Observed annually on the first Sunday in June, National Cancer Survivor’s Day has been set aside to “demonstrate that life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality.”
Each year on National Cancer Survivor’s Day, events and celebrations are held and hosted around the United States by local communities, hospitals and support groups honoring cancer survivors. Events may include parades, carnivals, art exhibits, contests and testimonies. President George W. Bush and the National Cancer Institute director each included a commencement at the 2008 celebration.
So today is my day and my mom’s day and countless other people’s day. I’m a kidney cancer survivor – 19 years now! Also squamous cell carcinoma for me.
My mom survived colon cancer TWICE
My sister-in-law survived breast cancer TWICE
My DH survived melanoma and is working hard at surviving prostate cancer.
It hasn’t been all good though. There have been many more in my extended family who did not survive, including my dad and my aunt.
Congratulations to the survivors on this special “Who Knew” holiday, National Cancer Survivor’s Day
Monday, January 27, 2025. ROMTech called – they plan to take the machine back tomorrow (I asked them to hold off until Wednesday since no one will be home).
They said Dr Alamanda will have to prescribe it again if he wants me to use this. I am ambivalent either way since I have never used this or seen any benefit from it.
Then this came in my email:
I have no idea what the solution was and I didn’t feel like calling again and listening to Musak. They picked up the machine at 8:30 am on January 29.
Today, January 30, 2025 I got this voicemail:
No one has called (yet) to schedule a re-delivery. Today is Thursday, Surgery is Monday morning…
Friday, January 31, 2025. Still, no one has called to schedule a re-delivery. Surgery is still Monday morning…
Saturday morning, February 1, 2025. Still, no one has called to schedule a re-delivery. Surgery is still Monday morning…
So, here’s what I wrote for the first “Groundhog day”…
A few days ago, I got a call from my insurance company letting me know my surgeon had prescribed a ROMtech machine for me. That was the first I’d heard of this thing. With all the other stuff going on, I didn’t give it another thought until a woman called on 12/29/24 and said they’d be delivering this on Thursday and someone would call me on 12/31/24 to tell me the time. She only asked me what room i wanted it in, my height, if I had a straight back chair and confirmed my surgery date.
Of course they didn’t call on New Year’s Eve so I didn’t give it another thought until the next day, New Year’s Day. A guy from Texas with several kids yelling in the background called on 1/1/25 and said he’d see me on 1/2/25 between 8:30 and 8:45.
So, I decided to look into this thing. I checked in one of my Facebook groups – some people had used one of these things successfully. I came across some YouTube videos – mostly company produced – and it looked good. Full of happy, smiling people. Looking back to my first day of PT for my left leg, no way was I happy or smiling.
So, I finally found some other information – even through their videos don’t show it, my chair should be against a wall. We don’t have many of those – we have book cases, pianos, organs, sofas, beds, and stuff. No blank walls. And somewhere I read that I should be wearing shorts when the delivery guy came. I finally settled for capris that I could roll up.
Delivery guy was on time at 8:30. Didn’t care about the shorts at all. <Whew>. He says he delivers/picks up 15 of these things a day! Who knew?
….
This afternoon I have an hour training on the ROMtech machine.
Another day gone.
Meanwhile
For the saga of my left knee, see these posts: Bee’s Knees
This morning, I got my surgery time for 9 am on Monday, January 6 – be there at 7. Ok.
While I was doing my pre op testing, my doctor’s office called and said because of the predicted snow (I’m in the 4-8″ band, my surgery would now by Thursday, January 9, time TBD. Moving the surgery ensures that it won’t snow.
During the medical clearance, the nurse wasn’t happy with my blood pressure so she sent me to my primary care for blood pressure medications. She said if I did that and they faxed her, she would approve my surgery.
This afternoon I had an hour training on the ROMtech machine. During that, we had thunder snow. I don’t think I’ve ever had that before. It was 45 degrees when we left the hospital.
While I was napping after all this, I got a call from my surgeon’s office that the nurse didn’t give the clearance like she said she would so the surgery scheduler canceled my surgery.
Of course, it was after hours when I got that message 😦
Another day gone.
