Deleting the naughty...by keeping tabs on your skin

Two years ago I decided it was time to go to a dermatologist for a mole check. I had never had one, and I figured I should at least have a baseline and check on some moles that I wasn't quite sure about. I am a sun worshipper, and I know it is not good for me. In recent years I have slathered the sunscreen, trying not to use anything under 15 SPF, then moving up the scale to 30 SPF. I still like to lay in the sun, but I try to be smarter about it, and sometimes still failing. I went to the appointment, she took some measurements and made some notes and sent me home with an all clear and see you in three years.

A few months ago I noticed a mole on the side of my foot that I just couldn't recall when it appeared, so to be on the safe side I made an appointment. Unfortunately I did not walk away unscathed from this one.

She wasn't worried about the one I was worried about. She noticed a black spot on a different mole that is located in between my fourth and pinky toe on my right foot. Uh oh. I instantly began to shake a little, I got a little bit nervous and started to sweat, first pooling in my hands, then slowly dripping. The foot she was going to stick a needle in for lidocaine turned really cold and sweaty and pale. Gross, huh?

She decided to take the mole and do a puncture and send it in for a biopsy. Then, she had to figure out how to do stitches between two toes that don't exactly have flexibility. OUCH!!!!  She was very kind and numbed it up well. I knew it was a tricky spot, a couple stitches had to be redone. I got bandaged up and hobbled out to make the appointment for suture removal. Let me tell you, the recovery process for this area is not fun. On top of that all, my little one accidentally stepped on that foot. OUCH!!!

I am a wreck. I just don't wait for news well, and am very impatient according to my predictive index score. So, it will take a week.  And I wait...just like I did for the mammogram.  I am starting to think I am a glutton for punishment.  But better safe than sorry right?  Be proactive and take care of yourself.

UPDATE: Got a call back today, I'm so glad I didn't have to stress about this over the weekend. They got the results early and it was indeed a mildly atypical mole, but not cancerous.  I now need to be checked yearly since I have the tendency to produce atypical moles. This popped into my head last night while i was trying to sleep: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10.


Follow Deleting the Naughty on facebook.