Healthcare rant

mommucked

mommucked

Endeavoring to persevere
Joined
Sep 26, 2011
Location
Rural Apex n.c.
I worked outside daily for 25+ yrs and the last 10 or so I tried to use sunscreen, big hats, and longsleeves to hide from the sun. I noticed a pea sized pink spot on my hand at the wrist that would not go for away for months and occasionally itched and barely bled making a small scab. I went to a dermatolagist monday and they biopsied it and 2 more spots they noticed w the exam. They called yesterday to tell me all three were cancerous and needed to be removed, however they could only take off 2 and refered me to another surgeon for the third larger one. I told them I would really like to do them all in one trip. I called the referals office to set an appiontment for the larger one and was informed their doctor only does 2 surgeries per patient, per day. I called the original office back and the doctor I saw told me most surgeons only do 2 a day for scheduling purposes and they could not recommend anyone else. I'm kinda pissed off about the whole thing now that I have to take at least 2 days off work to get this taken care of. Anyone had these things removed before or know any good skindocs in the raleigh/durham area I could try to see??
 
I had melanoma removed from my back in 2010. I was out of work 2 weeks. The spot that they took the sentinel node from (my groin) gave me more trouble than the 18 stitches in my back ever did. The absence of the lymph node caused fluid retention and swelling.

I would think removing 3 spots from a single location, like if all three were on one arm, could be done at one time. My Dr's are not in Raleigh/Durham though.
 
Thanks for the reply, they checked 2 pea sized blemishs on my left shoulder and ontop my left wrist, the dime sized freckal has been on my lower left leg, just above the ankle, for many years and that's the one the docs office called late yesterday to say the surgeon needs to get margins on and I guess that takes awile cause it may be more than a small tissue removal.
 
Are they basal cell or squamous cell? Doesn't sound like melanoma. At least I hope it isn't melanoma. Mine was an itchy mole that the only reason I even got it looked at when I did was because my Dr asked if there was "anything else" she could do for me after my yearly physical, and aside from porno-esque fantasy stuff, looking at that mole was all I could come up with. She cut it off at skin level and it came back as melanoma. It had been bothering me for a while, over 6 months. Knowing what I know now about how invasive melanoma is I don't mess around anymore. If I get a spot on my skin that bothers me I get it checked asap.
 
I had a basal cell carcinoma removed... exactly 9 years ago. Outpatient procedure at a place in Cary and then follow-up with a plastic surgeon in Chapel Hill (he didn't actually do anything). I can't remember but will see if I can find it. Being different types, they will be different procedures and I'd expect the melanoma to be more involved... it is nothing to mess with, for sure.
 
A little worried.....the spot has been on my leg for years........Asked my reg doc about it a few years ago and he assured me it was an "age spot" or a big freckle. Thanks all for replies
 
Just because it's been there for years doesn't necessarily mean it's been melanoma for years. Moles that have been present since birth can change into melanoma. When your Dr looked at it it very well could have been benign. I hope it works out for the best for you.
 
I appreciate all yalls insite since you've been there, I have been googling and saw pretty a large wound were a guy had a Melonoma taken off his forearm. Mine is a few inches above my ankle alongside my shinbone and the biopsy is red and irritated now, one week later and throbs when I stand up. I hope it is'nt in the bone, there's nothing but skin under the thing. I am seeing a surgeon at the Cary Skin Center if that's the place you were reffering too Trailhugger. Should have taken some pics before the opsies to show folks what to look for.
 
You most likely need not worry about it having spread to bone. Basal cell and Squamous cell aren't invasive like Melanoma, thus not as apt to spread. Melanoma spreads through your lymph nodes and is very invasive/aggressive. That is why they take the sentinel lymph node. The sentinel node is the first lymph node the melanoma drains to. IE where it would enter the lymph node system. If it's not in the sentinel node, it isn't in the lymph node system, and it hasn't spread.

They gave me 8 radioactive shots around the site of my melanoma, about the diameter of a pencil eraser, and stuck me in an MRI type machine so they could watch the isotope drain from the mole to the lymph nodes. The first one it went to was in my groin, so they took that one out. Moles on the torso generally drain to the groin or the armpits. Don't let them remove it before doing the lymph node test. Some surgeons will take it off at the patients discretion without doing the test, but then you don't know if the cancer is in the lymph nodes and possibly spreading. You can't turn back the clock and do the test after the cancerous spot has been removed.

Here's the wide excision. A wide excision is basically an oval cut, pretty much like cutting a football shape out of your skin then sewing it back up.

ai159.photobucket.com_albums_t130_maindistribution_938720a1.jpg
 
Great info 13Bullets. They have asked me to take pics to send to the surgeon but hav'nt said anything about the test you mentioned. I'm guessing my crappy healthcare won't pay anything for that either as they mentioned some Insurance issues I may have to decide on, they are emailing some forms and specifics tommorow I think and i'll ask about the lympthnode thing. I'm guessing there's nothing cheap about "radioactive" and had a small pic of my back in a MRI years ago $$$$ but only after many months of going to Chiropractors, physical therapy, and an Orthopedic Surgeon who said very expensive, fusing of vertibra surgery was the only way to fix a bulging disc. 2nd opinion and three steriod epidurals fixed me pretty good after 2 years of constant and worsening pain and sciatica. I hate to say it, (especialy now) but I have had bad luck alot w dentists, doctors and surgeons since I was 18 :shaking: .
 