Meanwhile
For the saga of my left knee, see these posts: Bee’s Knees
A few days ago, I got a call from my insurance company letting me know my surgeon had prescribed a ROMtech machine for me. That was the first I’d heard of this thing. With all the other stuff going on, I didn’t give it another thought until a woman called on 12/29/24 and said they’d be delivering this on Thursday and someone would call me on 12/31/24 to tell me the time. She only asked me what room i wanted it in, my height, if I had a straight back chair and confirmed my surgery date.
Of course they didn’t call on New Year’s Eve so I didn’t give it another thought until the next day, New Year’s Day. A guy from Texas with several kids yelling in the background called on 1/1/25 and said he’d see me on 1/2/25 between 8:30 and 8:45.
So, I decided to look into this thing. I checked in one of my Facebook groups – some people had used one of these things successfully. I came across some YouTube videos – mostly company produced – and it looked good. Full of happy, smiling people. Looking back to my first day of PT for my left leg, no way was I happy or smiling.
So, I finally found some other information – even through their videos don’t show it, my chair should be against a wall. We don’t have many of those – we have book cases, pianos, organs, sofas, beds, and stuff. No blank walls. And somewhere I read that I should be wearing shorts when the delivery guy came. I finally settled for capris that I could roll up.
Delivery guy was on time at 8:30. Didn’t care about the shorts at all. <Whew>. He says he delivers/picks up 15 of these things a day! Who knew?
This morning’s PREOP TESTING ORDERS:
Medical Clearance for Surgery by RHC PAT Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant
CBC w/ DIFF CMP CHEST XRAY
PT/INR PTT HEMOGLOBIN A1C
UA EKG MRSA/MSSA (Nasal)
This afternoon I have an hour training on the ROMtech machine.
Another day gone.
Meanwhile
For the saga of my left knee, see these posts: Bee’s Knees
Anyone who knows me has possibly noticed that I wear blue almost every day. I think probably 95% or more of my clothes are blue. My car is blue, several rooms in my house are blue.
Apparently, this national holiday was started to raise awareness about the causes of colon cancer and how to prevent it. I always figured I’d get colon cancer, not the kidney cancer I did get. My mom, dad and an aunt all had colon cancer – twice each. Only my mom survived. She was also the only survivor of a drug trial. My mom turned 100 in October – what a fighter!
In the heart of a survivor, amidst the echoes of loss and the courage of enduring, Anita Mitchell, a valiant stage IV colon cancer warrior, conceived the transformative idea of National Dress in Blue Day. Haunted by the shadows of her father and a dear friend succumbing to the same stealthy foe, Mitchell was galvanized by a piercing insight: these losses, so profound and personal, could have been averted. With a resolve as unyielding as her spirit, she set out to forge a beacon of awareness in the murky waters of colon cancer ignorance.
In 2006, with a blend of maternal instinct and missionary zeal, Mitchell orchestrated a day of solidarity at her children’s school. It was a day where the innocence of childhood donned the mantle of awareness, with students cloaked in hues of blue, each contributing a dollar to the cause—a symbolic act that wove together the threads of community, empathy, and action.
This spark of inspiration, nurtured by Mitchell’s unwavering dedication, caught the attention of the Colon Cancer Alliance. By 2009, under their stewardship, Dress in Blue Day blossomed into a nationwide clarion call, not just to raise awareness but to honor the resilience and battles of those touched by the disease. The Alliance championed a proactive stance against colon cancer, advocating for regular screenings as a lighthouse guiding individuals away from the treacherous cliffs of advanced diagnosis. Screening, they emphasized, was not just a procedure but a lifeline, capable of reducing the specter of colon cancer deaths by an astonishing 60%.
Armed with knowledge and the power of prevention, the campaign illuminated the truth that most colorectal cancers are not invincible foes but adversaries that can be outmaneuvered. Simple lifestyle shifts—a tweak in diet, a commitment to physical vigor—emerged as silent guardians against the onset of colon cancer. National Dress in Blue Day, thus, stands as more than a day of remembrance; it is a movement of empowerment, a testament to the belief that awareness can kindle the flames of change, transforming the narrative from one of loss to one of hope and proactive living.
After going through the Medical Clearances again, 5 days of antiseptic showers (plus another one this morning), drinking what seems like gallons of Gatorade (I couldn’t have the hospital-offered strawberry Ensure), my surgery is scheduled for 12:30 pm today. There will be a Covid test at 10:30.
