Making A Mountain Out Of A Mole
Well, Cindy Crawford I’m not. She’s made millions off of her trademarked mole, but when my oncologist spotted one on my back 2 weeks ago, he didn’t offer me a lucrative modeling contract. Instead, it was back to the dermatologist, the original scene of the crime (see previous posts), to have it looked at and possibly removed and biopsied.
Seborrheic Keratosis. No, he’s not a swimmer for the Greek Olympic team. That’s what my “mole” is. It’s just a benign brown barnacle thing that people can get as they age. I don’t know why I have one since I’m still 28 in my mind, but it is what it is. Whales have barnacles, and now I have one. I’m gonna show it to the gate attendant at Sea World and see if I can get in free as a “Friend of Shamu.” I bet they’d let Cindy Crawford in, and she only has a mole.
Tomorrow it’s time for my next test, the ever-popular MUGA scan (pronounced MUGGA, not M-U-G-A unless you’re one of The Village People…) The MUGA scan is a regularly-scheduled video of the heart to see if the chemo is doing it any harm. I had one before we started the treatments to see what the original factory specs of my heart were. I wasn’t quite ready to lay on my back perfectly still while this machine hovered just inches from my face for 15 minutes though. I’m a very calm, low-key guy, but I don’t do well in close quarters like that. So this time, they’ve prescribed my very first dose of Valium. Could be quite a show. Either I’ll feel uninhibited enough to really freak out about the claustrophobia, or I’ll happily break into a slurred version of “I left my heart in scan Francisco.”
Monday was to be my PET scan to see if the cancer has been scared off, but the appointment has been postponed to Thursday. It’s kind of the most significant hurdle I’ve had to jump in all of my 28 years (!), so the 4-day delay seems like an eternity.
Maybe instead on Monday I’ll head over to Sea World and flash my “back”stage pass…
August 1st, 2008 at 5:30 am
just a note Scott - the PetScan is also like an MRI - close quarters - you may want valium for that too. I have to ALWAYS have it! AND when they roll me under - I already have my eyes closed so I do not see what is close to me. Just a few tips for chickens like us!
August 1st, 2008 at 7:05 am
ROFL what a mind you have to come up with some of the things you come up with. You will love valium! I had it introvenious (sp) when I had a heart cath at the age of 28 (!) LOL feel that young like you. They could have done anything to me I would have laughed about it. You will do fine just do as froggie said close your eyes before you get rolled in. Looking forward to more updates as they come. Tell Shamu I said hi!
August 1st, 2008 at 2:55 pm
As always, your blogs are uplifting and amazing. Keep up the great work and the great attitude. Love your one listener in St Pete.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Hey Scott,
So glad to hear that the mole is benign. Yes, I hated the mugga and the pet… I kept telling myself that John McCain was in a POW camp for years…. I could make it for 15 minutes! However, I will ask for the valium next time around… thank you very much! Take Care of Yourself.
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:45 pm
You are doing great. You still make us laugh every morning even though you have so much going on in your life. You will get through this. You and your sister are in my prayers.
August 4th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Reading your blogs has really made me appreciate my father even more than I already did. He underwent chemo, radiation, 2-major organ resections and more. The entire time he never showed any sorrow or sadness. He made it his “responsibility” to cheer up others he met who were undergoing treatment like him. He always wore his “happy shirt,” a bright Hawaiian print shirt that I brought back for him from my honeymoon, to treatments. He refers to himself as a “winner.” That, he is. I’m thankful to you for sharing your experience because it helps me to better understand what he went through. My father is a hero and you are too! He just had his 2nd cancer-free PET scan and his next one is scheduled for the first week of September. Of course we are all praying it’s “clean,” but my father KNOWS it is. I wish you and your family well.