WTF is up with cancer?

**divegirl** · 02-28-2007, 02:37 PM

I mean seriously. I know more young people with cancer than I'd like to admit. I thought someone in my high school class was supposed to find a cure for it, but apparently not.

So anyway, I have a small case of cancer on my head. It's a basal cell carcinoma, but it still sucks slightly because it IS on my scalp. They said it was deeper than your average basal cell cancer......they gave me a term that started with an "N" and now I forgot what it's called. I'm supposed to get it extracted on April 16th. Is this too late? They gave me an appointment of March 28th, but I pushed it back because of this triathlon class I'm doing. I wonder if it's bad to push it back a couple weeks.....

So anyway, I need to know about those of you who've had cancers removed on your head (scalp). My doc's assistant said they'd have to go down to the fat layer on my scalp.....sounds a bit bloody to me. How the heck are they going to make the bleeding stop after they cut this thing out? Cauterize it?

Also, she said I'd have to wait to hear from them to find out if they cut it all out...and I wouldn't hear back for several days. Isn't that a bit long to wait? Shouldn't they cut it out, send to the pathologist the same day, and then cut the rest out if they missed anything? When my dad had it done on his face, he waited for an hour because the pathologist came to the doc's office, took the sample back to his office to review, and then called right away with the results. I'd hate to find out I'd have to go in for another splice of my head after it begins to heal.

Thanks in advance for the advice/information.....

**El Chupacabra** · 02-28-2007, 02:48 PM

No answers for you, but ++++++++ and kick its ass!!!

**char** · 02-28-2007, 05:35 PM

You are worried about the doc being delayed a little about telling you if it all got removed but you are willing to wait several extra weeks for some triathalon training?

Get that shit cut out ASAP!

**Roo** · 02-28-2007, 06:05 PM

I had some cut out of my back. It's close to the head.

It was fine. I'm sure you'll be fine and you may even have a little baldy patch like when a transexual whore from Tijuana stuck chewing gum in my hair.

**SnowTigress** · 03-01-2007, 01:31 AM

grrrr....sorry to hear about this, Lindsey. Wish I had some info, but I dont. +++ luck. I doubt 2.5 weeks will make a big difference. Dont worry about them stopping the bleeding. They have all kinds of neat tricks. Take care.

**WhiteLight** · 03-01-2007, 03:27 AM

Do some online research. I think it's safe to say it is *always* better to deal with cancer removal sooner rather than later, inconveniences be damned.

But, it's up to you to decide what is most important: your triathlon class, or your cancer removal.

Don't worry so much about the bleeding. You are talking about a minor surgical procedure. Perhaps worry more about your priorities.

**bklyn** · 03-01-2007, 06:00 AM

Please get it taken care of asap!

**Roo** · 03-01-2007, 08:46 AM

yes. What Trayc said. You don't want to mess about with the head.

**BeanDip4All** · 03-01-2007, 09:25 AM

I'm sure the tri class will give you a refund, or let you make up the class when you're ready to train again- especially if you explained to them what's going on. If you're worried about missing your "A" race because of the setback, there will always be other races! There are not other Lindseys, so go get this thing taken care of first.

Keep us posted. Warm thoughts.

L7 · 03-01-2007, 09:33 AM

Sooner not later. You may still be able to do the tri class but just miss the swimming.

**haydukelives** · 03-01-2007, 09:56 AM

these dont grow much unless neglected for years, and dont spread either. what is unusual is to get one in an area that is not exposed to sun. but its much better than on your nose, and no one will see the scar.

**kayaktheworld** · 03-01-2007, 10:57 AM

Gonna have to agree, get it taken out as soon as you can! Nothing is worth delaying this, if you ask me. There will be many more Tri's for you to do in the future.

+++ Good luck

**Tri-Ungulate** · 03-01-2007, 12:33 PM

haydukelives has it - basal cells are slow growing, and generally considered more-or-less benign though they can get out of hand if left too long (meaning years, not months). They can spread, but that's the exception rather than the rule, unlike melanomas. You have the luxury of a bit of time, though you prolly should get it addressed sooner or later - but putting it of 'til April is not a problem. The procedure is almost certainly Mohs Surgery which would give the best chance at complete excision. If this happens (and it almost certainly will) you won't need any further treatment other than surveillance.