We have been watching tons of youtube videos on knee replacement, physical therapy I think that this was one of the most helpful:
From the hospital…
As your surgery date gets closer, you might feel uneasy. But the more you know about what to expect, the less nervous you’ll be. Take a few minutes to learn how the day will unfold.
What happens when I get to the hospital?
You’ll usually be asked to arrive about 2 hours before your operation starts. A registered nurse will greet you and help you prep. You’ll discuss with them your medical history and the medicines you take. You’ll also get a chance to talk to people on your surgical team about the operation.
Before you go to the operating room, you’ll first change into a gown. The nurse will remind you to remove things like your jewelry, glasses or contact lenses, hearing aids, or a wig if you have them.
A nurse checks your heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, and pulse. The surgeon may mark the spot on your body where the procedure will be done. A nurse places an IV line in your arm so the doctor can give you fluid and medicine during your operation.
When it’s time for your surgery, you’re wheeled into the operating room on a stretcher.
Who will be on my surgical team?
A group of doctors and nurses work together to make sure everything goes smoothly. The specific people depend on the type of procedure you’re going to have. But in general, your team will have these pros:
Surgeon. This doctor leads the team and does the operation.
Surgeons have to complete 4 years of medical school, plus at least 5 years of special training. They also have to pass a national surgical board exam. The one you choose should be experienced in the type of procedure you’re having.
Anesthesiologist. This health care professional gives you medicine that makes you pain-free during surgery.
Certified registered nurse anesthetist. They assist your anesthesiologist and monitor you before, during, and after your operation to make sure you get the right amount of pain medicine.
Surgical tech. They set up the tools your surgeon will use and make sure they’re sterile.
Operating room nurse. They help the surgeon during your procedure. For instance, they may pass instruments and supplies during the operation.
Will I be in any pain during the operation?
You’ll get medicine, called anesthesia, so that you won’t feel anything during surgery. The type you get depends on your health and the procedure you’re having.
Local anesthesia. It blocks pain in the part of your body where you have surgery. You’ll still be awake and alert.
Regional anesthesia. You‘re injected with medicine that numbs the whole area of your body where the surgery takes place.
General anesthesia. It puts you to sleep during your operation. You get this type of medicine through an IV in your vein or by breathing into a mask.
What will happen during my surgery?
Once you’re in the operating room, you breathe oxygen through a mask. Your anesthesiologist gives you medicine to prevent pain.
Your surgical team will track your health during the whole procedure. They’ll probably use:
A clip on your finger to measure your oxygen levels
A cuff on your arm to check blood pressure
Pads on your chest to keep tabs on your heart rate
How will my surgical team keep me from getting an infection?
Before the surgery starts, a nurse cleans your skin with an antiseptic to help prevent infections. They may remove hair from the area and place a sterile drape over your body. It will have an opening in the place where the surgeon will work.
It’s rare to get an infection during surgery. Your team does everything it can to protect you. Your doctors and nurses will:
Clean their hands and arms up to their elbows with a germ-killing cleaner before the operation.
Wear masks, gowns, and gloves.
Clean the part of your body where the surgery is being done with a germ-killing soap.
Clean and cover the cut afterward.
They may also give you antibiotics before your procedure to help prevent an infection.
Where will I go after my surgery?
You’ll wake up in a recovery room. A nurse checks your heart rate, breathing, and the bandaged area where your procedure was done. They might also ask you to take deep breaths and cough to clear your lungs.
You’ll stay in the recovery room until you’re fully awake and all your medical signs, like blood pressure and heart rate, are stable. How much time you spend there depends on what kind of surgery you had.
After that, depending on the type of operation you had, you’ll get sent to a hospital room or back home. Either way, you’ll be ready to be greeted by your loved ones and begin the road to recovery.
This post is officially done…for now. Next stop, Total Knee Replacement.
From the last post…12/4/2022 And, there was good news and some surprising news. I got to the doctors office and right away they took x-rays. The results were “Evidence of end stage bilateral knee OA, L>R. Evidence of complete joint space narrowing. Evidence of osteophyte formation. Evidence of cyst formation“
I had no idea that my right knee was as bad. I guess I’ve been so focused on my left that it never occurred to me that I might have other issues.
The term “end stage” was a bit freaky. That sounds to me like I should be bedridden or something.
