Another Minor Medical Procedure Today
I've had more biopsies than I could count in the past 12 years or so... ranging from simple punch skin biopsies to bone marrow biopsies (yes, plural on the bone marrow biopsies)... but today's minor procedure was a bit "different" and thus worthy of a few words here.
A month or so ago, a small spot appeared on my neck. At first it was no big deal but it grew quickly... got pretty nasty looking... and seemed to continue growing. It was scabby, red, irregular shaped but, other than looking rather ugly, didn't affect me at all with itching or any other symptom. It was just there and growing.
The doc scheduled me for a biopsy and that appointment was today.
Skin biopsies are typically pretty simple, straight-forward and quick... oftentimes not even requiring anything more than just sitting there in a chair as the doc quickly collects a small sample for the pathologist. Today's procedure had me lying on a table on my side for this "different" procedure.
In the big scheme of things, this relatively small growth on my neck was not all that alarming. It is only about a half inch in size. The nagging problem was (and still is) that it is scabby... the scab grows until it falls off within a few days and then the scabbing begins again. This cycle just continues over and over.
Another nagging thing about this growth is that it is slightly rubbery... not like other cancers I've had, but different enough to nag at me.
This thing hasn't been itchy like one would expect for a run-of-the-mill skin condition so that has been a bit odd too so points toward a type cancer.
Lastly, I've been bothered by the area where this growth is located... on a very sensitive area of the neck over the carotid artery. If this is a cancerous growth, I really don't want it growing and spreading in a area where the most blood runs though at high speed while also being surrounded by lymph nodes. Common sense has been telling me that this is not a good area for cancer to grow because of how vulnerable the area is to this sort of illness. (Which is why, this time, I am at the doctor's office so quickly.)
As the doc was sticking big needles into my neck over my carotid artery to numb me, I was thinking that this is a very vulnerable and sensitive area so the thought of cutting into this area isn't too comforting.
I also began thinking that since this procedure is not the standard in-and-out skin biopsy, perhaps I should have taken some extra precautions to keep my Systemic Mastocytosis stable. (For the more invasive medical procedures, I need to pre-medicate with steriods and a lot extra daily medications to keep my health as stable as possible and avoid anaphylaxis.) As I was pondering this train of thought and felt little twinges from the scalpel cutting into my neck, I said to myself, "Oh well, too late now..."
For some reason the doc was expecting me to talk while cutting into my neck over my carotid artery. "What the heck was she thinking?" I didn't even want to swallow for fear of moving my neck too much nevermind talk! "You put a scalpel to my throat and I'm not going to move."
The procedure went fairly smoothly and quickly but we were quickly reminded of how much blood comes out of even a small neck wound. There is a big bandage on my neck and it is only seeping a little bit of blood but I suspect sleeping will be a bit difficult tonight. You don't realize how much you move your neck until you have a bleeding wound on it.
Putting this minor procedure aside, even the thought of the possibility of cancer in an area so close to massive blood flow and lymph nodes is a bit bothersome. I've had different types of skin cancer quite often so this is nothing new to me. What is new is the area where this growth has popped up.
We'll see what the pathologist has to say...
I suspect sleeping will be a bit difficult tonight as the painkillers wear off... and, I have a feeling I just might wake up with a bloody bandage and pillow....
For those wanting to read the blog post about finding this growth, you can read it here.
A month or so ago, a small spot appeared on my neck. At first it was no big deal but it grew quickly... got pretty nasty looking... and seemed to continue growing. It was scabby, red, irregular shaped but, other than looking rather ugly, didn't affect me at all with itching or any other symptom. It was just there and growing.
The doc scheduled me for a biopsy and that appointment was today.
Skin biopsies are typically pretty simple, straight-forward and quick... oftentimes not even requiring anything more than just sitting there in a chair as the doc quickly collects a small sample for the pathologist. Today's procedure had me lying on a table on my side for this "different" procedure.
In the big scheme of things, this relatively small growth on my neck was not all that alarming. It is only about a half inch in size. The nagging problem was (and still is) that it is scabby... the scab grows until it falls off within a few days and then the scabbing begins again. This cycle just continues over and over.
Another nagging thing about this growth is that it is slightly rubbery... not like other cancers I've had, but different enough to nag at me.
This thing hasn't been itchy like one would expect for a run-of-the-mill skin condition so that has been a bit odd too so points toward a type cancer.
Lastly, I've been bothered by the area where this growth is located... on a very sensitive area of the neck over the carotid artery. If this is a cancerous growth, I really don't want it growing and spreading in a area where the most blood runs though at high speed while also being surrounded by lymph nodes. Common sense has been telling me that this is not a good area for cancer to grow because of how vulnerable the area is to this sort of illness. (Which is why, this time, I am at the doctor's office so quickly.)
As the doc was sticking big needles into my neck over my carotid artery to numb me, I was thinking that this is a very vulnerable and sensitive area so the thought of cutting into this area isn't too comforting.
I also began thinking that since this procedure is not the standard in-and-out skin biopsy, perhaps I should have taken some extra precautions to keep my Systemic Mastocytosis stable. (For the more invasive medical procedures, I need to pre-medicate with steriods and a lot extra daily medications to keep my health as stable as possible and avoid anaphylaxis.) As I was pondering this train of thought and felt little twinges from the scalpel cutting into my neck, I said to myself, "Oh well, too late now..."
For some reason the doc was expecting me to talk while cutting into my neck over my carotid artery. "What the heck was she thinking?" I didn't even want to swallow for fear of moving my neck too much nevermind talk! "You put a scalpel to my throat and I'm not going to move."
The procedure went fairly smoothly and quickly but we were quickly reminded of how much blood comes out of even a small neck wound. There is a big bandage on my neck and it is only seeping a little bit of blood but I suspect sleeping will be a bit difficult tonight. You don't realize how much you move your neck until you have a bleeding wound on it.
Putting this minor procedure aside, even the thought of the possibility of cancer in an area so close to massive blood flow and lymph nodes is a bit bothersome. I've had different types of skin cancer quite often so this is nothing new to me. What is new is the area where this growth has popped up.
We'll see what the pathologist has to say...
I suspect sleeping will be a bit difficult tonight as the painkillers wear off... and, I have a feeling I just might wake up with a bloody bandage and pillow....
For those wanting to read the blog post about finding this growth, you can read it here.
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