Edit for a few more answers now that I read your OP a bit closer:

Actually, you may not be getting Mohs if you have to wait for the path to come back. More likely just a general excision, which should work fine in the majority of cases. Most of the time, the surgical margins are clear and no further work is needed, but occasionally they feel a bit more excision is warranted. Things should be fine, and even in the second case, going back in shouldn't be too big a deal. Mohs is generally reserved for residual or recurrent disease or more aggressive appearing basal cell carcinomas, and part of the procedure is to get immediate feedback from the pathologist, which sounds like what your dad had done. Bleeding is controlled by electrocautery, which should be painless, though the smell of burning flesh might be a bit unpleasant.

**watersnowdirt** · 03-01-2007, 03:56 PM

Sorry to hear that Lindsay. Sounds like it's all a good prognosis and won't cause you any longterm problems.

Good luck!

**yogachik** · 03-01-2007, 04:29 PM

Bummer to hear, but get it taken care of ASAP, Linds!!! +++ to you

**Telenater** · 03-01-2007, 05:07 PM

While I don't have the experience of Tri-U, I know I'd rather get it taken care of sooner rather than later.

Call if we can do anything for you.

**shmerham** · 03-02-2007, 02:05 PM

Sounds not so bad, but very scary nonetheless. Best of luck.

**WhiteLight** · 03-02-2007, 04:44 PM

Also, not to be a mom, but if you're not already doing so, be sure to use sunscreen every day. And maybe wear hats and beanies when outdoors -- the scalp can be exposed to the sun even if you are not a skin-head.

I've had those basals removed, and in my case, it wasn't a big deal at all. Some required sutures; others were just butterfly band-aided, if memory serves.

You'll feel much better once you get this out of your hair!

**divegirl** · 03-02-2007, 06:13 PM

Thanks everyone for the advice/insight/wishes!

char - of course I'm worried about the delay on whether they removed it all after the initial incision into my head. Would you want your head cut into twice? I don't think so.

Besides, the delay in my appointment is only two weeks. I've had this little bump on my head for nearly a year from what I can recall.

Nonetheless, I've rescheduled my appointment to April 2nd. I called in today, and the March 28th appointment was already booked up again; but at least it's not April 16th. Allyall convinced me it's better to go sooner than later. Thanks.

Oh, and Roo.....maybe they can stop the bleeding on my head with a bit o gum, eh?

**irul&ublo** · 03-02-2007, 06:16 PM

I recommend a head transplant.

**altachic** · 03-04-2007, 10:00 AM

Good luck Divegirl, I was wondering how that turned out.

All will be well!

**Vets** · 03-18-2007, 08:28 AM

Just saw this thread. Positive vibes sent.

**Spats** · 03-21-2007, 02:03 PM

Glad you're getting it done ASAP. You'll beat it and be fine.

**TWINS** · 03-25-2007, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by divegirl

Nonetheless, I've rescheduled my appointment to April 2nd.

Thats a very lucky day to me,my birthday.I will make some turns and drink some beers in your honor at my Mammoth Pre summit warm up party

Good luck on your inpending surgery.

**divegirl** · 04-03-2007, 07:07 PM

Well I'm here post surgery (it was yesterday - happy birthday TWINS), and it totally hurts on the second day. I'm a no-drugs kind of girl, but shit - right now more would be good. The tylenol isn't cutting it.

It was an invasive process. Wish I could have been all the way under. The part where they actually took the cancer out wasn't so bad, but when they stitched my head back up they pushed my head down on the operating chair and squeezed my head skin together to get the thing to stitch back up. It really sucked.

However the docs I had working on me were awesome, and I'll be paying for that too. But at this point, I don't care. I did get a $585 bill in the mail for the lab that apparently wasn't covered by my health insurance (pacificare PPO). So I started freaking out when I got home and called my insurance company to bitch at them, like 1 hour post surgery. I'll have to deal with that later. Boo.

I am going to start wearing hats now. Seriously, as in bringing them back in style at the workplace. Considering we have tons of skylights in the office, the HR department can kiss my ass because I'm wearing hats. If y'all have any rad styles I need to check out, post em up.