~~~
1/18/2023
Reject-Dentist still hasn’t sent the receipt, a treatment plan or called to discuss it yet. They did send me an email today asking me to set up an appointment.
Also on 1/18, I went to Reston Hospital for pre-op clearance. This was the third appointment this week, all because of my knee.
1/23/2023
New, Approved-Dentist finished up everything he needed so I got Dental Clearance. This is the final piece of the clearance puzzles
When I got home yesterday I had a new insurance card in the mail. I read all the information and it said I had dental insurance. Reject-Dentist had said that I didn’t so I assumed that I didn’t. Now I get to collect my papers from Approved-Dentist and submit those.
I was supposed to attend a class on knee replacement but the next one isn’t until next month so I got to watch a video instead. I also found this one very helpful:
This post is officially done…for now. Next stop, Total Knee Replacement.
Sigh. Today is the 9th anniversary of the fall on my knee. There is not much change at all. I keep a record everyday of how I’m doing in a variety of areas. Every day I check off “knee pain” but I also have levels 1-10. I don’t think it ever goes below 5.
Some nights I wake up with throbbing and move to the sofa. I think maybe tossing and turning in bed makes my knee worse – I can’t do that on the sofa.
SalonPas is still my friend. And braces and Tylenol.
This year, I hope to get that gel injection. I’m a bit hesitant because it may make things even worse for a while and it takes 3 weeks to complete the series. My schedule is already pretty tight and I don’t know how to work in 3 more appointments.
Our trip to Alaska (mentioned below) worked out well. I travelled with the aforementioned SalonPas etc. and carried all in my backpack on various excursions.
Due to COVID we had to be tested before we went and show our vaccination cards several times before boarding.
I have the CovidWise app on my phone. when we got home, I found that we had been exposed before the cruise while we were in Seattle. I didn’t find this out until after the cruise because I had my phone turned off at sea. It’s just as well that I didn’t know before/during. I’m not sure what I would have done.
This year we have been to New York a few times to see our grandson. We’ve started walking from the hotel to their home. It hurts but it’s useful. It’s also faster to walk than take an Uber, thanks to one-way streets in NYC.
Our Tattoo that was cancelled last year has been rescheduled for August. I was surprised that we got a credit for this year. I’d figured that it was a donation to the Tattoo fund. So, we will get to walk around Scotland in August.
In September we have another cruise coming up – I will have to schedule that gel injection (hyaluronan (ORTHOVISC) 30 MG/2ML injection 30 mg), probably in July to make it work for August and September.
This is a continuation of an ongoing knee issue. It started in 2013 with Icy Days and Mondays and Bee’s Knees I’m hoping to end my knee pain in the very near future.
Here is is July and we have a second trip to see our grandson this coming weekend and the rescheduled/rescheduled cruise in August. That cruise started out as going to Norway a couple years ago. That was canceled so we decided on Alaska with the train to Denali in June. That was cancelled and Canada isn’t allowing people in, so we’re sailing out of Seattle, past Canada and on to Alaska. We’ve seen some of the ports already but I just wanted to go somewhere, anywhere.
I’ve been having pain, bigger again and I hate to have that in NYC – or on a cruise. It’s one thing to be kept awake with pain here at home and another entirely when you want to do things.
I had trusted that the doctor cleared that gel injection (hyaluronan (ORTHOVISC) 30 MG/2ML injection 30 mg) with my insurance company but it was a new doctor (the 5th one for my knee issues) today. The last doctor had put the paperwork in but it never went anywhere.
Today was too soon for another cortisone shot. I could have paid $380 for the gel and hoped that insurance would pay – but that was the first of 3 weekly injections and the doctor didn’t think it would start to help by this weekend, anyway.
He mentioned physical therapy again and/or possible surgery. He did send me for another x-ray, which was promising. By some fluke, his office takes my insurance but the attached radiology department doesn’t – so we went to the next-door hospital for that.
My results:
There is moderate to marked degenerative arthritis in the left
knee with joint space narrowing and osteophyte formation which is most
prominent in the medial compartment. A minimal joint effusion is
present. There is no evidence of a fracture.
After I left the doctor, a nurse called and said that I might be allergic to the Voltaren that a previous doctor had prescribed but I haven’t tried yet. I’m supposed to try that and let them know.
I guess I’ll be taking my SalonPas, knee brace and lots of Tylenol to NYC.
