I don't wear my sunglasses into the stores as much as I did before.
The graft surgery was performed 9/15/09, so these photos show progress at approximately the 5th to 6th month.
March 2010
This shows the new wrinkles (caused by the scar) when I smile.
Thank you for sharing your story & photos. You are inspiring. I enjoyed seeing your smile return through your recovery photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for your nice comment.
DeleteI'm old and wrinkled but losing the tip of my nose to bcc was hard to deal with emotionally. Your pictures are like a hug. Thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your nice comment! I'm sorry about your bcc. My uncle had similar surgery to remove the tip of his nose and it really wasn't very noticeable after it healed. I wouldn't have known unless it had been mentioned to me. Might look pretty rough at first though, from what I've heard. Mine looked pretty shocking at first, as you probably saw. Thanks again.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have just been diagnosed with the same in exactly the same place. While your blog has scared me a little it has also reassured me that you can come out the other side still looking beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI am 49 years old, never been too concerned about lots of make up or how I look...I think you take it for granted until it's gone. Thank you so much for your blog. I would be interested to see 8 years on.
I'm sorry you have to go through this, ugh. Today I've posted another recent photo. Thank you for writing. I appreciate hearing that you feel somewhat reassured.
DeleteThank you for your blog! I just found out I "probably have melanoma that is very curable" on my upper cheek :/ I find out the biopsy results in a week. My dermatologist said i will need more cut out if the biopsy is melanoma. After reading your post I feel better knowing what to expect! It's kind of like how Lamaze classes prepared me for childbirth lol Thank you for taking the time to blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard waiting and wondering about biopsy results. I'm glad you came across my blog, and appreciate your taking the time to write. It'll all turn out okay.
DeleteIt is superficially spreading, in situ, stage 0 😃. I have Mohs surgery scheduled for next week.
DeleteThanks for the update. I wish they'd done Mohs on my spot because it probably wouldn't have turned out as large. A friend of mine, who grew up in Florida, had Mohs on the side of her nose a few months ago (with small graft) and it's healing well. Good luck next week!
DeleteThanks for sharing your experience. It is inspiring to know others have learned to cope and make the best of these type of things happening in ones life : )
ReplyDeleteI had a sun spot from getting blistered many, many years ago, on the bulb part of my nose...it had changed significantly this past year.
Because it was in the center of my face, my dermatologist recommended I use chemo cream to try and shrink the area a bit, so there would be a smaller area to have to remove. If I had went to Ann Arbor first off, she said I would have a large portion of my nose removed : (
But now that I am finally finished with the 12 weeks of chemo cream, I’m still worried that they will have to remove most of it. In the last week or so the melanoma in situ hasn’t been affected by the cream, taking on the shape and color of an octopus with tendrils. The surrounding treated area still continued to scab and weep, obviously affecting the skin deeper, making the melanoma area look more raised. I had to apply the chemo cream 2 cm beyond all margins.
I see my dermatologist soon, but I’m dreading what she may have to say.
My uncle had quite a bit removed from his nose, but honestly after it healed it was not as noticeable as you might expect. We see ourselves in the mirror and dwell on any flaws we see in our appearance, but I've discovered that other people aren't really paying that much attention to our scars or injuries. Maybe the raised area you're seeing is still from the scab, and might not be the melanoma cells worsening. It must be causing a lot of anxiety wondering what she will say. Please post an update after you find out. I know it's difficult to wait, thinking of all the possibilities.
DeleteThank you for your kind words.
Thanks for responding...you truly are an inspiration....showing we can use our trials for growth in wisdom, compassion, and grace.
DeleteI’m sure I can be my worst critic at times, but I am learning to trust that things will work out one way or another, and not to waste much time worrying, or in the land of regrets.
I will let you know what my dermatologist says; appointment on December 7.
I thought I replied after my December 7th appointment, but apparently I didn’t select publish...
ReplyDeleteMy dermatologist said she didn’t see any pigmentation, and wants me to continue using the chemo cream for four months, but only two days a week (Monday & Friday).
She okay’d me waiting to start the cream again until my nose heals from the previous 12 week treatment. I hope she’s correct about my nose not scabbing up again with just using it for the two days a week. She said it may be a little pink, but nothing like with daily use.
I was very relieved to know I’ll still have my nose for Christmas...even if it is a little lumpy.
Thank you for updating. That is good to hear. The four month course of cream treatment sounds promising. Glad your nose will be okay for the holidays. Merry Christmas!
DeleteUpdate...
ReplyDeleteMy nose has healed from using the chem cream, and glad to say the chemo cream was all that was needed to take care of the melenoma in situ, and you can barely tell. So thankful.
That's excellent news! So glad to hear this!
Delete