Thursday, September 30, 2010

Mole No More

Today I went to the dermatologist and got my mole taken off my chin. I also got one taken off my chest, but that one wasn't as important as the chin one because I didn't see it every single day. My mole has been there as long as I can remember and has been seen in school pictures as early as 1st grade. Therefore this mole has been a part of my identity for 25 years. Taking it off was kind of sad, like I was losing part of my body. Which, quite literally, I was, but you know what I mean.

But, seeing how skin cancer is prevalent in my family, how moley I am, and that I have health insurance, I thought that I should get that done since it was changing sizes, color, and hair was growing out of it. Same with the other mole that was also removed.

So that you know what having a mole removed is like, let me tell you in explicit detail!

First of all, they numb the area with an anasthetic. That's actually the most painful part of the whole ordeal. You feel like you are being pricked with a needle, which in fact you are. It's not a jumping pain or a clenching pain at all. Just a "Ow, that kinda hurts a little" type of pain. After that you are numb like you are at the dentist on novacaine.

After you are numb, they take this shaver that is not unlike the ones that you see for your feet when you have calluses. Your mole is then just shaved right off your face. It doesn't take very long at all, just a few seconds. It took them longer to get the one on my face than on my chest.

Once the mole is shaved off, they clean it with alcohol. Then they burn the skin so that it will stop bleeding. This also does not hurt at all but you do smell the burnt flesh. This is not as shocking or disturbing as it sounds. You just go, "Huh, I smell something burning." You don't even feel it as they do it. After it is burnt so that you don't keep bleeding, it is cleaned again, antibiotics put on it, and then the bandaid!

the whole thing takes about 10 minutes total.

I did not watch as they shaved the one off my chest. I just did not want to see that. I kept my eyes closed. What does my chin feel like now? It feels like I have a sticker on my face and it also itches where the bandaid is.

I can take the bandaid off tomorrow, but for two weeks I have to add antibiotics and wash the area with alcohol. The doc also told me that I will have scars. I told him no big deal. I'm used to something always being there anyway.

Monday, September 27, 2010

I Accomplish Something, I Swear

I have so much I need to do and the list seems never ending. I feel like I haven't really accomplished anything. Therefore to make myself feel better, I will write a list of what I accomplished today.

1. I took Grandpa his pictures from Vick.

2. I did a load of laundry.

3. I hung up the new mailbox and threw the other one away.

4. I did a load of laundry.

5. I sealed a few of the cracks in the basement.

6. I used remaining crack filler to try to paint over the graffiti on my sidewalk.