“Quick kneecap recap” below from April 7, 2021:
First of all, came this article. I’d already decided to get only one – max 2 – injections a year, with one of them being a week before a cruise. Our cruise scheduled for June most likely will not happen – neither will our trip to see the Edinburgh Tattoo again in August.
I had been keeping up with water aerobics and the hot tub until both of those were canceled due to COVID-19. So, my knee pain gradually started getting worse again. Luckily, I’m not walking around so much and we don’t have stairs at home. About 8 months or so ago, the pool opened up for water walking and lap swimming – with lots of rules, of course, but I manage to go about 3 times a week. Often DH goes with me. Unfortunately, the hot tub isn’t open
I’m still having lots of meetings on Zoom as well as piano teaching. For those meetings, I’ve been using an iPad on a music stand. To be able to see well while sitting on the sofa, the stand and iPad need to be almost vertical.
My last steroid injection was in September 2019. Thanks to COVID, I haven’t been hardly anywhere so no real (k)need.
However!, New York City has lifted it’s quarantine restrictions, so we’re going to go meet our new grandson…and I need an injection before we go.
Monday, April 5, I got that injection – and a lot of hope, finally. For my fourth injection, I had a fourth different doctor. This one had other options for me that no one else had every suggested. A long-lasting gel injection, a saline/dextrose solution (I said it sounded like salty sugar water!)
On Monday, he actually used Ultrasound to guide the needle in. He went about 2 inches above the knee from the outside to get the the inner part. The others didn’t do that – they just went directly into the knee, just guessing where to send the steroids.
It was so cool watching him do this. I told him my last injections had lasted maybe a couple weeks and he said they should be much longer than that, which is why he wants to try the gel injection (hyaluronan (ORTHOVISC) 30 MG/2ML injection 30 mg) in the summer. Apparently, it takes several months to get insurance approval – and he already started the paperwork!
I had the usual extra pain on Monday night (took 3 Tylenol), and normal pain on Tuesday, Wednesday, I was feeling pretty good but had to skip the pool because you can’t go in for 48 hours after a knee injection.
I am just so happy to see other alternatives to steroids – or surgery.
This is a continuation of an ongoing knee issue. It started in 2013 with Icy Days and Mondays and Bee’s Knees I’m hoping to end my knee pain in the very near future.
Here is is July and we have a second trip to see our grandson this coming weekend and the rescheduled/rescheduled cruise in August. That cruise started out as going to Norway a couple years ago. That was canceled so we decided on Alaska with the train to Denali in June. That was cancelled and Canada isn’t allowing people in, so we’re sailing out of Seattle, past Canada and on to Alaska. We’ve seen some of the ports already but I just wanted to go somewhere, anywhere.
I’ve been having pain, bigger again and I hate to have that in NYC – or on a cruise. It’s one thing to be kept awake with pain here at home and another entirely when you want to do things.
I had trusted that the doctor cleared that gel injection (hyaluronan (ORTHOVISC) 30 MG/2ML injection 30 mg) with my insurance company but it was a new doctor (the 5th one for my knee issues) today. The last doctor had put the paperwork in but it never went anywhere.
Today was too soon for another cortisone shot. I could have paid $380 for the gel and hoped that insurance would pay – but that was the first of 3 weekly injections and the doctor didn’t think it would start to help by this weekend, anyway.
He mentioned physical therapy again and/or possible surgery. He did send me for another x-ray, which was promising. By some fluke, his office takes my insurance but the attached radiology department doesn’t – so we went to the next-door hospital for that.
My results:
There is moderate to marked degenerative arthritis in the left
knee with joint space narrowing and osteophyte formation which is most
prominent in the medial compartment. A minimal joint effusion is
present. There is no evidence of a fracture.
After I left the doctor, a nurse called and said that I might be allergic to the Voltaren that a previous doctor had prescribed but I haven’t tried yet. I’m supposed to try that and let them know.
I guess I’ll be taking my SalonPas, knee brace and lots of Tylenol to NYC.
“Quick kneecap recap” below from April 7, 2021:
First of all, came this article. I’d already decided to get only one – max 2 – injections a year, with one of them being a week before a cruise. Our cruise scheduled for June most likely will not happen – neither will our trip to see the Edinburgh Tattoo again in August.
