I took some time away from writing this blog to do some writing (ironic, right?) and get some issues sorted with my life moving forward. One of those issues is a recurrence of cancer. Sure, I know you’re thinking, “It’s probably only skin cancer.” And it is, smarty-pants. In fact, it’s the least dangerous and least respected skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma. However, per cancer.net, about 2000 people in the US annually die from non-melanoma cancers. If left untreated for a really, really long time, basal cell can spread to bones, lymph nodes, etc. and do damage or cause death.
I face two excisions coming up starting with one next week. Both will be on my face, leaving even more scars after my numerous surgeries. I fear I will eventually end up looking like William Dafoe in Poor Things.
At least Emma Stone’s character called Dafoe’s character God in the movie, and he had good hair. I don’t see either of those things happening in my life. But there is some good news.
The first excision will be along my jawline on my left side. I’m hoping the scar won’t be too noticeable, and I could use a face tuck on my left side which seems to sag just a bit more with age than my right side. Maybe it will even me out.
The second surgery will be on my forehead, so there will be no hiding that scar. Unless … I comb forward my remaining hair into some bizarre bangs design that will distract from the scar.
Maybe I’ll try it on the wife and see how she reacts.
Anyway, May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. It is wise to regularly see a dermatologist for a full body check-up. My skin cancers started at around age 35, so it is not just an issue for older folks. And my one deadly melanoma was an innocuous spot that I never suspected could harm me, let alone kill me.
I do wish that we skin cancer survivors got to wear a livlier color ribbon than black.
They even give colorectal cancer a bright blue ribbon when it should probably be brown.
Jim Flanigan Looks at the World 