So, maybe three months ago, I noticed a growth on my left middle finger. I thought at first it was a wart, but after a couple of months of watching it grow, I thought I should get my doctor to have a look at it. After examining it closely, he informed me it didn’t have the characteristics of a wart and that perhaps we should do a biopsy. He took a chunk of it and sent it off to the lab. That was on a Friday. The following Monday, my doctor phoned me and said the biopsy came back as a skin cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Shucks. Not good. Nobody likes to hear the ‘c’ word, and that includes me. Anyway, my doctor asked me to come into his office, and we would discuss the next steps. I visited him, and he has referred me to a surgeon who will remove the growth. Now, we wait. I was told by my doctor in so many words that Squamous Cell Carcinoma, if caught early, can be dealt with. Hopefully, that is the case. Having done some research on that form of skin cancer, I feel confident I’ll be fine if I get it removed in a timely fashion. Geesh, you never know what a day is going to bring.
Having lived thirteen years on the beach in Southern California in the late sixties and all through the seventies and being a sun worshiper, the subject of skin cancer has always been at the back of my mind. I don’t recall using much sunscreen back in those days, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by my diagnosis. It does bother me to a certain extent, and even though I’m not going to jump to conclusions, I realize more than ever that every day is a gift. I will stay in a positive frame of mind, and time will tell how this all turns out.
Leave a Reply