Surgery Number One Done

Wednesday I saw my dermatologist for an ED&C, the procedure she uses for removal of small basal cell carcinomas. She's done a few on me in the past, including one in March on a basal cell that was near the one she removed this week on my right arm.

The procedure itself is not too bad, once you get over the sting of the lidocaine shot. The whole thing only took about 10 minutes. For me the issue is my allergic reaction to anything with adhesive. They want me to keep this covered for two weeks, and that will definitely be a challenge. I have tried every type of bandage out there, including the so-called sensitive skin ones. They all make me itch and break out. 

Last night I put on a gauze pad and wrapped an elastic bandage around my arm to hold it in place. It held up pretty well, but even the elastic bandage irritated my skin a bit. I'm going to try a different brand tonight and see if that works better.

My Mohs surgery for the basal cell on my left temple is scheduled for September 25th. That one will take several hours as they remove tissue, wait for it to be read by a pathologist, and then take more as needed. I'm definitely not looking forward to that, and pray that the doctor will get it all in one or two tries. It was really unnerving when it took five attempts to get all the cancer on my nose in 2019.

Also on Wednesday I had my annual mammogram. I had to go to a different radiology center as my insurance changed January 1. The office was very efficient, and I was in and out in no time. Now I just have to wait for the pathology report.