Surf Rower

correction, they did an EKG, not an echocardiogram.  Also chest X-ray and blood work.

correction, they did an EKG, not an echocardiogram.  Also chest X-ray and blood work.

correction, they did an EKG, not an echocardiogram.  Also chest X-ray and blood work.

SORRY-  I made a mistake in that last post – the first excision scar is only an inch long.   It was the _second_ one, drawn on my arm with a marker, that will be 2.5".  Nevertheless, all this general anesthesia business is making me think they are doing a major surgery.

SORRY-  I made a mistake in that last post – the first excision scar is only an inch long.   It was the _second_ one, drawn on my arm with a marker, that will be 2.5".  Nevertheless, all this general anesthesia business is making me think they are doing a major surgery.

SORRY-  I made a mistake in that last post – the first excision scar is only an inch long.   It was the _second_ one, drawn on my arm with a marker, that will be 2.5".  Nevertheless, all this general anesthesia business is making me think they are doing a major surgery.

Returning to my thread here because now I"m more confused than ever, due to the way the cancer center is treating this (overkill). My original excision scar is 2.5 inches, same as yours, so I'm not sure why the second doctor looked at and said it wasn't long enough. Today I had EKG, blood work, and chest x-ray and several lengthy interviews in prep for the re-excision. They tell me to do all  kinds of crazy cleansing for two days before, and I will not be able to work the day after the surgery and should prepare to be at the hospital 5 hours and have someone stay with me 24 hours. This seems like way too big a deal for this tiny 0.2 mm thing. So just now I called the plastic surgeon who did the first excision to ask his opinion. He thinks they are doing overkill and he would be happy to take me sooner and do it with local anesthetic as before. He thinks there was no issue with the tissue being oriented one way or the other because the speck of mel remaining would have been where the incision line was, in the middle.  Now (he says) the speck is in the center where it is stitched. Does that mean he didn't go _deep_ enough? I'm having trouble picture this exactly. It was the football shape.  I am seeing the original dermatologist on Tuesday, the guy who referred me to the plastic surgeon, so I can also ask him.  Sorry guys, I feel like 1a problems are like "first world problems" when so many of you have much more serious challenges, but it is confusing being new to cancer.  Thank you all for any additional thoughts.  – Surf

Returning to my thread here because now I"m more confused than ever, due to the way the cancer center is treating this (overkill). My original excision scar is 2.5 inches, same as yours, so I'm not sure why the second doctor looked at and said it wasn't long enough. Today I had EKG, blood work, and chest x-ray and several lengthy interviews in prep for the re-excision. They tell me to do all  kinds of crazy cleansing for two days before, and I will not be able to work the day after the surgery and should prepare to be at the hospital 5 hours and have someone stay with me 24 hours. This seems like way too big a deal for this tiny 0.2 mm thing. So just now I called the plastic surgeon who did the first excision to ask his opinion. He thinks they are doing overkill and he would be happy to take me sooner and do it with local anesthetic as before. He thinks there was no issue with the tissue being oriented one way or the other because the speck of mel remaining would have been where the incision line was, in the middle.  Now (he says) the speck is in the center where it is stitched. Does that mean he didn't go _deep_ enough? I'm having trouble picture this exactly. It was the football shape.  I am seeing the original dermatologist on Tuesday, the guy who referred me to the plastic surgeon, so I can also ask him.  Sorry guys, I feel like 1a problems are like "first world problems" when so many of you have much more serious challenges, but it is confusing being new to cancer.  Thank you all for any additional thoughts.  – Surf

Returning to my thread here because now I"m more confused than ever, due to the way the cancer center is treating this (overkill). My original excision scar is 2.5 inches, same as yours, so I'm not sure why the second doctor looked at and said it wasn't long enough. Today I had EKG, blood work, and chest x-ray and several lengthy interviews in prep for the re-excision. They tell me to do all  kinds of crazy cleansing for two days before, and I will not be able to work the day after the surgery and should prepare to be at the hospital 5 hours and have someone stay with me 24 hours. This seems like way too big a deal for this tiny 0.2 mm thing. So just now I called the plastic surgeon who did the first excision to ask his opinion. He thinks they are doing overkill and he would be happy to take me sooner and do it with local anesthetic as before. He thinks there was no issue with the tissue being oriented one way or the other because the speck of mel remaining would have been where the incision line was, in the middle.  Now (he says) the speck is in the center where it is stitched. Does that mean he didn't go _deep_ enough? I'm having trouble picture this exactly. It was the football shape.  I am seeing the original dermatologist on Tuesday, the guy who referred me to the plastic surgeon, so I can also ask him.  Sorry guys, I feel like 1a problems are like "first world problems" when so many of you have much more serious challenges, but it is confusing being new to cancer.  Thank you all for any additional thoughts.  – Surf

OK, thanks for the backup guys – I am going back for the WLE.  The doc called me back within 5 hours (yay doc) and we talked it all over. He doesn't take chances. I think he wants to see the slide because it had not been marked which edge had melanocytes. Possibly the excision could be smaller if they can tell which side.

OK, thanks for the backup guys – I am going back for the WLE.  The doc called me back within 5 hours (yay doc) and we talked it all over. He doesn't take chances. I think he wants to see the slide because it had not been marked which edge had melanocytes. Possibly the excision could be smaller if they can tell which side.

OK, thanks for the backup guys – I am going back for the WLE.  The doc called me back within 5 hours (yay doc) and we talked it all over. He doesn't take chances. I think he wants to see the slide because it had not been marked which edge had melanocytes. Possibly the excision could be smaller if they can tell which side.