It could also be that since they can't call it benign (pathology of cells is a challenge and usually requires someone to confirm the analysis), they want you in there to nip it in the bud now and not risk waiting in case it does swing the other way. Urgency isn't always bad news.

You need to talk to the doctor and ask specific questions even if you are asking them to speculate but you can push them to tell you why the sense of urgency. If they say, they don't know, tell them to find out and call you right back.

Good luck, Synth!

Relax take a few deep breaths and sit back. You are in capable hands just make sure you don’t let any interns near you and you will be fine. Look at me, mine says I’m unusual and should have been dead years ago. I just keep walking around to save funeral expenses.

Seriously keep looking up you got the best doing the work; you will be here long after I go.

Good vibes and good luck anyway

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

quote Originally posted by 84fiero123: Relax take a few deep breaths and sit back. You are in capable hands just make sure you don’t let any interns near you and you will be fine. Look at me, mine says I’m unusual and should have been dead years ago. I just keep walking around to save funeral expenses. Seriously keep looking up you got the best doing the work; you will be here long after I go. Good vibes and good luck anyway Steve

/\ /\
Listen to the man.

The rational side of me says think to yourself how much worrying changes anything. I know it may be difficult, but try and just let the doctors do their thing.

There is also counseling for people who find them selves in situations such as this.

"Call 800‑813‑HOPE (4673); or email us at info@cancercare.org.
Manage emotions such as anxiety or sadness
Find reliable information
Find useful resources in your community
Manage financial challenges
http://www.cancercare.org/counseling"

" http://centerforcancercounseling.org/
patients and their families learn to cope with their feelings surrounding the diagnosis, treatment and side effects"

Praying for you Chris.

I think you have my cell # if you ever want to call.

[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 08-03-2012).]

Prayers for you.

I have an appointment today with one of Minnesota's leading cancer specialists at the University of Minnesota...
He's also a professor there... So I feel better already... We'll talk today, and I'll get some of my more advanced questions answered.

Good luck and good vibes

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

Good luck my friend.

Make sure someone goes with you and takes written notes. As much as you think you will remember everything, you will focus on one comment and miss half the discussion. You can read their notes afterwards. Write down your questions before any appointment and don't leave until every single question is answered and your assistant has written down the answers.

Good vibes sent. I hope everything os OK.
Melanie

Just a quick update.

I have surgery scheduled for the 29th.

The doctor said that this particular form rarely metastasizes, but can be quite aggressive in a local area.

They are going to perform the Mohs procedure, as it is known. They take a layer of skin, immediately check it under the microscope.
They can follow the roots with minimal healthy tissue removal using this.

The doc also said to expect as much as 100 square inches of skin removed down to the muscle with this type if it has grown... Possibly into the muscle.

The site that the biopsy was removed from has started growing again.

Also, a lump under the skin on the tip of my chin began growing about 2 months ago, give or take, and it is now the size of a peach pit.
Doc says that may just be a cyst, but they are going to remove it and check it anyway.

With where the original site is, I won't be able to actually sit down for at least a day, and will have a recovery time of up to six weeks depending on whether they need to get down into the muscle or not.

[This message has been edited by Synthesis (edited 08-22-2012).]

Dam dude more good vibes for you and I hope you have a speedy recovery.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

You'll be in my prayers, man.
Take care.

I tear up for the amount of reasonable worry you must have. A prayer is shot your way for competence for all the medical professionals you encounter and for you to be able to deal with all the BS of getting past this.

Surgery in the AM...

Good vibes sent.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

More good vibes to you!

Best!

Take care.

Best wishes today man!

Thanks all...
Leaving for surgery in five minutes... When I come back, I will no longer be able to work as a butt model. My beautiful backside will be butchered beyond belief.

They have WiFi, I may be able to give a cheek by cheek report from the OR.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Thanks all... Leaving for surgery in five minutes... When I come back, I will no longer be able to work as a butt model. My beautiful backside will be butchered beyond belief. They have WiFi, I may be able to give a cheek by cheek report from the OR.

I'm not gonna make any comments about doing things half-assed.

All kidding aside, you're in my prayers.

Best of luck! It sounds like you are in the most capable hands in the region. I am at a loss for words but (no pun intended) you are in my thoughts this day.

I pray for strength for you, peace for your family as well as a good outcome. Hope you never have to go any further with this cancer crap. It’s been effecting far too many of us at a far too young of an age lately.

------------------
1986 Red s/e 2m6 5-sp, & 2006 Red Solstice 5-sp
Live Strong - I Am Phil 4:13

Good vibe for a speedy recovery

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

Tennis ball sized chunk removed from backside. Lump on chin is lymphoid tissue. Sent off for biopsy. Will find out in a week or so.
Waiting for pathology on first section. Ninety minutes or so.

Great news, I hope.

Glad to hear you are home and not still in there, no we don’t want pictures, no, no, no.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Home... Good news, clean margins all the way around. Approximately a tennis ball and a half of flesh removed, down into the fat... Something like 60 stitches. Bad news, lump on chin appears to be lymphoid tissue. This could be Lymphoid Hyperplasia, which is relatively benign, but the extremely rapid growth characteristics mean it could be Lymphoma.

Glad to hear it man... I'm really happy for you (so far).

I've got a couple of moles too of which I am convinced is the early stages of melanoma. I spent way too much of my early years at the beach in South Florida, and I've got a couple with "irregular" borders. I've been ignoring it the past 5-6 years... but my wife went in for something and she had a small mole that they determined was early stages of melanoma. I'm quite certain I have the same thing.

The most ridiculous part of all of this, is that I'm the one that wrote the vast majority of the pathology reporting software for Quest Diagnostics and AmeriPath. You probably got back reports that were generated by the system I wrote. You'd think with all of the experience I have with Basal Cell Carcinoma BCC, Squamous SCC, Melanoma, blah blah... that I'd have enough sense to take care of myself.

I don't have any lumps or anything, but I'll be going in too in a few weeks to get cut up I'm sure.


Todd

I'm happy that things turned out as well as they did.

Still keeping my fingers crossed for you.

It's good that they're focused on finding anything and removing it now. It will help in recovery and hopefully the complete removal of any more tumors and stop any future growth.

Awesome News!

Continued prayers for you man. Thanks for keeping us updated.

From one recent surgical survivor to another, I sincerely hope you continue to make progress.

Being shut down for "servicing" is a PITA, I know. Hang in there, guy.

D.

quote Originally posted by Doni Hagan: PITA

Quoted for truth...

Still no word on the chin...

My backside is feeling better, but still quite sore from time to time.

Gradually feeling better though.

Good to hear you're doin' ok

Glad to hear you are feeling better and hope it gets better every day.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

How ya feeling?

Still limping along a bit here and there, but better... No longer feels like I am sitting on a board with nails in it.

If I overdo it, it feels like I stretched the skin around the incision.

Scheduled to get the stitches removed on Thursday, but it won't mesh well with something else I have going on then, so I'm going to see if I can just have Cindy remove them for me.

I don’t think I have ever had a stitch removed by the doctor since I met Melanie. Well except the ones in my chest after the bypass.

Hope you feel better every day and be good, and if you can’t be good, at least be careful.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

Surgery today for the growth in my chin. Stitches came out 10 days after surgery, and the incision opened back up on the chin.

Lump has grown, and they finally decided to just take it out. Leaving now.