I had been keeping up with water aerobics and the hot tub until both of those were canceled due to COVID-19. So, my knee pain gradually started getting worse again. Luckily, I’m not walking around so much and we don’t have stairs at home. About 8 months or so ago, the pool opened up for water walking and lap swimming – with lots of rules, of course, but I manage to go about 3 times a week. Often DH goes with me. Unfortunately, the hot tub isn’t open
I’m still having lots of meetings on Zoom as well as piano teaching. For those meetings, I’ve been using an iPad on a music stand. To be able to see well while sitting on the sofa, the stand and iPad need to be almost vertical.
My last steroid injection was in September 2019. Thanks to COVID, I haven’t been hardly anywhere so no real (k)need.
However!, New York City has lifted it’s quarantine restrictions, so we’re going to go meet our new grandson…and I need an injection before we go.
Monday, April 5, I got that injection – and a lot of hope, finally. For my fourth injection, I had a fourth different doctor. This one had other options for me that no one else had every suggested. A long-lasting gel injection, a saline/dextrose solution (I said it sounded like salty sugar water!)
On Monday, he actually used Ultrasound to guide the needle in. He went about 2 inches above the knee from the outside to get the the inner part. The others didn’t do that – they just went directly into the knee, just guessing where to send the steroids.
It was so cool watching him do this. I told him my last injections had lasted maybe a couple weeks and he said they should be much longer than that, which is why he wants to try the gel injection (hyaluronan (ORTHOVISC) 30 MG/2ML injection 30 mg) in the summer. Apparently, it takes several months to get insurance approval – and he already started the paperwork!
I had the usual extra pain on Monday night (took 3 Tylenol), and normal pain on Tuesday, Wednesday, I was feeling pretty good but had to skip the pool because you can’t go in for 48 hours after a knee injection.
I am just so happy to see other alternatives to steroids – or surgery.
After I posted Just Nosing Around, I joined a Facebook group for Skin Cancer Warriors. I was amazed how supportive they are. I never had any support with Cushing’s or Kidney Cancer pre-op, so it was really nice to be on the receiving end for once.
From that FB group, I learned that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and there is a fundraising page (of course) so I actually decided to give it a try. I figure at least it will be another tshirt. LOL This is my page, if anyone is interested: Skin Cancer: Take a Hike!
Sunday, April 25, 2021. I’ve been reading that handout I posted (below) and it’s made me start looking around for shirts that button, rather than pull over the head. I mostly have tshirts and some of those necks are pretty tight. I think I’m ok for at least tomorrow and the next few days.
Also, in preparation, I downloaded some books for my Kindle and started a few coloring images in Happy Color so that I wouldn’t have to use WiFi to download there.
Also, I remembered that I should stress dose tomorrow! I started packing my bag to include Tylenol and I’ll add extra cortisol, a bottle of ice water and my iPad tomorrow.
So, Monday, April 26, 2021 I had my Mohs Surgery.
I remembered to take my extra cortisone! We got there 30 minutes early, which worked in our favor – for once.
Tom could go in with me while I had my surgery and I stayed in room the whole time. The nurse came in and we went over basic questions. The surgeon came in and recognized where the location was – he could see it over the top of my mask. He explained what he’d do and asked if there were any questions, then used a marker to make a circle around the cancer.
He injected the pain killer. I started when it first went in but then it was ok. He asked if I could feel anything. I said no so he continued.
They bandaged everything, cauterized the blood vessels and took the cancer off to the lab.
When they came back, the surgeon said that the cancer was gone. He used dissolvable stitches and a skin graft. I could see quite a bit of blood during this. He did more cautery and the nurse put on lots of bandages which I had to keep on for 24 hours. Because of the skin graft, he called in antibiotics.
Tom drove home – it was hard for me to see over bandages. About 1 pm I took 3 Tylenol. I took first antibiotic about 2 pm – Doxycycline Hyclate 100 mg. I take those twice a day for 10 days because of the skin graft.
Then, I fell asleep and woke up about 8:30PM and had some dinner. 3 more Tylenol and another antibiotic.
I slept ok overnight and woke up about 5:30 am with pressure from the bandages on my face. I tried to sleep for about another hour, then just got up. No real pain just a dull ache. If I touch my nose, it does hurt…so – don’t touch!
