Yesterday was a taking care of mom day. She had been dealing with a basal cell carcinoma on the top of her head for over a year. The dermatologist had removed it three times, but it just kept coming back. So yesterday we had to go to the skin cancer surgeon to have it removed.
After sitting in the office for 95 minutes (yes I counted each one while fidgeting) they finally called her back. After 15 minutes she came out with a big bandage on her head and said we had 45 minutes to go through the drive through and get some lunch. Sounded good to me even though I hate fast food. We picked it up and went back to sit in front of the surgeon's office to eat. Half way through my mom said she felt something wet on her neck. OMG she was covered in blood. It was everywhere.
Who knew an almost 90 year old woman could move so fast. She was in the doctor's office getting treatment before I could get my seat belt off. I was literally left sitting in the car with her cane and her purse.
When I got in there the nurse asked me if I could press a bandage on her head. That's when I saw what they had done, and believe me there is a reason I did not become a medical professional because I thought there was a good possibility I might pass out. They ended up having to take a skin graft from her neck to cover it.
Alright, moving right along we'll skip over the rest of the gruesome afternoon. Needless to say she looked like she had been in a car wreck by the time I got her to her apartment and it was one of those times I wished that I drank.
Mom's fine. She has to sleep in her recliner for three nights, but she sleeps as well there as she does in her bed. I on the other hand had gruesome nightmares the entire night. I hope to never see anything like that again.
Yes, it was just one of those days. I'm sure today will be much more serene. Oh wait, Mom just informed me it is Friday the 13th and a full moon. Oh boy!!!
Oh my goodness! On the bright side, you flowers are really pretty :-)
ReplyDeleteI had to go out and take a walk and look at the flowers to get that image out of my head :)
DeleteGorgeous flowers! Head wounds of any kind are notorious "bleeders". It is scary how hard they bleed and how hard it is to stop the bleeding sometimes. With a basal cell they have to get a clear edge or the thing will keep coming back. Sometimes even with something the size of a pencil eraser top they will take an inch all the way around it-because it goes "underground" and has spread by the time you see the top. Glad it is done and she is recovering. Bet lunch lost its appeal.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day, Laura. Hope this is a "no excitement" kind of day for you. xo Diana
It took them two times yesterday to get it all, but hopefully she won't have any more problems with it. She is on a blood thinner so that didn't help with all of the bleeding. Lunch did lose its appeal :)
DeleteI might have passed out. When my children got vaccinations I could not look as they put the needle in. Just made me feel dizzy. Last night I realized today was Friday the 13th. Last time I remember a Friday the 13th it was a Friday in July 2012, and it was the day they did surgery on my ankle.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I had to watch them do IVs so many times on my daughter that I got used to that, but seeing that big hole with all of the blood was definitely too much. That's not a pleasant Friday the 13th memory, Brenda.
Deleteoh Laura, what a day, I would be fainting right along beside you!! Nana Diana would be right there the voice of reason, lol, I'm sorry, not to make light of it but I laughed when you said how fast your mum moved,
ReplyDeleteI hope today is a relaxing day for you and your mum, goodness gracious, that was an experience wasn't it!
i am so very sorry! such trauma! i hate that they just sent her off w/o a warning of what might occur!
ReplyDeleteHow horrible. I am not in the medical profession for that reason too, it's just not something I could take. I hope your mom recovers quickly:)
ReplyDeleteOh Laura, I feel so badly for you! And your Mom!
ReplyDeleteI would've reacted the same way, so I can totally sympathize with you.
I hope your Mom has a quick recovery.
They probably shouldn't have let her leave so soon! How traumatic! Hope all is well.
ReplyDeletePretty flowers.
Judy
Oh dear Laura. That is just awful. Your poor mother and you too! I hope she is feeling better today.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that your mom had to go through this and that you had to witness it. I hope things are better tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you hadn't taken your mom home and dropped her off already. Hope she's feeling better today.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I'm glad that your mom is ok now. What a day! For some reason, I usually have good luck on Friday the 13th! Strange huh? I'm not superstitious though.
ReplyDeleteBless your heart! What a day! Glad your mom is doing well.
ReplyDeleteSo glad your mum is ok Laura, it is ekstra tough when it is a loved one going through such an ordeal. Thank goodness she was so quick and that she had you there with her! Never forget a man that fell off his bike near our last home. His shopping bag got caught in the wheel. Tore the skin off his forehead so bad poor dear. Some images we could do better without. One another note; love your flowers! Blessings Pam xx
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos, but boy what a day! I'm glad to hear your Mom is doing better. That had to be so scary!
ReplyDeleteLaura, I am so happy to hear that they were able to do the pathology get the margins correct this time!
ReplyDeleteYou may not know this, but I work for ENT's that are also plastic surgeons. I schedule cases like your Mom's every day. In our part of the country, dermatologists rarely remove skin cancers. Those patients with head and neck skin cancer are referred to ENT's that are board certified plastic surgeons.
Diana's comment above is "spot on"!
In the mean time, I wish to send you a hug and tell you what a wonderful daughter you are.
As always, your photographs are lovely!
Keep well!
withLove!