A while back I blogged about the results of my skin cancer screening I had done at work.  On Wednesday, Ray took me up to Tucson to have MOHS surgery performed on my nose.  (Now I have a MOHS nose?)  The procedure took several hours. 

The surgery itself was fairly easy and the handsome doctor who did it was excellent–like extraordinarily excellent.  He even called my home that night to make sure I was OK.  He called, not a nurse but the doc himself!  OMG, A good-looking thoughtful smart compassionate medical professional. That just doesn’t happen anymore!

The good news is that Dr. Huether removed all the cancer.  The bad news was having skin grafted from my ear to the side of my nose leaving me with a bandage that I have to wear for two weeks (the ear bandage comes off tonight).  One half of me thinks about the overall discomfort and how stupid I’m going to look at the upcoming holiday parties I promised to attend this year.  The other half thinks that I should shut the fuck up and be thankful that this is my one and only brush with cancer (so far, knock wood).  

While I was wincing at the pain (and thought) of having needles stuck into my face and pieces sliced off to be taken to a lab or sewn on somewhere else, I was quickly humbled by the fact that some of my friends and family have gone though much, much worse with chemo and real surgery.  Some of them have died.  I’m a lucky S.O.B.

I have had basal cell carcinoma which, in the case of skin cancer, is the one you want.  It’s slow growing and easy to remove.  Sunscreen and hats from now on…sunscreen and hats…

10 Thoughts on “Wear. Your. Sunscreen.

  1. Hang in there Cobban.

  2. Oh Cobban, I hope you get better real quick!

  3. Cobban, glad to hear that everything went well. Don’t worry, you’ll look cute with a hat 🙂 Get well soon.

  4. Larry on 20/12/2008 at 10:39 AM said:

    Cobban:
    I just want to know if your nose will be able to hear any better.
    Get well soon

  5. “You can never have too many hats, scarves or handbags.”

    I’m glad you got the jump on the cancer. If you’ve got a piece of ear on your nose, does that mean you’ll be able to better hear what you’re smelling?

    My docs told me to be terrified of the sun a while ago (man, am I ever fair). I now tell people who want me to tan that I prefer looking AT the sun to being IN it.

    XXO

  6. Shawnee on 21/12/2008 at 8:36 AM said:

    Hi Cobban,

    Thank goodness they were able to get everything taken care of and you are cancer free! You still look handsome with or without the bandage.

    I hope all is well. We’re on deployment number two, but doing well here in Deutschland.

    Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year 😀

    Shawnee

  7. Coole on 21/12/2008 at 2:44 PM said:

    …don’t know about your nose hearing any better, but now when somebody tells you to blow it out your ear, you’ll be able to…take care, Coole

  8. Surprisingly handsome picture, even with the bandages. I guess you’re working that wounded warrior thing.

    >Now I have a MOHS nose?

    Actually, it’s a hoMHOS nose.

  9. It’s great that you are now cancer-free, had an extraordinary doctor, and a successful surgery. The sunshine feels so good here that it’s easy to forget hats and sunscreen.

  10. Pingback: Let’s Have Fun Again In 2010 » Lopaka Lounge

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post Navigation