I'm back from the dermatologist sporting some new scars-in-the making. 2012 was a bumper year for my dermatologist and for scars. After 17 biopsies, enough cat gut (or nylon...take your pick) to wrap-up Christmas, infected stitches, embedded stitches, jugs of antibiotics, and scars galore, I'm back in the saddle again. I know I shouldn't complain about my friend, lidocaine, but the thought of our getting together again makes my blood pressure exceed its allowable limits.
Today went something like this:
Nurse: Now, don't be alarmed when you see that huge white, swollen spot on your face. It will go away eventually. Don't be scared.
Me (in silent protest, with a sideways glance): But I came here to get pretty...that doesn't sound good. And if you can see a white spot on my chalk white face...what have you done? (Having very rabid thoughts of my last little procedure in this very same spot, which resulted in a huge blister the size of a quarter right smack dab in the middle of my face...great for Christmas pictures! Now, you know why you only saw one side of me in the Christmas 2012 snaps. Believe me when I say the New Year had come and gone and my little procedure was still very evident.
Nurse: Don't get your hand wet for 24 hours; don't wash your face for 24 hours; and oh, the cryosurgery will result in a blister. You can pop it if you like.
Me: POP IT! (Silently) Don't think so. Some things just have to happen on their own,
Nurse: Use lots of Vaseline. It will prevents scars.
Me: (Silently) Yeah, right, gazing at the two big whopper scars on my bony arm from procedures past. Not to mention the scars on my legs and those untoward scars on my delicate section.
Nurse: We will let you know the result of the biopsies in two weeks.
Me: And....
Nurse: If we did not get it all, then, as you know, we will have to repeat the procedure. There will be stitches.
Me: No words, audible or otherwise. I'm fresh out, and my blood pressure is up, by the way...all for the love of this scarred body. So, all of you out there in Web Land. Get up off your lidocaine and get your skin screened, and in the process--love your scarred body!!
Melanoma Research Foundation
http://www.melanoma.org/
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