Mohs Surgery Recovery: Stitches out!

I actually got my stitches out yesterday, but forgot to write about it. Yesterday was 12 days after the surgery; seems a little weird, but ok. The nurse was impressed with how good the wound looked. One more week of Vaseline, then they gave me this Dr. Blaine scar repair stuff. It's a silicone patch that you stick over the scar for 12 hours. It last up to three months. I'm thinking I'm going to cycle it over all my scars- stretch marks, piercing scars, acne scars, etc. I also have to start massaging the wound on April 14th. Not looking forward to that. It says it will hurt and that's normal. Ick.

Mohs Surgery: Looking better

Getting my stitches out on Tuesday. I think all the puffiness is gone from my face and the stitches don't hurt so much. Still can't make my usual faces.

Chris did laundry last weekend and managed to not wash most of my work clothes. I had to pull out my emergency pants and such. Becka and I hung out yesterday and went to the mall. I bought some shirts at Old Navy; some of my staples shirts have holes in them. I also picked up a pair of jeans there. They are super comfortable. I didn't think I could find a comfy pair of jeans again. Next time I get paid I'm going to have to pick up another pair. I also bought new cami tank tops (for $20/each!) but I might return them to get another size or something different. It rode up on me the whole time we were at the grocery store. Super annoying.

You know what else is annoying? I randomly chose to use H & R Block online to do my taxes, we'll have to wait 4-6 weeks to get our refund because they didn't update their system. I, for one, think they should cut people checks for their refund since it was their stupid fault. Anyway, when we finally get that, I'm going to have to buy Microsoft Office. Blah. It's like super freakin' expensive. I tried asking my advisor at Penn College of Technology if they somehow gave students a discounted version, but he never got back to me. Worst. Advisor. Ever. So thankful I'm done after this semester.

Mohs Surgery Recovery: Days 4, 5, and 6

Well, I'm back to work! Monday, I had some people wondering if it was ok for me to be working. I was still pretty puffy and yellow around the eyes and I actually had quite a bad headache, but I made it. Each day I look more normal, or so my boss says. I discovered last night, however, that I can't make my usual faces. I think I'm making them, but my eyebrows don't move. I can raise them a little, but I can't do my pensive, brooding look. This is me trying:

They had a Safety Pot-Luck Healthy luncheon today and when I went down to get some fruit, some of the MIS (computer) guys gave me weird looks. Do you know how frustrating it is not to be able to make faces back?! I can't make faces at Chris anymore when he says something stupid, either! I end up just closing my eyes a bit and staring at him; does not have the effect I'm looking for.

My stitches are very itchy. I'm also down to my last two band-aids, but down to $.03 in the bank account. We really need to stop spending money on eating out.

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Mohs Surgery Recovery: Day 3

Went out in public today with Chris. We were going to grab breakfast at Denny's, but stopped at Shoe Carnival first. It was their grand opening or something. Chris didn't find any shoes he liked but I got two pair. Denny's was packed and it was close to noon so we decided to go to Texas Roadhouse, which just opened on the 11th. We stopped at Shoe Fly, though, and Chris got a nice pair of New Balance shoes and some insoles. He pretty much paid twice the amount of money for one pair of shoes that I did for two, but he had foot trouble. I must say, I got a lot of stares from people. Not kids. I was afraid I would scare kids walking around with a huge bandage on my forehead. I know Damian was asking about it when he came over the other night, but that was it.

I think I'm allowed to sleep in bed tonight, but I might stay in the recliner. Well, not the recliner recliner, but the couch that reclines. That frickin' recliner hurts my back and legs. Got a couple new cold packs, too, but they don't seem to be helping the swelling. My eyes and the top of my nose are swollen now. I think it's affecting my sinuses, too. Very stuffy. Going to take some Sudafed later.

Mohs Surgery Recovery: Day 2

Feeling much better today. Got a call from my doc (he's such a nice guy) making sure I was alright. He wants me to keep putting ice packs on my head. Do you know how hard that is? To sit and watch TV balancing an ice pack on your forehead? And I'm running out of things to watch. I switch back and forth between Psych, Supernatural, and the Dish. I noticed they have season two of The Killing on Netflix, though. Might have to throw that into the mix. Maybe find some movies. Tomorrow I'm supposed to take off my bandage and clean my stitches. I'm going to have to send Chris to Martin's to buy bandaids that'll fit over it and some regular Vaseline. They want me covering the wound with a thick layer of Vaseline; I have some, but it's with cocoa butter and I don't want to risk having some kind of reaction.

I managed to get a bath, though it's probably going to be a while before I can wash my hair again. Not sure if getting a bath was such a good idea. Hot water, lots of movement, I could feel my stitches throbbing. They told me I'd have to watch my blood pressure because I could start bleeding under the stiches and then they could burst. Lots of nice imagery there.

