February 3, 2004

  • That's a Cancer


    It's always interesting to experience in person something that you've heard other people talk about and never really believed would happen to you.


    Last Friday I had an appointment with my Doctor to have him take a look at a small spot on my right shoulder blade.  He looked at it and said, "That's a cancer and it needs to come out right now so we can biospy it."  There in his office in less time than it took me to find the place to hang my clothes, I was lying on his table and he was slicing my skin.  The tumor was encapsulated, which he said was a good sign, and he removed it all.  It was deeper than I would have expected.  On the surface of my skin it was a small red spot about the size of a pencil eraser tip.  When it came out it was about two inches long and looked like something off one of those sci-fi shows where the alien parasite invades ... I have eight stitches.  And they are located right where my bra strap would go...  So, I'm not going out much this week. 


    I haven't yet received the result of the biopsy, but I'm not really worried about it.  I think this was a minor deal and I'm just glad that if it had to be done it was done quickly so I can put it out of my mind.  But it has made me think.  Think of how much for granted I take my health, my body, my next breath.   I think of myself as being much more about my mind than my body ... that the real me is the me that explores ideas and grows in understanding.  But it only takes hearing those three words to shock me back to the reality that I'm not separate from my body. 


    Leonard Cohen wrote a song with a line that's been running through my mind ... there's a voice that sounds like God to me, declaring that your body's really really really you ...


     

Comments (25)

  • Ewww... sorry.  Sounds painful.  I am glad you arent stressed over it.    Ill be thinking of you while you wait.

  • Sheesh, I would have been in a cold sweat.  Well.  I WAS in a cold sweat, when something along those lines happened to me.  Yes.  Makes one grateful for every breath, as you said.  For a while....until you forget.  I think it's one of those gifts/curses of humankind, that we can so easily forget (or never realize at all) how fragile we are.  Keep in good health, my dear. 

  • Yikes!

  • Holy cow.  Like you didn't have enough to worry about here lately.  I'm glad he got it all, and that this appears to be a minor thing.

  • Glad you're ok. A survivor! A few years ago I had a similar experience. My doctor (a very cool woman family doc) took one look at the funky mole on my arm and yelled out to the assistant in the hall "Ok! Let's take this bad boy off!" A few minutes later I was bandaged and ready to go. She's quirky for sure, but it was her attitude about the whole thing that kept me from panicking.

    I'm glad you have a good no-nonsense dr. too. Hope you heal quickly!

  • AHHH!!! Yikes! I hope it's okay. What a shocker.

  • Scary stuff.  Glad the Dr. didn't dilly dally and cut it right out.  Make sure you get checked regularly.  Two mom's of girls on Sara's soccer team have breast cancer.  One just went under the knife and the other had her's about a year ago and it has now come back.  It doesn't look good for her. 

  • Eeep! I'm so paranoid about skin cancer. I hope everything comes out alright. *hugs*

  • HUGS HUGS & MORE HUGS

  • *hugs* That's good you got it checked out! I'll try to laugh at my ex a little less now, he got his shoulder checked out last week for cancer and it was just pimples

  •   *holds your hand*

    I will never forget my cancer scare from last year.  I also remember thinking about how suddenly my breasts and my hair weren't as awful as I've felt and the thought of losing either brought back an appreciation for a healthy, albeit imperfect body.

  • Wow!  I don't think I would have enough sence to know if Ihad a problem. i"m so happy-to-lucky and don't think much about my body.  I am believing that this will be all that is necessary for you.  You certainly didn't need something else to worry about.  My best to you.

  • Sheesh!  At least you had it looked over. 

  • glad you found it in time..

  • Good doctor. Hope he didn't scare you too much.

    I keep getting examined by doctors and told that I'm okay. I'm not a hypochondriac, but somehow I never quite believe them. Something is lurking in there...

    T

  • That is scary.... I had an appt. last thurs. that I canceled because I have several places on my back and shoulder.  I am so scrared to go find out... One place I am really worried about....  I guess now after reading about you I will reschedule my appt.

  • Your body is an alien parasite?

    Cool.

    Sail on... sail on!!!

  • It sounds like they got all of that one. I guess now it's just waiting for the results to know if this is something with a strong possibility of recurring.

    Another Leonard Cohen fan here.

  • excpect the unexpected, thats how most events unfold to me

  • It is freakish what can one day be an annual examination turning into a cancer scare ... we just don't know do we?

  • I had no idea... that is scarey.. but I love the way you take things in stride.. I do however know you.. and I know this shook you much more than you are willing to allow us to know.. so from me.. to you I send you lots of hugs... and all my support....

    I know you will be fine...

    Love ya

    Tina

  • i had that happen years ago .. at the dentist, they were dealing they thought with an absess and found suddenly that it was a cancerous growths.. i recovered and im sure you will too :) .. at leat they found it before it spread :) take care :)

  • an alien, eh?

    Actually, those things are becoming more routine.  It's here, a mile closer to the sun, that things like that begin to get a little scary.  I know it'll all turn out fine.

  • I appreciated docs that are direct and have that "let's not mess with this crap" attitude.  I remember when I came to after my biopsy and the surgeon stood there and said, "well, you're not going to believe this shit."  I knew right then...no hemming and hawing...and I knew we'd go after it with no hemming or hawing.

    I will assume your test results will be good and better.  And I will assume that whatever it is/was, it's gone now.  I assume alot...and pray for the best.

  • see the "d" on the end of appreciate? ^^^  ignore that, alright? 
    thanks.

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