Unhappy Basal Cell Patient
by Unhappy Patient
First signs of strange lump: It started about 2 years ago when I barely noticed a skin colored bump between my eye and nose. No puss or redness or darknening led me to be alarmed. But over time, I noticed it getting bigger more rapidly and tried to "pop it" myself thinking it was a little cyst or something. Bad idea, it grew back into little clusters on top of the skin. So, I made a first time appointment to see the Dermatologist in my area. They did a biopsy and bad news, yes, it was Basal Cell Carcinoma. I couldn't believe the way they told me. It was as if I just had the flu or something. No compassion or concern. I was very scared and worried and just wanted it removed. I scheduled the surgery, came up with a down payment and tried to make arrangements over time to pay the balance. Needless to say the surgery is mind numbing when you are awake lying there and waiting for the lab result to come back clean, which it did after the first cut, so he sewed me up. Only about 1 1/2 inch incision..which I was thankful for. But, a couple of days after the surgery, I had these little bumps, bright red all over my eyelid and around the wound. The on call ER doctor tells me that the incision could be infected; possible MRSA; a staph infection non responsive to Methicillin antibiotics; and suggested that I put Hydrogen Peroxide on it and polysporin for a few days. So, for a week or more, I doctored it myself. It looked pretty red, inflamed and bumpy still. Finally, I go to my follow up appointment, my doc tells me he hasn't seen anything like it before and to watch it. He tells me to watch it? He didn't want to take a culture of the wound to check for MRSA or infection because he says your skin already has it on it and can be a false reading. So, here is where my faith in doctors starts to wane. A week and another appointment later, he decides to give me some Cephalexin, which starts to take a slow effect over time in healing. It definitely looked smaller and less red after using it. Then 10 days and another appointment later, he decides that even though the Cephalexin was slowly working and it was less red, that he doesn't want to give me any more antibiotics and that I need to see him again in 2-3 weeks. Faith Waning Again. My next appointment is in one week to see if it has shown anymore signs of improvement. Here I am now in my 2 months post op state, and I still have this bump and two tiny ones under the incision which they say does not "look" like another basal but could be. I am a bit stressed and exhausted at this point. The funny thing is, the plastic surgeon did a great job on the incision, but the aftercare is almost criminal. I have thought about taking it to an attorney, but would rather not get on bad terms and just try to get these bumps gone once and for all. My experience has been awful. And it is very possible they never did cut it all out. Now, more scars, more pain, more money.. I hope other people have a much better experience and can move on with their lives sooner than I did "cancer free". Thank God I do believe in prayer. It really helps the soul get through these physical blemishings and unwanted trials in life~ Peace and God Bless~
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