Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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skin cancer
As long as I'm on here: I spent the first little while of my 81st year fretting about the big and growing skin cancer on my temple. Slowed it down
for a year or so with home chemo then decided to go see a doc. Had surgery earlier this month in San Jose and so far the wound is healing nicely.
Handled it nicely also with no insurance because many many tests and a foursome of surgeons fixed me up for about $2500 bucks start to finish.
Jury is still out because nobody knows if they got all the cancer underneath the new skin --- some months ahead will show me if all is well or tell me
to find a plan B. or C.
In the end I can just add this to the equation of reasons you catch me eating a whole tube of toothpaste or chasing my dog with a duck call for
several hours. Does it really matter what causes late changes and death? Looking back I think I developed Alzheimer's when I was just a kid, when it
first came out. When and if they do my autopsy it would please me to listen to the medicos eyeballing all the co-morbid things that surely contributed
to my end. "Hey, Earl, look at this. You would think this alone would have laid this old geezer away, not the thing with the ticker or that ruined
liver."
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6924
Registered: 8-5-2011
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Quote: Originally posted by Osprey  | Had surgery earlier this month in San Jose and so far the wound is healing nicely. Handled it nicely also with no insurance because many many tests
and a foursome of surgeons fixed me up for about $2500 bucks start to finish.
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Good idea to have the surgery. The cost is interesting. Since I spend about 1/2 the year in BCS and am well into geezerhood, there's a good chance
I'll need to pay for medical services in Mexico and of course cost is important.
I'd like to see other folks post about their experiences with the Mexican health system.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Not in Mexico, but I can report that it is incredibly important to stay on top of any skin cancer. I have had 25 skin cancers surgically removed (all
3 kinds) over the past 20 years or so, and all the operations were totally successful. Most of my life was spent outside and in the sun (Pilot,
Ranger, Prof. River Runner, bridge Construction, surfer, etc.), and now I am paying for it.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5806
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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My dad was a redhead, with no ability to tan, and sunscreen came along too late in life for him. He spent the bulk of his life working outdoors, and
spent years exploring Mexico and the dessert southwest.
He passed away just short of his 93rd birthday with skin cancer....not from it! It seemed that every few years he was getting another problem spot
excised, but he lived as long as he wanted to.
I had a melanoma removed from my shoulder blade in 2005, and so far, no recurrence. I get my annual physical next week, and it will be discussed with
my doctor.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6321
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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One would think that we should have passed away years ago since we spent quite a bit in the sun long before sun screen was invented...hell, we used to
use coconut oil and baby oil just so we get a better tan!
💩
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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the nice folks at the VA just across the border just keep whittling away!
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Not yet. First they tried the "fetch and stretch", pulling all the skin around and over the big space left by the pokerchip size tumor. They call
that a "flop or flap". They chose not to do a graft as I have no white cells.
In my case I was ugly before I got the cancer so you won't see me on the silver screen no matter how it ends.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Good on you Osprey for getting things handled. Positive thoughts that all comes out super bueno.
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1686
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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My doctor seems unconcerned about the "skin tags" I have at both temples, even though they first first popped up after spending too long in the sun.
Now that I avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, they haven't gotten worse, but I fear a rose by any other name isn't just an age spot.
[Edited on 5-29-2017 by pauldavidmena]
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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I just cut tags off with a nail clipper---------boom, no more problems with tags.
(-:
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