My Current Challenge, Part 1

I wasn’t sure if I was going to write about this. I was fine when I was writing about things that happened in the past, or about someone else’s current situation, or about general thoughts or even the latest research. But, what about today? How are things going right now? In short, I am struggling a bit.

My self check

A couple of weeks ago, I did what I tell everyone else to so. I checked for abnormal moles. As I was looking at my arm, I noticed a couple of things that did not look right. I had a couple of moles that were discolored and looked a little asymmetrical. I was thinking to myself, “oh great!” So, I immediately got on the phone with my dermatologist and set up an appointment. I made sure to tell then that I had melanoma previously and I am pretty sure that this helped me get an appointment just two hours later.

A good catch?

So, it’s two hours later and I am at my dermatologist’s office and the doctor (not the physician’s assistant) walks in and checks out my arm. He told me that one of my moles looked fine, but that other looked a little suspicious. He said, “Good catch.” What did that mean? How was it a good catch?

My first biopsy

At this point, he told me that he wanted to remove the mole and some skin and send it in for a biopsy. So, he numbs me up, cuts in and put on a bandage, and gives me some instructions. He said that he thought it was nothing, but I should know something in a week and to call back. I would certainly do that.

Funky cells?

A week later, I received a call from a nurse at the office who told me that the biopsy did not indicate melanoma, but that there were some “funky” cells, which needed to be examined more closely. She told me that another dermatologist in the same office would need to take out more skin and examine it under a microscope.

Another biopsy?

What are “funky” cells? A couple of days later I received a call from the other doctor’s office wanting to set up a time to take out more skin and examine it. I asked about what the term “funky” cells meant and she really gave me no better idea of what that meant. So, I said that I could set up a time for this procedure.

Squamous cell?

The first time that this second dermatologist had open was for July 23. So, I set up a time for the procedure for that day. Once again, I asked what they meant by the term “funky” cells and she said something about squamous cell. My ears perked up. So, here I sit after one biopsy with a second on the way to look forward to.

Stay tuned

This is the life of a skin cancer patient. Look, wait, cut, snip, burn, apply, cover… This whole ‘funky” cell think has put me in a funk lately and not able to write much. Hopefully, it’s really nothing and the only “funky” I ever care about is what I hear on my old Earth, Wind and Fire albums.