Mom and Damian came over tonight with spaghetti dinners the school was selling. We watched the Amazing World of Gumball and then mom offered to do the dishes. Damian and I played around on the Xbox (he wanted to play a game, but didn't know which one so we had to try out all of them.) And when I say my mom did the dishes, she did, like, every single one. I had mugs and cups that we hardly use sitting on the counter to be washed whenever and she did those too. Wiped off the stove, even. And then, vacuumed the kitchen floor and took out the trash. <3

Mohs Surgery Recovery: Day 1

Well, that's me right after surgery, just beginning to feel the stitches. We were a little late getting to the doctor's today. We woke up to a little snow, but the main street was a sheet of ice. We hardly made it up the hill. I'm not sure why they had school at all today; not even a two-hour delay. Anyway, we got there a little after 8 and by 9-ish, I was in the waiting room while they looked at the tissue they cut. Lots of old people in the waiting room with me. The doc said I'm probably one of the youngest patients to have that surgery in their office. I must say, the worst part of the original cutting was the shots to numb me up. The cauterizing was a little off-putting, but I couldn't feel it, just hear it.

A little after 10, they called me back to the room and said they had gotten all the cancer. The doc started to discuss how he was going to stitch it up. Chris actually came back with me and saw the hole in my head. He said it was the size of a quarter and looked like someone had stuck a lit cigarette into it. Yum. Anyway, the doc said he was going to have to make a football shape around the hole so the stitching would look ok. They told Chris to go back to the waiting room and then numbed me up some more, yay. The nurse put some kind of soap all over my face...I mean, all over, lips, eyebrows, even in my hair. I think there's still some on me, actually. The doc took forever to come back in, but once he did they started cutting some more. By the time they got to doing the stitches and more cauterizing, there was a spot I could definitely feel something. I told them, but it actually felt better than them giving me another shot, so I just let it go. He gave me a script for Vicodin that Chris and I picked up while we got lunch.

The doc told me to take the pain pills when I got them, to not wait for it to hurt. So I did. It didn't say anything on the label about taking it with food, thank goodness because I really did not feel like eating. I had a migraine on top of my forehead pain. I was about to call the doctor's office when they called me. I told them that the pain pills didn't seem to be working too well and the chick asked me if I was making sure I ate when I took it. I said no and she told me I should because it could make me feel sick if I took them on an empty stomach. Well, my third round of Vicodin, Mom came over to visit, and I ended up running to the kitchen to puke. That chick totally jinxed me. I called the pharmacy and she told me to take ibuprofen. Half hour after taking just two ibuprofen pills I was feeling 100% better. So ibuprofen it is from now on.

For the next two nights I have to sleep in the recliner. Not the most comfortable place for me. Our stupid furniture makes me hot, but then I'm cold. It's a constant battle; and I can't lay my head down. Argh. I also hate that I can't do anything for myself. I had to take off work today and tomorrow and possibly Monday, depending on how I feel. I'm not supposed to do anything but sit here for two days and then I still have to take it easy. No bending over or lifting stuff.

To sum up, we were there for four hours, they got all the cancer in one cut, and I'm pretty sure she said the measurement of my stitches was 4.0. I thought that was inches at first, but now I don't know. I don't think it's quite 4 inches.

Yup, it's skin cancer

Finally got the call today. The thing on my forehead is basal cell carcinoma. My Mohs surgery is scheduled for this Thursday at 8 AM. I originally thought I would be ok to come to work at 1 that day, but after talking to some of the nurses here and doing more Googling, I've decided to stay home that day. It's really going to depend on how many times they have to take me back to cut more of the cancer out. I'm thinking it shouldn't be too bad; I noticed it after only a few months. Some of the stories I read online, people had waited years to get it checked out.

Anyway, now I'm Googling which sunscreen is the best (some sunscreen ingredients cause skin cancer...did you know that?) and thankful that I bought Bio Oil for my piercing scars. I still have some left and I'm sure I'll be using that on my forehead after it heals.

Skin cancer?

I noticed a weird lesion in the center of my forehead back in December. I've tried to put eczema stuff on it and whatnot, but nothing made a difference. Not sure what made me think of it the other day but I was looking at it thinking it could be skin cancer. So I made a derm appointment and they got me in super fast…we're talking the day after tomorrow fast. I wasn't thee very long and the PA said the lesion was "suspicious". They took a biopsy right there in the office. She numbed it (with a needle full of stuff- that was fun) and then shaved a piece of it off. They're supposed to call me in a week to let me know either way. For now, I have to walk around with a band aid on my forehead. I might go to Holiday Hair tomorrow and get them to trim my bangs cuz I hate doing that.