Next Round of Cancer Visits

Back in January, my primary care doctor referred me to the University of Vermont for some skin cancer on the side of my head.  At the time, I had all sorts of other significant medical problems including, but not limited to, an upcoming bone marrow biopsy so the skin cancer was pretty much forgotten or, at least, put on the back burner.  I had much more immediate problems including ongoing anaphylaxis and significant breathing problems so the skin cancer referral seemed insignificant at the time.  

In the past month or two, we noticed that this growth of skin cancer has grown significantly so it was immediately put on the front burner again.

Last week during my last medical appointment, when my primary care doctor found that I had not yet seen a doctor for the skin cancer she immediately looked to see what happened with her referral way back in January.  She noticed that the referral was indeed put into the online portal but it just sat there.  The specialist's office at UVM never called me to schedule this appointment.  She resubmitted the referral and I finally spoke with someone at UVM this morning.  

The scheduler was showing that the next available appointment wouldn't be until March or April of 2024 because, she stated, there wasn't much in the referral requesting an expedited appointment so she asked if that timeframe was okay.  I then explained that this referral was originally submitted in January of this year but it just sat there in the portal system so it was resubmitted last week.  I went on to explain that this growth on my right temple is growing rather quickly and is now at 10mm (see photo, at right).  She immediately said, "OHHH...  hold on...  let me see if I can find a cancellation so we can get you in sooner."  

She came back onto the line a few minutes later and asked if next month is okay for me.  I jumped at that and enthusiastically responded with, "SURE!"  Truth be told, I'm not really looking forward to more appointments, particularly any invasive procedures, but this skin cancer is getting concerning so, at this point, I want to get in to see a specialist as soon as possible.  Not only is it a growth on the side of my head that is abundantly obvious to everyone around me but I can actually feel it.  I sometimes accidentally scratch it thinking it is something on the side of my head that can easily be flicked off.  All this does is cause bleeding!  At times it aches a bit all around my ear and that side of my head.  Most times I simply feel like something is stuck to the side of my head in that spot.  None of this seems to be a good thing.  It is cancer, it is on my head, and it is growing rather quickly.

I've been down this road of skin cancer many times over the years (for decades, actually) at this point.  Some were quick and easy treatments while others were more involved requiring surgery.  In fact, the last time I was referred to UVM Medical Center, they surgically removed a growth the size of a marble in my cheek that required 27 stitches to close.  Now we're dealing with a 10mm growth that, on the surface of my skin, appears much larger than that previous marble-sized growth in my cheek.  That first growth was a relatively small rubbery growth on my cheek on the surface of my skin but, once they started to cut it out, they found it was a big growth the size of a marble inside my cheek.  This new growth is already fairly large and growing fairly quickly so, as a result, they want to see me as soon as possible which means I'll be at the hospital within weeks rather than months. 

I have a few other relatively minor skin issues for them to check too while I am there.  I suspect I'll have this initial appointment next month as an assessment.  Then they'll schedule one treatment plan for the more minor growths and, I suspect, another MOH's surgery for the large growth.  We'll see how it goes.  

In the meantime, I have another follow-up appointment later this month to see how my breathing is coming along with the new medication I was recently prescribed in the hope of gaining some control over my consistent and ongoing breathing issues.