and it was swollen.  We got home from camp Thursday and Friday I made an appt with a Dermatologist that came highly recommended.  My appt was 2 months out.  Well over the weekend I got more and more worried so I called and told them" my dad had this, my sister had this 2 months before!"  they scheduled me for the next week and I went in to get looked at.  She found 9 spots of concern. 6 on my face, 2 on my left leg and 1 on my right thigh.  The next week we were headed to Newport Beach so I pushed the biopsies out another week.  July 8th I had my first of 5 procedures. August 8th was the last of getting all the cancer.  The morning was getting the tumor out with MOHS Surgery.  and then off to get reconstructed from the defect. the ball point pen size was actually a huge tumor that had grown underneath the skin and was over an inch in diameter all the way around. I had a huge hole in my head and was told I had an 80% chance of the tumor growing to a point of me loosing my left eye. Dave and I were scared with the reality when the surgeon said, "I'm so sorry you have Cancer." I don't think people take skin cancer serious. I know I didn't completely. Telling the kids was very hard and we didn't for a few weeks until we figured everything out.

 Long story short.  It was CANCER.

Day 1 August 8th

Numbing  Worst part of the whole day!!! I was a awake for the tumor removal  Dave said the smoking and burning coming from my face was hard to watch as they cauterized it. Gross..

Here is the whole in my head. Sorry graphic.  you can see tendon, muscle fat.  

It was 1 inch by 1 inch 

Cancer Free!! 

Headed to the plastic surgeon in Scottsdale for my 1 sided facelift. :) 

                           +
 After Surgery.  

21 stitches on the outside and 29 in. 50 stitches

I had 11 removed many years ago, 4 with cancer and no major effects.

This time was different.... very different


 Long story short.  It was CANCER.  I have heard over the course of the last few months ( end of June to be exact) "It's just skin cancer"  Well I am the walking poster child that meeting with surgeons and plastic surgeons and dermatologists and being told maybe Radiation and Maybe Chemotherapy.  It's not just skin cancer.  It is major.  9 biopsies 5 surgeries, 1 being a 2 hours reconstructive with a Scottsdale plastic surgeon specializing in Ocular plastics. Lots of  bandaids and gauze and ointments, 100 spf sunblock that I have to wear forever now,  antibiotics and pain meds and almost $40k (before insurance).  It's not just skin cancer.  It's very treatable, if caught early but it's cancer.  My life has changed.  I have a 96% chance that within 5 years more of this cancer Basal Cell Carcinoma will show up in other places.  I have long sleeve swim wear and big hats.  This spot I had never sees the sun. It's covered by my big sunnies. I always wear sunscreen.  I still got cancer. I thought it was a zit or ingrown hair.  These pictures tell the story better than I can.

Around day 14

Day 2

Day 20th  Stitches opened up

Day 5

Day 12

I am so blessed to have so many amazing people to help me in this time of need.  2 months of surgeries and recovering, still have a few weeks til I am cleared for regular things but meals, cards, calls, service.  thanks so much for the kindness given on my behalf.

Day 30

Day 34 September 10, 2013

Now go get your skin checked!