Shave of the Day - 1/10

Saturday's Cold Water Shave

No shave today. Post Mohs surgery. Face has to rest.

Mohs Surgery Update

Today was 13 days after the Mohs surgery on my right cheek. I removed the steri srips and put petroleum jelly on the wound. Before removal of steri strips. 

 

After removal of steri strips. From here out, I will clean the wound with peroxide/water solution and cover with petroleum jelly twice daily.

Mohs Surgery - 11/1

 Friday, I had a spot on my right cheek that came back as squamous cell carcinoma. I had Mohs surgery yesterday. In the first picture, they marked off the spot to cut out.

Next, they cut out the suspect skin.

After the microscopic examination of the specimen, he cut some more.

After waiting an hour, they determined that they got it all. Next comes the reconstruction plan.

Rebecca shot me up with lidocaine along the line the surgeon would be cutting to make a flap. This was to close the area without affecting my eye. 

Next picture shows the final result. My eye is almost fully closed, but as it heals I should get my eye back to normal.

I got a big pressure bandage. I am to keep it on and return on Monday for a change.

As the lidocaine wore off, the pain rolled in. I took two Extra Strength Tylenol and three Advils to be repeated every six hours. The pain got pretty bad, but by the next morning it has pretty much subsided. 

Mohs Surgery Today

Today, I had my final Mohs surgery for now. It was a spot on my left arm that had been biopsied and found to be basal cell carcinoma. He was able to get it all on the first excision. He cut it out and sent me to wait about an hour while they did the frozen section. It came back clear, so I was taken to the stich 'em up room. I did not have my phone for the cutting out phase. Pictures are for when I went to the stich 'em up room.

Set up for the doctor and waiting.

My cheer leader.

I only got one shot of the open wound. Unfortunately it is not focused very well.

The open wound.

This is the wound all stiched up. It is feeling tight right now, but it will eventually stretch out. It also feels a bit itchy but without pain.

Update: 29 Feb 2024

It has been two days since the surgery, so I am changing the dressing for the first time.

This is before removing the bandages.

Bandage removed and before cleaning.

After cleaning with soap and water and drying off.

I gobbed it up with petroleum jelly and put a fresh dressing on it. I will repeat tonight when I get my shower.

Mohs Surgery - Left Temple

 Today's Mohs surgery is behind me now. I only had to go back one time to take out more. The first picture is me in the waiting room after they took out the first section.

The next picture is one I snuck after they took out the second part.. They got it all.

Next picture is where he stitched in a collagen patch. This will allow for the wound to heal from the bottom out. That is basically the way my right temple healed after the graft failed.

Next picture, I am all done and at the Olive Garden with my sweetie.

Next day update:

This is my temple one day after surgery.

This is my ear eight days after surgery.

Mohs Surgery Today with Updates

I had a biopsy on my left ear a while back, and today, I was finally able to get the Mohs surgery done on it. With Mohs, the surgeon removes affected skin and it is processed and examined under the microscope. If it is clear on the edges and underneath, then the wound is repaired. If there is cancer remaining, the surgeon will take out a bit more and repeat the process. This is continued until the samples are clear of cancer. Well, it took three times before I was clear. Then the surgeon took some donor skin from my left collar bone skin and used it to repair the wound.

This is the affected area.

Getting ready to cut.

After the first excision.

After the second excision.

After the third and final excesion.

This is the completed skin graft.

My collar bone where donor skin was removed.

My ear is dressed, and I am ready to go.

Eight days later:

Three weeks later: January 4.

Went to the dermatologist today to check out the ear. He debrided it and gave me some antibiotic pills to take over the next week. He also put in a script for an antibiotic ointment to be used once a day. He
says it is looking good.

Scabbed up. Before debridement.

After debridement.