Update on Basil Cell Surgery

It's almost been a week since my surgery on Monday, Aug. 30th and Tuesday, Aug. 31st. I have had so many sweet notes of support. Here's the latest information:

On Monday, I had the Moh's microsurgery as scheduled. Of course, there was no way to know how much cancer was present until they did the surgery.

I was prepped for the surgery at 7:00 a.m. as my dear wife, Dee Ann, was by my side every step of the way. I could not have gone through this without her.

I was given local anesthesia in my nose. This went better than the first time when I had my first biopsy. I just had to bite the bullet that time. This time, the nurse actually iced my nose down first. That made a HUGE difference!

Of course, I had been given a valium prior to the procedure, so I was quite relaxed through it all.

The surgeon did the initial "scoop" of the area on the tip of my nose. After about an hour or so, the nurse came back and said it looked like they were going to have to go deeper the second time, but that it was in the middle of the area. That sounded good to me in that I didn't want to go wider-having no clue how "wide" was the area of the first initial "scoop".

After that second surgery, the doctor came back and said, "You are cured. We got it all." Those words just rang within my spirit. I can't begin to describe how that sounds coming from your doctor. My brother who died at 23 from liver cancer never heard those words. My father who lived 16 years with lymphatic cancer never heard those words. I got to hear those words. I love the way he said it, too–without hesitation, without doubt. I am blessed!

Of course, at the time, my nose was bandaged and I had no idea of the size of the wound...until the next morning.

I went to bed that night and slept very well. Dee Ann had to get up at 4:15 am to take me to surgery scheduled at 7:15 a.m. We arrived at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30th. I was taken to the surgery table 45 minutes later. The surgeon greeted me and proceeded to take off the bandages for the first time since the surgery the day before. He looked at the wound and then handed me a mirror. I hesitated to look for a moment. Then, I just looked into the mirror. No words could have braced me really. What I saw was a 3/4" hole in my nose on the right tip. It was deep. I could actually see the cartilage. In fact, that's all I could see. The skin over that area completely gone. It was surreal really. It was like seeing a face that isn't yours in a mirror.

The doctor began to go over the "options" with me. He said we could just do a simple skin graft, but because of the amount of cartilage, it would be like trying to plant a flower bed on a tile floor. There were no options really. I told him, let's fix it and let's do it right...which meant the flap surgery. (See my previous post for a description). He agreed and then I met my anesthesiologist. I can remember him telling me something...and then waking up some 3 hours later in recovery.

I was out of it when I came around. I was given the mirror again and when I looked in the mirror, thought it even more a bizarre hallucination at first...then it began to sink in...wow. I had 30+ stitches going from the hairline in the middle of my forehead to the bottom of my nose...with this bloody gauze bridge looking thing in the middle of my face. Suddenly, without it even having time to sink in, the nurse said,"I'm going to go get your wife now."

She came back with Dee Ann and stood behind the curtain around my bed. I could hear her tell Dee Ann, "Ok, are you ready?" Then, she pulled back the curtain. I saw my wife stand there and turn white...well, more white...right in front of me while looking at me. She teared up...and then I could see her whole face and attitude change to "we are going to get through this." I love that about her...along with about a thousand other reasons.

She is a very strong Christian. I saw her dig deep within herself right then and there, step beside and let the life of Christ come shining through her.

It's Sunday, almost a week later now. She and my son are at church while I am home recovering and posting this to my blog this morning. She has been so supportive of me this whole week. Dressing my bandages, making sure I keep my chin up–literally and figuratively.

Tomorrow is Labor Day. So, I have today and tomorrow and then on Tuesday, her and my father-in-law are taking me to the Houston medical center to get my stitches taken out. The doctor called me over the week to check up on me. I remember one time I told him how I was admiring his handiwork. He took no credit for the procedure–although, he is truly an amazing plastic surgeon–and sculptor.

Where once there was a hole the size of U.S. nickel in the tip of my nose, there is now a whole nose with matching skin texture. I realize that had this happened to me 100 years ago, even though basil cell cancer a slow growing cancer...it can be very destructive on it's way to being fatal. To be told "You are cured" and to see a whole nose now makes me ever so glad that God decided to put me on this planet when He did. Now, THAT was a great idea! =)

Again, if you have any questions about the Moh's microsurgery or reconstructive "flap" surgery, please email me at kfarley07@mac.com.