I need help, encouragement, and advice - my 4th skin cancer

[Unclebuck257]

Deep, One of those facial skin cancers the VA removed for me 2 years ago was right on the left side of my mouth and as it turned out , it went into half of my upper lip on the left side. It was basil cell too like yours is. The surgeons doing the MOHS surgery wound up having to clear an area about 2 X 1 inches, including the left half of my upper lip. I am not going to lie to you and yes, my upper lip does look a little different on the left side and you can tell I had some kind of surgery in that area of my face but over all, it looks pretty good and the job the did in rebuilding that portion of my upper lip looks damn good. I do have a full and complete upper lip. Hey brother, relax and let the surgeons do their thing and take care of business for you. Thank God that you have got the VA Medical system to take care of it for you. I say that Deep as a man who also has had the VA find and then handle a number of these skin cancers for me too. The opposite side of that coin is a whole lot worse bro! Take care my friend.

 

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[DeepseekerADS]

Progress update, and thanks guys for all the support and info.

The cell is scheduled for surgery next Thursday, the 16th. For some reason they have me scheduled for an overnight stay - don't know what that's for.

Whatever, it won't kill me - but I ain't getting any prettier

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Received the testing results, they're all Basel Cell Carcinomas. I won't get dead, but I sure won't get any better looking!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Just so others can see what these result in, post surgery by two days = today:

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I do have a full and complete upper lip. Hey brother, relax and let the surgeons do their thing and take care of business for you. Thank God that you have got the VA Medical system to take care of it for you.

Hey my friend, thanks for the encouragement = we walk this road together. I'm okay, and about a year from now I'll go through this again. It's been that way for a number of years now. There WILL be another, and who knows what I'm going to look like after that. Even as they cut that one, there was another coming up on the other side. They may have to build me a lip before all this ends

 

[releventchair]

Did you ask the surgeon if you would be able to play the saxophone after?

(I inquired if I could play the piano at the end of the month.
Doc knew the joke though and asked if I could play piano before arriving.......)


Something else you'll need to hold off on a little besides blowing bubbles...(Sorry Deep , can't resist.)

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Did you ask the surgeon if you would be able to play the saxophone after?.(Sorry Deep , can't resist.)

Heck Dean, couldn't play one before either! Good to hear from you! It's all "light" to me, trust me = whatever, don't give ....

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Just for further explanation, the surgery happened pretty quickly - sitting at my computer and the phone rang - get my butt there immediately. Did the hour + drive and they took me right in. Numbed only a little and my feet kicked a few times when they were working on me. It was kinda like a bull rush and I didn't have any fun at all.

But it's done....

 

[DeepseekerADS]

And, just for entertainment purposes, my surgeon was a drop dead gorgeous lady, certainly less than half my age, AND A BABE!!!

That part I didn't mind - she was pretty sweet, calling me sir and all that stuff. Maybe she got her revenge by cutting me while I wasn't as numb as I should have been

 

[Unclebuck257]

Deep, Glad to hear it is over for you for now. When I had my surgeries and I felt ANYTHING, I immediately told them and I got another shot of joy juice and was completely dead feeling again. That only happens when the surgery lasts longer than expected or they had to go deeper than expected. That happened with the melanoma on my forehead that was only supposed to be the size of a nickel when done and wound up being bigger than a silver dollar and down to the bone. That was the first day and I spent 6 hours in surgery the second day with 4 plastic surgeons closing me up trying to make me look pretty again. That second day was in hospital surgery and I spent 2 days in our Dallas VA Hospital with that one. Later Bro!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Good gracious Buck! The only thing I fail the surgery for is the rush-rush. The four numbing shots in the lip were very painful - like being electrocuted - my feet kicked a few times, and then it was only a few minutes before they started using the chainsaw on me!

Joking on that though, she used a scalpel. And, yes, I know they had others to attend to, so I have to forgive them for the rush too.

I thank the Lord for the VA. I wouldn't be here otherwise. It sucks getting old having continued maintenance issues

 

[Rebel - KGC]

A basal cell carcinoma is not fatal. They are usually confined to the skin layer. Sometimes, if they are allowed to grow, they will penetrate below the skin. I have had several removed. Have yours removed, also.

True;I had one, last year...

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Just so others can see what these result in, post surgery by two days = today: View attachment 1711532

Well, I've been told that ladies just LOVE guys with scars; my trach scar does "draw the ladies"... BUT! My wife is NOT amused by the "attention"... LOL!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

And, just for entertainment purposes, my surgeon was a drop dead gorgeous lady, certainly less than half my age, AND A BABE!!!

That part I didn't mind - she was pretty sweet, calling me sir and all that stuff. Maybe she got her revenge by cutting me while I wasn't as numb as I should have been

HA!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Yer gonna have a "Busted Lip" scar of a fighter... gonna have to give YOU a Boxer's nick-name or something...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Yer gonna have a "Busted Lip" scar of a fighter... gonna have to give YOU a Boxer's nick-name or something...

Yeah, I'm bad, best not mess with me

I'm reasonably sure at this stage that a 12 yo can whip me!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Well, Ya just gotta dance like a Butterfly, sting like a Bee...

 

[Unclebuck257]

Deep, As you know from your experience with these Mohs surgeries on your face too, after the surgery is complete in an area and they have determined that all of the cancerous cells have been removed. depending on how big an area they wound up operating on, the surgeon then begins pulling and pushing to get the skin they need to close up the area and stitch it to stay and heal where they want it to so you look half human, or if you will, as close as possible to your sexy self again. A minor plastic surgery if you will. Now, if the man is like you and me and has had several of these Mohs surgeries on his face and like me, several on one side of the face, you are left with somewhat of a rougher face to shave since now one side of your face has been pushed and pulled and drastically changed your original beard and how it grows. Of course the upside is that the left side of my face looks like I'm 35 years old while the right side is still the 73 year old me!!! LMBO Anyhow, I found it hard to find an electric razor that would give me a close shave on the left side until I bought one of those Norelco electric razors with a triangle shaped, three cutting head, razors that sort of floats and cuts in five directions while shaving and perfect for that uneven face after these Mohs surgeries and the ups and downs and ins and outs of your new face surface.. They start at about $80.00 and are worth every penny to me to get a good, clean shave. Just thought I'd pass that on to you.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Buck, thank you! Seriously.

I was wondering what I can do with shaving my face now. I've always been a razor man, and of course now I keep cutting myself - combination of "got tha shakes", and division of eyesight - too many eye surgeries. I need to glide into using a modern roto tiller!!!

 

[RustyGold]

Sorry you had to go through all this Deep. It does get better though. If you took a look at the top of my head it looks like (or just feels like) someone drove a tractor over it. Guess what? The hair didn’t grow back! Lol!
Getting old and weaker just sucks, I know but I’m still glad the good lord let me have a whack at this life. Best of luck on the healing process brother!