Some good news. The pathology report says it's only in the epidermis not the dermis and should be easy to remove and not have spread yet. Bad news is the location, low on my shin means a graft and an extended healing time having to alternate elevating my leg and standing walking 50/50 a day for a week or so.
 
Well I've had them all removed and they say the margins were good and it should all be gone for now. They did not do the graft but instead have left the silver dollar sized Melanoma wound to heal on it's own. the basals were cut and stitched close and everything seems to be healing OK......... THANKYOU very much trailhugger and 13bullets for your input and opinions on this and I hope you both stay free of any future recurrence. TO EVERYONE ELSE......If you find ANY new or slowly growing larger, freckels, moles or pinkish spots on your skin take the time to have them checked out. You can also google and see examples of different types of Skin Cancers, to compare to what you might have. I should have done this myself years ago as the first time I searched melanoma recently, the first pic I saw looked EXACTLY like mine.
 
Hurley said:
So what you're saying is that, the medical doctors did their job?
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Yes............however apparently the first place I contacted is more of an acne, excema,etc., cosmedic, wrinkle, Hollywood plastic surgery type practice and not able to work on the deadlyer forms of Cancer. The place I was referred too is much more accredited than the 1st. I chose the 1st out of the phonebook cause they were close to home( assuming they all had the same capability ), but got an appointment in their Raleigh office instead and was'nt informed of this until an automated phonecall to verify the appointment. The first place biopsyed and later removed the basal cells and stitched them up in about 1/2 hr. A week later the 2nd place removed the Melanoma in about the same time and probably could have done all at once. I think I was bound to have the 1st place take the ones they could because I had gone to them first and signed all the paperwork there, and the "only 2 a day" was sort of an excuse to not take buisiness away from the 1st and referring practice and I might have signed something that bound me to not have the other more experienced place do it all. I have been told I will need to see the 1st place again for a followup on the Basals in 6 months and the second place for the Melanoma but I am going to try to only see the later ever again because of a shody stitching job on one of their removals and a lack of confidence in their abilities. The sad part is the 2nd practice is directly above the first in the phonebook and I would have called them 1st, but they were 5 miles further from home than the one I called originally. Update, The Cary Skin Center, who removed the Melanoma does not do cosmedic surgery and specializes in treating skin cancers. I highly recommend them.
 
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Hurley said:
So what you're saying is that, the medical doctors did their job?
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After some reflection I understand your reply. I'm no expert but I think there are phases one goes through when informed of a possibly deadly medical problem or disease.I think the first may be anger or denial and I was definately not happy to have to deal w any of this and felt I was being misled or taken advantage of (ripped off) in my first post. Now that I am apparently going to be OK for a while I am gratefull to all that helped me, but not so happy about the way it played out. I should have asked many more questions, and will do that if anything similar happens w my health in the future. I hope none of yall ever has to deal w it and hope you will protect and get yourself checked if you spend alot of time in the sun.
 
mommucked said:
After some reflection I understand your reply. I'm no expert but I think there are phases one goes through when informed of a possibly deadly medical problem or disease.I think the first may be anger or denial and I was definately not happy to have to deal w any of this and felt I was being misled or taken advantage of (ripped off) in my first post. Now that I am apparently going to be OK for a while I am gratefull to all that helped me, but not so happy about the way it played out. I should have asked many more questions, and will do that if anything similar happens w my health in the future. I hope none of yall ever has to deal w it and hope you will protect and get yourself checked if you spend alot of time in the sun.
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This is more along the lines of how I took his post. It pissed me off to read it. Here you are sharing with us that you are going through a potentially life threatening scenario, one that I feel strongly about, and this dip shit just wants to be a douche bag and make inflammatory comments.
 
I agree and I have to say for me this has been a humbling experience. It has quite possibly changed my life as I feel less concern for petty problems I have and more concern for doing more for ones I love because I've been harshly reminded how our time on this crazy planet is fleeting at best. I think it has jump started me to do more of everything and get off my ass more often to live my life to the fullest from here on out and try to be a better person to all I meet. As soon as I recover from the procedures WATCH OUT for the new improved Randy!!
 
13bullets said:
This is more along the lines of how I took his post. It pissed me off to read it. Here you are sharing with us that you are going through a potentially life threatening scenario, one that I feel strongly about, and this dip shit just wants to be a douche bag and make inflammatory comments.
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I interpreted the original post and my 'first read' of the thread as a complaint about how terrible doctors are, not someone having general concern relative to a diagnosis. Chock that up to a poorly timed response relative to a lack of reading comprehension - my apologies.
 
Hurley said:
I interpreted the original post and my 'first read' of the thread as a complaint about how terrible doctors are, not someone having general concern relative to a diagnosis. Chock that up to a poorly timed response relative to a lack of reading comprehension - my apologies.
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:beer:
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I think your 1st interpretation was somewhat accurate about how I felt Hurley cause doctors are just like anybody, some good, some not so good and some who are just inexepeinced or unqualified for more complex and serious problems. I was upset w the process not the Docs. I respect anyone who works in healthcare for a living I could not do it even if I WAS smart enough. I have tried to stay away from Docs my whole life, but as I get older I am seeing them more often and my good timin, hard livin has probly sped up my aging. The OP was a rant that still stands about how the system works and the staggering costs involved ..........IMO. I also know why it cost so much.............

glad yall made up, I don't mean to insult or upset anyone on this forum or cause trouble, If I have before........ I can be an annoying, opinionated smartass, but it's somthing I and my friends/family have done to each other forever !!!
 
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