Tuesday, April 27, 2021, I kept my video off for my work Zoom meeting so no one would see all those bandages. I skipped an in-person afternoon meeting but about 4:00 pm I got to change the bandages so I could see what I’m dealing with:
Right at the bridge of my nose it’s a little bit swollen and it’s uncomfortable to wear my glasses. I had a handbell rehearsal Tuesday night that I also skipped.
Wednesday is normally one of the three days a week I do water exercise but I can’t get this thing wet so I stayed home and did a little work. I didn’t take the antibiotics with food, just with coffee, and that really upset my stomach. I ended up cancelling my piano students for the afternoon. They had all asked last week about the biopsy bandage – I wasn’t sure how I would explain this one to a first grader. My stomach was still upset from the antibiotic anyway.
I had bought new bandages on amazon that were supposed to be latex-free. I think they skirted around that claim somehow because as soon as I tried them, my nose was itchy. At first, I thought maybe my nose was healing but I ripped off the bandage and went back to the old plastic ones that made my nose red. The itching stopped but after that, I had a lot of trouble sleeping and finally just got up about 3:00 am.
Other healing pictures:
April 30, 2021:
May 2, 2021
Update May 7, 2021. Big Day – I finally went back to water exercise after nearly 2 weeks off and it felt so good to be back, to be normal. Besides that, I ran into my son’s elementary school music teacher (I had also been her piano accompanist) and we chatted about how things were going.
I also went (nervously!) to my main dermatologist for a full body scan and no other skin cancer was found.
May 8, 2021, Healing better than I thought it would.
May 24, I go back to my surgeon where I will (I hope!) get more good news. Assuming it’s good news, this post is done.
It seems like my nose is always at the forefront of my medical issues. Cushing’s disease? Let’s do a whole surgery through her nose.
Allergies? Let’s clog up her nose so she can’t breathe.
Kidney cancer? Let’s stick tubes up her nose so she can breathe.
None of that stuff did her in, so let’s try playing with the outside this time.
I hadn’t thought much about my nose lately unless I was adjusting a mask over it for COVID. Luckily, I was never tested for COVID because that would have been a swab…up my nose.
In January 2021, I was just keeping my nose out of other people’s business when I noticed weird stuff on my nose. I made the obligatory doctor appointment. He thought that part of my issue was allergies to paper masks and gave me cream – guess what!?!? – Kenalog, a steroid cream form of the stuff they inject into my knee. Part of the description for that reads “Do not use it on the face, groin, or underarms unless directed to do so by your doctor.” I was directed by my doctor so I guess it was ok but I sure hate using additional steroids.
In the middle of the nose-redness to be fixed by Kenalog was a really weird thing. The doctor thought it would be useful to use liquid nitrogen on it and I figured that was relatively easy so I went for it.
The morning before the liquid nitrogen
So, he sprayed the nitrogen on and said to use the Kenalog twice a day – the thing should fall off in a couple weeks. A couple weeks spread out to about 5 and it fell into my mask a day or so after I had a dream about it falling into the swimming pool and infecting everyone there. Fortunately, my dream didn’t come true!
Unfortunately, when it fell off, it left a hard red bump which stuck around and started looking weird again.
So, February 22, I called the doctor again and made an appointment for March 10. He said he could do the nitrogen thing again and go a bit deeper. I thought, maybe no. Let’s move on to the professionals. So, I got a referral to a dermatologist on April 16.
Even with my mask on, the dermatologist could see the top peeking out of my mask and proclaimed Squamous Cell Carcinoma! She did do a biopsy, so I had a few days of hope. I thought the biopsy would be a smaller amount, though.
So, I put Aquaphor and a bandage on my nose twice a day…and my nose got red under the bandaid. Allergy to the adhesive? I know I’m allergic to latex, so we have plastic bandaids. Whatever.
April 21 I got the official results. The dermatologist was right the first time. Monday, April 26 I will have Mohs surgery.
Of course, I set out to watch this surgery on YouTube.
Because I always “own” all my diseases, I bought a t-shirt which I will wear proudly. Of course, it has a butterfly and the words: “They whispered to her – you cannot withstand the storm. She whispered back – I am the storm.” and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Awareness.
I have so many t-shirts – not just for places but for causes, diseases, work, piano teaching… I hope this is the last non-fun one I get!
I am not anticipating any changes in this over the weekend so the next post will be sometime next week, after the surgery.
MaryO'Medical 