DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!

[Dropshot]

Growing up, I had a mole on my face to the right of eye. In the past few years I figured I needed to get it checked so I finally went to a dermatologist last week. The diagnosis...Basal Cell Carcinoma...Skin Cancer. They took a biopsy and sent it off for confirmation and sure enough, that is what it was. I went backthis morning to have the remaining blemish removed and ended up with a hole in my head the size of dime, and about 1/2 inch deep, down to the bottom of the fat layer. This was necessary to be sure they got all of the cancer, which was embedded more than they initially thought. My prognosis is excellent, the cancer is gone. I would post a picture of the before and after surgery, but to be honest, it is gruesome looking. I will have a cool scar about an inch long to makeup lies about in the future. I will also miss this weekends CFF while the healing process takes place for the many internal and external sutures. </p>

The moral of this story; DO NOT WAIT TO BE CHECKED. The doctor said to me when she first saw me..."I bet you never thought you would have anything like this with your olive complexion". She was right.Please be checked. If I had waited longer it could have slowly gotten worse. The second moral of this story; DO NOT BE AFRAID TO LIBERLLY APPLY SUNSCREEN OR COVER UP. My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I told her I guess I better pay the money for some Buff headwear and gloves. </p>

God Bless. I never thought much of it last week, and with whatwas going on with Justin I thought this was small potatoes. At the end of the day, I don't want any of us to die fromSkin Cancer.</p>

</p>

 

[Purplebull]

Good you caught it when you did!!!

 

[FishingWithASoldier]

Where do you go? I had some cut out of my back and needless to say, I'm looking for a new derm.

 

[Blue76]

I am actually headed to the dermatologist for a check tomorrow.
Glad you got it taken care of.

 

[elwestb]

... don't put it off and use a lot of sun screen! I wish that I had started much earlier. These skin cancers can be really serious! I just found a new dermatologist over next to Mellow Mushroom, like you are going into H.H. Gregg. Skin Cancer & Cosmetic.

 

[FishingWithASoldier]

elwestb,
Here is my story with Skin Cancer & Cosmetic..... They have three offices located in Dalton, Ringgold, and Chattanooga. I was initially seen at the office in Dalton and had (3) moles biopsied and each one came back as mild, moderate, and severe pre-melanoma. So I had the one that was "severe" cut out of my back that left a nice scar and was told to come back every 3 months with the amount of moles that I have. Well, the one they cut out looked like it was growing back within 2 months. I scheduled an appointment with the office in Ringgold since it was on Battlefield Pkwy and close to my house.

I go in that office and the nurse looks at my back and tells me that it looks vascular from where they cut it out. The doc walks in and says "nope, its growing back and needs to be re-cut out immediately." So I then have to schedule an appt in the Dalton office since that is where they do their surgeries. I make an appointment for two weeks out and request that they call me in a valium so that I can be a little calmer this time while they cut on my back due to my high tolerence to the numbing meds. So I walk in the office and sign in, the office manager states that I do not have any more referrals from Dr Haddocks office in Ringgold and that they have been trying to call them for the past two weeks, keep in mind that I made my appointment two weeks ago and they had that amount of time to contact them.

They couldnt reach them that morning, so I got a hold of Dr Haddock on facebook and let him know the situation. He quickly corrected the problem and I was set. I had already taken the valium in the parking lot, so at that time I was feeling pretty good. I was then called back into the room to have the surgery performed. I had a lot of questions for the doc since I have been worrying for the past two weeks that this crap has came back and has maybe turned into melanoma. He asked which mole they were going to re-cut and I told him and he said "no way that grew back, I got it all out" and he looked at it and verified that it was indeed blood that was formed under the scar. This is where a lot of cuss words were said and I walked out of the office and told him I will never be back.

 

[Dropshot]

The place I went to is over at North Park. I think Susong and Kovi are the doctors.

 

[churly]

I had malignant melanoma removed from my left cheek in '08. I wear tons of sunblock and long sleeves, even on the hottest days. If you are looking for the coolest long sleeve shirt to wear in the heat, check out the Simms brand solarflex shirts. I have like 10 of them and even wear them durring early archery season. But Dropshot is correct, dont play around with any spots on your skin.

 

[derek81]

Becareful who you see though, there is an office in Dalton (probably who USMCestep) is talking about and they want to cut any mole, freckle or irregularity you have on your body. If you are seeing this place get a second opinion for sure.