Today, I had my 3 month follow-up with the dermatologist. I considered
it, for a few minutes, to be an annoyance and inconvenience. He had performed
the first basal cell carcinoma surgery on my right shoulder blade back in
October. Since then, that shoulder also saw a plastic surgeon (because of the
size, from what they tell me). But the first surgery, plus one spot that he
froze on my lower back, was now, in my eyes, history.
He’ll see me again in six months, just to check everything.
I started realizing that at my age, having someone check me once a year or so,
for trouble spots, is not a bad thing.
After I got home, I also realized that he was the first step
in my past few months journey with both the basal cell carcinoma and the
lumpectomy and lymph biopsy.
In fact, he’s the first one I mentioned the lump to, which I
had only just discovered 3 days before my first visit to him. He had been
skilled and experienced enough to suggest I see my primary care doctor. From
then on, everything moved quickly. Sometimes the speed made me almost dizzy.
But from mid-October to now, mid-January, a scant 3 months, everything was
taken care of. If the first doctor had not been good enough, I might be in a
real mess right now.
In spite of the fact that we (other doctors, specialists)
are still trying to decide on possible follow-up treatments, the worst is
probably over, and happily so.
Father in Heaven, as often as I have said in my lifetime
that your will, not mine, be done, I’m not sure how often I have meant it.
These past 3 months have shown me clearly how carefully you orchestrated this
recent round of health issues. Thank you for the various doctors and teams you
have selected for me. Thank you for their skill. And thank you for the sense
you sent my way that helped me to do the right thing at the right time.
No comments:
Post a Comment