A Little Surgery

This mild March morning, early, Keith drove me to The Skin Center in Cary.
I had an appointment to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my nose--a small area close to the tip of my nose.
My dermatologist had previously treated the area for pre-cancer, then, at a follow-up visit, it was diagnosed as cancer.

From the Skin Cancer Foundation:
"Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting approximately one million Americans each year. In fact, it is the most common of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are basal cell carcinomas. These cancers arise in the basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (top skin layer)."

I checked in at 6:45.
The office was inviting, with indirect lighting, comfy chairs and couches placed in grouping around the solarium, magazines and newspapers scattered here and there, along with a coffee bar; perfect for patients waiting to hear news---would more treatment would be needed, would repairs be simple, complex?

My nurse, Nicole, was friendly, kind and thoughtful. My doctor was warm, sensitive, charmingly funny.
Waiting was part of the plan, primarily for the anesthesia to work, but I'm not good at waiting (a trial for me):( Thankfully I could hear surgery chatter next door that kept me somewhat comforted that I was not alone/forgotten.

After being called back three times, Nicole gave us the news that they had removed all the cancer. After more waiting the doctor arrived to gently stitch my nose. It was painless. As he worked he told how his widowed mom had taught him to sew:)

At 10:45, with my nose bandaged like a clown and feeling pretty exhausted, I climbed into the Cruiser for Keith to take me home. Home to my couch, home to mend.