40 Years Old Mohs Surgery for Basal Cell on Forehead

Hi Hun! Thank you. I am excited for you to get to see your surgeon soon. -not that you need any revision, you are beautiful already.

Thank you. I am feeling better as time goes by and I can see little improvements. I don’t feel so much like a Frankenstein. I wonder how long those dissolvable stitches can stay in. Is it months? I know it’s rough dealing with that and the swelling. I’m always thinking about you and hoping you are doing well. Sending my prayers over for healing to you.

I was told my stitches were 10-week ones. Well, during week 12 I could see them all up against my skin.....but not popping out. Then by the end of that week, they all seemed to go away....accept in the scar tissue that is by my eyebrow. I am massaging it and hoping that it breaks up the area and the d-mn thing goes away! I have a vacation in 2.5 weeks and desperately want things to change for the better before I go ....visiting the parents.....don't want to have to explain this whole ordeal the moment I get there. Hoping for some improvement. Until my eye gets better, I will always wish I never had this operation. A lady on the support group site I'm on sold me a product that smells really orangey and nice. It is kind of like massage oil...but for both hair and skin. I am putting it on my scar sometimes. It is costly but I felt I deserved it---ha-ha!

Hey, maybe you should ask your Dr about a steroid shot too. I had a big thick scar by my brow and my Dr has injected it twice. Both times I can feel it going down significantly. I know what you mean in the serums. I buy whatever they say I should try. It gives me hope that I am doing something for it. My skin has really been a priority for me since my diagnosis. I am using retinol and lots of sunscreen. My skin is looking so much better now. So that’s good. I still have a bit of skin on upper nose that is being pulled and twisted and that’s what he is also trying to correct with these steroid shots. He says he may have to repeat it a few more times but if this doesn’t work there are also surgical options as last resort. I hope you heal up nice before your trip so you don’t have to worry.

Last week I started taking lymph gland cleanse pills. Not sure if they will do any good, but an ocular surgeon in Vermont said maybe my lymphatic system got disrupted cause of the surgery from my cheek to my temple.......and that can mess up the drainage away from the eyes. I've only been taking the pills one week though. Three times a day after eating. I'll try anything.

That’s interesting I never even thought about that being an issue. Have you seen any improvement? Did they say how many weeks it would take to see it working? I hope it helps you.

When I told one online doctor that another thought the lymph system could be an issue....he said it could take up to 6 months or more. I'm 3.5 months after surgery. As you know......every day feels like a month. I don't know if I see any difference. I mean, I am better off than I was 3 months ago......but I just feel frustrated. I finally broke down and told my Mom (via email) ....late at night....about the surgery and my eye looking weird still. She was more understanding than I expected. But I also phrased things so she would hopefully THINK before reacting or criticizing. I am driving back to visit my folks in two weeks and have no hope that my eye will be ok by then. I just don't see it happening. I just hope that by July.....the 6th month time......it is normal. HOPING. Plus, I will turn 54 during July. I'd just like to get back to feeling like a regular person! I hope you ate doing well....yes?????

I am glad you were able to tell your mom. I can’t imagine the stress that has been on you worrying about the upcoming visit and how she will react. I hope you will have a nice visit. I think giving her time to think before you arrive is good.
I am feeling better. I am seeing improvements and can only imagine with time it will continue to look better and better. I think sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. I hope that soon you will feel and look more like you again. It definitely takes time and patience.

I wish the doctor or nurse had warned me face-to-face of the side affects of things. I wish they had prepared me ......even told me what kind of reconstruction they were planning. All I was told was "the doctor will stitch you up".....and that is just a tiny bit of what he actually did. I think that is a big part of why I feel betrayed. Things were glossed over and info was withheld....before and after the surgery. Oh well....I can't go back in time.

Yeah, you have every right to feel betrayed. I can not fathom going they this blind not knowing what to expect. This is such a hard thing to go thru mentally and physically. I’m sorry you didn’t get better care and information.

So do you have any weird sensations at this point? Or do you feel normal? Maybe really intelligent people think all that matters is "the end".....maybe they don't get it that the "emotional in between state" is very big for us. That is all I can think about the doctors who don't share information. Maybe they think that since THEY know stuff, the rest of us must automatically know it too....or not need to know it. My doctor always talks about TRUST. But....I think INFORMATION is essential. It isn't all about blind trust. Heck, I just met him the day I got my surgery!

So true. I don’t have any weird sensation anymore but I did have like sticking pain sort of like needle pricks. You are absolutely right about information and the emotional toll this takes on us.

It sounds like you are healing pretty fast then, if you no longer have weird feelings. Do you feel like if you had to go through something like this again you would be prepared? Or do you feel like "there is no preparing for this ever because it is very emotional"? I don't think I could ever go through this again. But some people on the mohs surgery support group facebook site have had multiple operations over the years.

I guess I am healing the best I can expect. I would be more prepared since I know exactly what it entails but I am so fearful That I may have another one day and I pray to God I do not.

I would never be able to go through this again....cause I'd be thinking STAY THE H-LL AWAY FROM MY EYE!!!! I'm never having anything biopsy'd on my face ever again, so help me God! What grows on my face I will take to the grave. I can't handle it. I think something is structurally messed up.....I don't personally believe that it is just swelling that is making my eye look odd. I think something got messed up when he twisted around the skin on my cheek and forehead. I hope I'm wrong.

I know that seems like the best decision but skin cancer left untreated can actually disfigure you severely. I know you are still working things with your Dr but perhaps further reconstruction may be necessary. Are you doing to make a review?

Make a review? I'm not sure what you mean.

Like write your own review with photos like I have

Oh, I don't think I will. But that is cool that you have been organized and kept photos throughout the time period of you operation. I have posted a couple photos on the facebook support group site.

Ha-ha-ha! For some reason back on Sept. 2 when you answered my question I never noticed it got answered. Then today I just noticed you mentioning a typo. Well, I am so used to Siri and Dragon and other audio computer programs messing things up.....crazy! Things are going slow with the healing. I see progress but it has been 8 months for me and my eye still looks weird....just not as bad. I probably need to go back to my doctor....at least before I go home to visit my parents for Thanksgiving week. I have not actually seen my doctor since March 1....or talked to him since March 27(phone). Since he kept saying "it's going to take a long time to heal".....I just couldn't bring myself to go in. I guess I expected someone in the medical field to say, "I can't predict how long it will take you to heal....everyone is different, and you are over 50....but probably between 10 and 15 months." You know....I thought I would get something more specific....and helpful. What do I know!?! I didn't want to break down crying in the office, so I have avoided going in. If I thought I had an infection that would be different. But I don't. I guess this are just moving slow. So.....do you think the steroid shots cause the dent? What kind of filler are you getting now? I'm personally afraid of botox. Just am. I don't know that they could do anything for me in regards to steroids since my issues is even closer to my eye than yours is. Scary.

They reopened my scar and closed it up again. The scar was thicker at the top and difficult to conceal.

So when they reopened it, what did they do to make it better? Did they cut something out? I hope it smooths out for you.