Blessed

We had a miracle the past couple of months.  About a year ago I had a strange bump grow on the bottom of my eyelid, between the eye lashes and the eye ball on the rim of the eye lid.  I didn't think much of it other than that I didn't want to look like a wierdo.  When there is something on your face out of the ordinary people notice that immediately so I wanted it gone asap.  It was the end of 2017, we had met our medical deductible, and I wanted it off fast so I went to see John.  He took it off and we thought it was the end of that little problem.
Sept 2018 rolled around and that little growth started to come back.  By November it was as big or bigger than the first one I had taken off.  I decided I would visit a plastic surgeon that worked specifically on faces because maybe there was something tricky to do to make sure these things didn't return.  That plastic surgeon looked at it and said, "I have no problem taking that off but I'm not sure why it has come back and what it is.  If it were me, I would go see this ophthalmologist.  He may know some more about what it is.  If he looks at it and doesn't think anything of it then come back and I will take it off."
The plastic surgeons office was able to call and get me in within the hour to see the ophthalmologist.  He looked at it and said, "well it looks like a clogged duct or something,  I can see oil coming from it.   It could go down on its own or it could get bigger.  You can decide if you want to get it off or wait to see if it gets bigger."  I immediately said, "take it off."  His appointments were full so his next open surgery day wasn't until after Thanksgiving.  I didn't mind waiting an extra two weeks.  In many ways it was a relief because it is not fun having shots in the area where they need to give them.  Not to mention trying to stay still with my eyes open while they perform the procedure.
Surgery day came and the Ophthalmologist did a little more extensive work than John had done previously.  He wanted try to not just take it off but dig down a little to try and get out what ever was causing the growth.  Not fun for me but once again it was gone and it was actually feeling great.  This time the Dr. sent a sample to the lap to get it tested but none of us thought anything would come of it.
I was extremely surprised when a week later while I was reading to Ila I received a phone call from the doctor telling me that he had received the results of the lab test.  He explained that the test had come back positive for skin cancer.  It was a basil cell, which is good because it was more contained but I needed to get in to see a specialist immediately to have it removed.
Well I will cut through the next few weeks.  I ended up going to see a dermatologist that specializes in Mohs surgery.  With this procedure they are able to take off small layers and test each one for cancer before removing more.  This helps them to be able to remove as little as possible and still they are 99% positive they remove all the cancer.  Monday the 7th of January I went in for the Mohs surgery.  I was so nervous about how much they were going to have to cut away and I was also dreading a 3rd time having to be worked on.  The procedure went really well.  They were able to take out the cancer without too much damage.
Due to the sensitive and complicated area in which the cancer was removed I was sent to a plastic surgeon that specializes in eye lid repair.  He saw me on Monday for a consult and then Tuesday I was checked into Alta View hospital to get the surgery.
Again it was stressful going into the surgery because the surgeon told us a couple different plans to do the repair but he said he wouldn't know for sure what he would have to do until he was working on me and able to see how my skin would pull and come together.
Surgery went great.  He was able to make the repair and he is really happy with how it turned out.  I actually ended up with very little bruising and it is healing very well.  I have to have these attractive stitches in for just over three weeks and then we will see the final results.


I feel so blessed that I was able to get to good doctors that were able to treat the problem with minimal damage.