This isn’t the usual post I write about..
It isn’t about the narcissists in my life or the stress associated with them..
It isn’t about my work or my plans to move back to the UK..
It is a raw & honest post about my fear for my health..
Health is always the most important thing in our life and when we are faced with the possibility of ill health or we actually are ill, everything else goes out the window..
On Monday I woke up with a slight lump in my throat. I was walking around the flat trying to keep busy, to distract myself from the anxiety I was feeling about the dermatologist appointment I had been anticipating for 3 months..
The reason I had this appointment was to get 2 suspicious moles removed from the delicate area right next to my nipple and 1 mole under my left arm. Due to my background having grown up in Greece and knowing that as a teenager I had got burnt many times, I had been keeping a very close eye on all my moles over the last few years.
Around 1 year ago, I went to a dermatologist to get my whole body checked for abnormal moles. I got the feeling that she was in a bit of a rush when she was checking me. I pointed out the moles I was concerned about but in the end she told me that I had nothing to worry about and that all my moles were normal.
My gut was continuing to tell me otherwise. I was still noticing changes in my moles in the months after that appointment and decided to ask around for another recommendation. I finally booked myself in for an appointment with a new dermatologist and after several months of waiting, I finally got a proper check up. She said my instincts were spot on and that my moles were definetely showing signs of possible melanoma. That was 3 months ago and the earliest appointment I could book with her for removal of these moles, was 4 days ago.
So on Monday this week, I had the 2 excisions. The dermatologist was very kind during the OP and told me what she was going to do step by step. She was overly concerned that I would complain about the colour of the stitches, the size of the wound and the subsequent scarring afterwards. She had had many clients in the past who complained about everything and anything.
I was very trusting of her ability and told her that I am happy for her to do what she knows best and that as long as I don’t have melanoma, I don’t care about anything else.
The most painful part of the procedure were the 4 anesthetic injections I had before she did the elliptical excisions. Once I became numb, the biggest excision felt like someone was running a pointy pencil along my skin. The biggest excision was 4 cm long, as there were 2 moles she had to take out which very close to one another. These were the ones next to my left nipple. The uneasiest part, was seeing the deep chunk of flesh she removed from my breast. I was lying on my right side throughout the operation and the container for the biopsy was right in front of me, so it was hard to ignore. When I saw how big the chunk of skin was that she removed, I was stunned. I originally thought I wouldn’t be able to keep my eyes open at all through the procedure but her voice was soothing and I focused on her face most of the time.
As someone who has naturally low blood pressure, I was very dizzy after the procedure. I had already warned my hubby that bringing the car would be the better option for me but unfortunately there wasn’t anywhere to park near the doctors. We ended up getting a taxi home after the operation, as everytime I tried standing up, I would start feeling very faint. I lay down in the back of the taxi which helped immensely and luckily I made it to bed 5 min later.
Hubby sorted everything out once we got home. I had a nap in bed while he went out and got pizza for dinner. He also bought the bandages and the antiseptic spray the doctor had prescribed and sent off the doctor’s note to my employer.
On that first night, I slept in a separate bed so hubby wouldn’t accidentally bump my wounds. I only managed 4 hours sleep, as I couldn’t find a comfortable position to lie in. I spent half the night reading about melanoma, the different stages and what I can expect with each one. It is horribly uncomfortable but I am doing my best not to drive myself crazy.
At the moment, I have been signed off work for a whole week rather than the 2 days I had originally planned to be off. When I changed the dressings 24 hours and 48 hours after the operation, I had to lie down..
I seem to be one of those people who get dizzy whenever they look at a wound with stitches on their body. I guess the idea of being cut open on my breast, was just too much to get my head around.
Today, I was luckily able to change my dressing without feeling faint. I guess I know the wound is improving so I am better able to cope with looking at it.
The hardest thing I am finding at the moment is trying to be positive about my biopsy results. The possibility of melanoma is high, otherwise I wouldn’t have had these moles removed with excision. I don’t get my stitches out until the 26th of this month and that will most likely also be the time that I get my biopsy results too. It is quite a long time to wait and the worrying is just going to be there until I know.
Feeling vulnerable is where I am at. My thoughts are going in all sorts of directions and when imagining the worse case scenario, I feel sad for my hubby who might have to deal with me being sick..
Health is to be valued and our bodies are to be respected.
I just wish I had been a little more careful as a teenager when spending hours on the beach with not enough sun tan lotion on my pale skin..
my child within 