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Thursday, July 8, 2010

My tale of woe and WTF???

Now I have never published a photo of myself on this blog because I don't take very good pictures.  Pictures of me are either very good or very bad.  I was going to take one and post for this award I received and never posted about,but the timing was off.  Then I had a huge pimple on my chin, and this spot above my right upper lip.  Well I knew I was having the spot removed, because it was a minor skin cancer, so I figured I would wait. 

Well, my tale of woe is about that removal.  My original derm guy said it need removal by MOHS, which is an all day affair.  The procedure is described as follows (for your future reference): the physician removals the offending spot in layers, making sure he only takes what he needs.  When he is done this first time, he personally checks the slides to ensure he removed all of the cancer.  If he didn't, you go back in and he removes some more.  The closure is done via a skin advancement technique.  This ensures the skin isn't pulled tightly together for closure, since it is a wide area that is removed.  Plus it is aesthetically pleasing on the face.  Minimal scarring.  I didn't really care about the scar.  To me scars are a part of life, and I am really not that vain.

While you are waiting, the area is covered with a loose bandage and you are in a separate non-public waiting room.  For me first time was a charm, but I had to wait to be closed, because it was busy.  Eventually I get called back in for closure/reconstruction.  I wait an hour and the closure takes an additional hour.

I get finished, and I have basically a tampon type pressure bandage on my face:  non graphic picture below and that red stuff is ketchup from a burger not blood.





I go get my pain meds filled because I know my anesthetic will be wearing off, and I am by myself.  I told the hubby I would be fine never realizing I would soon be a basket case.  About five minutes before I get my meds, I'm sitting in the pharmacy at the hospital and my face starts hurting...bad.  I feel like crying but no, I won't do it.  Get meds, leave, walk across two bridges between buildings (no, no, no I will not cry), pick up car at valet, and I am out.  15 minutes to drive home. 

I no sooner get in the car and I loose it.  I cried the whole way home, with a tampon pressure bandage on my face.  I do not do pain well at all.  I am a super weinie and I fully admit it.  They gave me super low dose oxycontin for pain, but I wait until I get home.  Never took them before and have no idea how they will affect me.  I get home, sniffling and crying into the door, my husband hugs me, and I am a mess.  I take two oxy and an antibiotic and 1 hour later I am as high as a kite.  Almost got sick too. 

So what is my problem?  After all of this I finally look at what is going on on my face and this is it the next day.  Might be graphic so scroll down if you like:








Difficult to eat or drink, and I don't want to get the bandage dirty.  The stitches go around my mouth along the lip line, to hide that scar.  That's where they took the advancement flap from.  It's swollen and a pain in the butt.  And yes, I want to bitch about it.  It's not that I'm vain or anything, but WTF???  I was not expecting this.

My physician was a sweet dermatologist, we chatted the whole time, and I would definitely recommend him.  Here's the deal though: either he didn't fully explain or took for granted I knew (because he knows I work there and have a pretty good medical understanding) or I wasn't paying attention.  Any ones of these is possible.   I was just not prepared for this thing, and it is much worse than my previous surgical experience of last year.  (If you ever need a lumpectomy, email me and I'll give you the scoop.)

I go back next Tuesday and get the stitches the removed, so hopefully things will be better next week.
I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for letting me vent guys.  I appreciate it.

Until then Jenny Scars signing out!  Ahoy there matey!!!

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18 comments:

Passages to the Past said...

Oh my poor homeskillet....I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this. I wish we lived closer and I could come over and cheer you up! Hang in there sweetums...things will be better next week when you get the stitches out.

We are all here for you if you need to vent more :)

Smooches to you!

Jo-Jo said...

Oh my...this sounds like a horrible ordeal that you've been through. I hope you heal quickly and you will be in my thoughts!

Blodeuedd said...

That looks so painful, I am glad you are ok, and I certainly know who to contact now if I needed to.

*hugs*

Irene said...

I'm sending you a virtual HUG, I'm so glad your hubby was there to give you one when you came home. You are still quite swollen, so I imagine things will look much better when you go back to remove stitches. Your signature Jenny Scars, makes me laugh, please forgive me. One of my mother's tall tales was about a guy named Johnny Scar, she swears it was his real name, but he did have a scar on his face, a very colorful character, don't remember why he got the scar, but I'm sure it was nowhere near as traumatic as yours. keep well, follow Dr. orders and things will look better. Get high when you need to.

Michelle Santiago said...

oh jenny, sorry you had to go through all that **hugs** and i am so happy you're okay! take it easy and by next week i'm sure things WILL be better and the swelling/pain gone. and please, vent all you want and yes, keep us posted. take care!

p.s. thanks for the really nice comment on my vent-of-a-post (i guess today is a day for venting, huh? LOL)

Tales of Whimsy said...

Oh my goodness! You poor thing! What an ordeal!

Tea said...

Hey Jenny Girl,

You have lots of courage. That's a good thing. I know next week will come off fine.

Mary Simonsen said...

Jenny, I'm so sorry for all your travails, but I love how you "cowgirl up" and take it. I also had a procedure that left me a lot of pain, which had not been explained to me, but the doctor said it doesn't happen to everyone, so why put the idea in my head! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Unknown said...

I'm wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery! Feel better soon!

Bree said...

Holy Crap! It'll get better, it'll get better, it'll get better. This would be my mantra during this ordeal of yours.

Heather Snow said...

Jenny,

Hang in there, friend. I'm sorry you're experiencing all of this crud, and wish you a quick recovery and fabulous books to take your mind off of the discomfort.

Darlene said...

Jen, I'm a weenie too when it comes to pain so don't feel bad. You know once the swelling comes down and such it will be a lot better. My dad had that done on his nose - the whole layering thing. It looked awful and swollen at first but his derm did a wonderful job and you can't even notice it now.

I'm sorry you're going through all of this though. I'd hate it big time. Give it a week and I bet you will be feeling a whole lot better.

In the meantime, lots of luv and hugs to you.

Jess said...

Jenny -- Hang in there and feel better!

Nise' said...

It looks "ouch"! I hope you heal quickly. I need to go and get a full body check and keep putting it off because I am a wimp too!

Teddyree said...

Oh Jenny you poor sweetpea. Don't skimp on those pain meds and get lots of rest.
From a fellow 'scar-ee' (I'm approaching road map status LOL) scars show where we've been in life, I think of them as badges of survival. Hope you heal quickly

Gentle {{hugs}}
Sheree xox

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

Glad you are ok! So sorry you had to go through all of that!

Anonymous said...

Oh my! That just breaks my heart. I'm sure the scarring will be fine eventually. They have so many things now that can help. But what an awful ordeal that you weren't expecting. Take lots of drugs while they last and heal fast :)

The Bookworm said...

oh no...I'm sorry! I hope youre feeling better.
I had a mole removed from my back and I remember it was a headache.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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