Diagnosed with BCC under eye next to nose - 11/13/15

Hello Everyone,

i stumbled upon my cancer (I guess you can say that). I am transitioning to a new job thus new insurance not as good as what I have now. I change to higher deductible in Jan 2016.  

My family has had basal cell pre cancer, my 3 brothers and dad.  So I knew I was predisposed to it. I was too busy with motherhood then career to worry about it much. I have annual physicals etc i take care of my health.

When I was growing up and those of you born in the late 60's I never heard of sunscreen. I am the youngest of 6 siblings who spent summers at my grandparents beach house. I remember 3-5 SEVERE burns.  Red haired freckled faced blue eyed your perfect candidate for skin cancer.

I did then hear of sunscreen and always made sure my children and myself wore sunscreen.  The pain of the couple of bad sunburn cured me of being conscious of activity in the sun etc.

i always knew I needed a annual dermatologist exam to my list of annual physicals I had.  I was laid off in June from an extremely demanding but loved Senior Accountant position. Hence my job transition.  Anyway in comes a 30 yr old Operations Mgr actually he and I were co-workers, then he got promoted. He was the worst. I was lucky enough to go to regular annual appointments much less add dermatologists to my list

ANYWAY TO MY DIAGNOSIS (Sorry a little too detailed info above apologizes)

i live in a mid size town with lots of medical professionals. It still took 2 months to get an appt after showing my gynecologist a spot by my nose.  Monday 11-9-15 I go to my appointment assuming no big deal and wanted to investigate collogen fillers etc. 

The waiting room packed I guess dermatology has taken off ESP in cosmetic field. I was rushed in a room showed dermatogist spot and I said oh there is this one by my eye and I have a weird light patch on my cheek. Next thing I knew the SHAVE BIOPSIES BEGAN.

Good thing I am fairly informed because he just started not any talk. He took 3 shave biopsies from right side of face and he grabbed my hand to hold the gauze and said what is that. I said my hands are always dry, he said nope it's more than that and grabbed his Cyro Can.

He was done said depending on the pathology report I will recommend you to a colleague. The nurse giving me cancer pamphlets too much to absorb. I was weak and nauseous dont know if it was the lidocaine OR THE PAIN IT HURTS, STINGS.

Well Friday night I log into my patient portal because the website where I was to check path results kept rejecting my info. I am new to it being MY RESPONSIBILITY to check for results. I expected pre cancer I don't know then they would watch the sites. 

I don't know I wasn't as informed enough. Well when i logged in the patient portal THERE IS MY PATH REPORT.  8 pages long each biopsy described in detail with lanquage I have been googling. 

FINAL DIAGNOSIS BASAL CELL CARCINOMA  the report was there on Wednesda, they said they would call, but then gave me a slip of paper to look on my own. They said 7-10 days so I wasnt expecting it in my patient portal. 

I am use to a physician an NP someone calling referring etc.

So I begin my research which has scared me a lot. The spot under my right outer eyelid has been there I mean for a long me at least 20 years is a flesh covered raised spot about the size of tip of marker. Wasn't till I really looked it had the indent in middl.

The one by my nose about 7 years.  So here I am. Googling which has shown some with under eye and how large the excision is and resulting skin graft.

I told my husband but not our 3 grown children yet until I speak to someone at this dermatolgist office. I know I am hoping he sends me elsewhere I am researching MOHS and the best surgeons in our town. 

i  embarrass to say I was vain and wanted some smile lines filled to just praying it can be removed without disfigurement.

i am scared and mad. Dont like the new age of medicine. My daughter is a nurse practitioner and she is so good at it but not when it's her family. So I hopefully WILL SPEAK TO SOMEONE AT THE DERM OFFICE. So I know what the plan is. I have great insurance etc.

confused scared and realize now that eye tears more and in pictures is slightly smaller no vision problens though.

My apologizes for writing a book

thank you for just letting me tell it

Lyn