Welcome to Mohs (and a Unique Birthday)
Nine years ago today, on Aug. 29, 2017, my family buried my mom, who died at age 91 a couple of days earlier. That evening, a mess of family members gathered in a favorite restaurant in Boynton Beach to celebrate her life and my birthday.
It called back a similar situation when I was 8 and my father’s mother died just a couple of days before my birthday. I don’t remember how my birthday was celebrated that year amid my father “sitting shiva” with his siblings, my Uncle Ben and Aunt Sheila. I do know that eventually, we wound up purchasing a piano with a small inheritance and so began eight years of piano lessons, recitals and practice.
I guess I’m a little cautious around my birthday. There are great years, like 2019, when my wife, Terrie, threw a fabulous birthday party for me.
But like many people, I’m a little wary around my birthday. This year brought a complicating factor.
One morning in early August, I noticed a small mark on the bridge of my nose. It looked different from the collection of moles, skin tags and other markings I’ve had all over my body for years.
If there is one thing my mother taught me through her actions of ignoring medical issues and hoping for the best, it’s don’t do that. I went to the skin doctor within a week. They removed the offending blemish and sent it out for lab work.
Basal-cell carcinoma.
I use boldface because that’s the way the online report came in on my portal before I got a call from the office. Even though basal-cell carcinoma is the simplest and least-likely-to-cause-problems form of skin cancer, I was jolted. This was the first curveball in what had been a remarkably healthy life.
The skin doctor recommended Mohs surgery, a modern technique for exploring the “margins” of the cancer. They remove a layer of skin, send it out to the lab and wait for results while you’re still in the exam room. If it comes back clean, they close the wound and you go home. If not, they take a second layer of skin and test. They keep repeating this process until any trace of cancer is gone. The more layers removed, the more likely you will need a skin graft or patch.
When my lab work came back positive, I was able to schedule the Mohs relatively in a timely fashion. It just happened to land on Friday, Aug. 28.
So the day before my 67th birthday, I got up early and had a little facial excavation on the bridge of my nose. I was lucky. One layer removed and the lab work came back clean. Doctor sewed me up, I got a bandage and instructions for care, and I’m good to go back to work on Monday.
Post-surgery, I’m again adhering to doctor’s orders and sticking close to home for a very tame birthday weekend. Terrie gave me a fun gift that’ll be put to use when we’re grilling or smoking, and we did decide to take Roxie to Tucker’s for some exercise and fresh air. After, we stopped at not only our favorite local watering hole, Joyner’s, but what is quickly becoming Roxie’s favorite, too. Because she’s in love with the GM, Karane Alexander, who whips up pretty snazzy drinks for two-legged and four-legged creatures.
I’ll close this little message with a recommendation. I’ve been having my skin checked annually for 20-plus years. The first year something was removed and it was negative. After that, nothing. But I did get to hear the annual admonishment: If you see anything with an unusual or changing shape, color, texture or size, get it checked out.
Today, on my birthday, I’m grateful for every single one of those reminders.