OK, I've Not Been Totally Honest

from JoeUser Forums

I am seriously loath to post this but  feel like I should.

I saw my doctor Thursday about the growth on the top of my head. It was an unofficial visit. He wasn't happy about it and took a biopsy and then had me go over to the hospital for an MRI, which he made sure stayed off the books until my health insurance kicks in. He's good about that sort of thing.

He called me earlier today about the results and I've been mulling them over all day.. He won't get the biopsy results until next week but he did get the MRI results back.

It seems that it does look like it's a basal cell carcinoma. Funny thing about that kind of skin cancer, it doesn't metastasize like other cancers but it does invade adjoining tissues.

It seems that this one has gone beyond my scalp and has moved through my skull and into my brain. At least according to the MRI. Not too deep yet though. He kinda bitched me out about letting it go so long without having it checked. I've known him for a few years and could tell he wasn't happy.

So I guess I have brain cancer. Sort of. I'm glad I don't use that part all that much LOL. The doc is going to consult with someone else next week and get back to me.

I'm not going to worry about it. It is what it is.  Shit, ya have to die from something, right? He did say that they can cut it out. I don't know "they".

My doc isn't a surgeon so somebody I don't know would have to do it. Not a pleasant thought really. If nothing else I've always valued my brain and now it's under attack and not by the normal stupidity of that part of the masses who think they're so smart while spouting inane stupidity ( which is bad enough).I really don't know what to think at this point. 

Once my insurance kicks in do I have the surgery done or not? Will I be the next Forest Gump if I do? More importantly, will I still be able to piss off the average Joe while knitting a sweater, drinking a beer, and pinching his girlfriend's ass all the time making him back down at the same time? If not it's not worth going on.

Now if I say something stupid I have a good excuse.

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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

You're in my thoughts.  Take care of you. 

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I hope they can take care of it easily. Best of luck with the surgeon.
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Damn, Mason, that's hard news indeed.On the bright side, if the growth is on the top of your head (as opposed to on your forehead) the surgery may not affect the language, speech, and reasoning ability of your brain at all, so don't write yourself off just yet, bro.How's your mom taking the news?
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Yeah the doc said it wasn't deep or anything, and this stuff doesn't spread all that quickly, so it's really pretty minor by comparison to some others. Worst case I'll lose some skull bone and have it replaced with plastic or metal or whatever they're using these days.

I haven't told my mother and don't intend to do so until absolutely necessary. She has enough on her plate.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
You're in my thoughts.  Take care of you. 
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Thanks.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
I hope they can take care of it easily. Best of luck with the surgeon.
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Thanks, I'm sure it's nothing too serious.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Dear Mason,  My prayers are with you.  Do what needs to be done and keep a positive attitude.  The brain is a remarkable organ with a great capacity to adapt.  Trust me, I know these things.  :)

 

A bow to you.

 

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Thinkin about you

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

I hope that this is something that can be totally taken care of by your surgeon.  Wishing you the best here, Mason.  I am sure you will fight the good fight against this.

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm glad you are willing to shrug this off (as much as it can be shrugged) for now. Attitude and willingness to take it as it comes is far more important than we give it credit. I have no doubt there have been and will be private moments of fear and other negative emotions (that is also part of it all), but an eagerness to fight through adversity increases our chances of a positive outcome. Our systems work a lot like the computers we like so much (or love to hate)... both work on the principle of GIGO... Garbage in, Garbage Out. In other words, if we fill our lives with the garbage of fear of negative outcomes, negative outcome is about all we can accomplish. On the other hand, if we fill our lives with the fuel of positive attitude, that is one less bit of garbage our systems have to fight against.

Keep up the good fight young knitter!

In answer to what deficites you might incur from this procedure, that all depends on the part of the brain effected, and how deep the cancerous cells go.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
The brain is a remarkable organ with a great capacity to adapt.
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Yep, that's true enough.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thinkin about you
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Thanks
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I hope that this is something that can be totally taken care of by your surgeon.  Wishing you the best here, Mason.  I am sure you will fight the good fight against this.
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Thanks. I'm sure it'll be just fine.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
Our systems work a lot like the computers we like so much (or love to hate)... both work on the principle of GIGO... Garbage in, Garbage Out. In other words, if we fill our lives with the garbage of fear of negative outcomes, negative outcome is about all we can accomplish. On the other hand, if we fill our lives with the fuel of positive attitude, that is one less bit of garbage our systems have to fight against.
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Yeah I am of the same belief. Besides, I don't really think it's all that bad.

Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top

Wishing you all the best Mason.  Skin cancer is no fun, but if you catch it early enough it normally can be completely handled with no ill effects.

I had a similar growth to the one you describe on my arm that I let sit for a while.  I didn't realize what it was until it had been showing for about 6 months and just wouldn't go away.  I finally got an appointment at a dermotologist (not an easy thing as most of them DON'T TAKE MANY NEW PATIENTS!!) and got it checked.  He cut it off my arm and left me a small scar where a dime sized growth had been.

Since that time no other growths have shown, but I go back to the doc regularly and stay out of the sun as much as possible (my wife labels me a vampire ;))

Again, wishing you all the best. Hopefully it'll be easily treated and completely dealt with by your doc and/or whatever meds and treatment he applies (or whatever the docs he refers you to apply).

Like everyone else here has said, you're in my thoughts.

Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top

Ouch dude, when I saw the title I though you were confesing to something like not being a trucker or not knitting the stuff you say you knit or something like that. This was totally unexpected. I hope all goes well.

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

(:(     hope it's all taken care of quickly and that you're back to work twice as quick.  Besides,  you can be a hardheaded guy so i expect this will be over fast! 

Best wishes trucker man.

Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
Wishing you all the best Mason.
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Thanks, Terp. Glad it worked out well for ya.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
I hope all goes well.
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Thanks. The title stems from the fact that I hadn't mentioned visiting the doc or that the growth appears to be more serious than originally thought. Guess I needed a little time to process it.
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Besides, you can be a hardheaded guy so i expect this will be over fast!
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:LOL: true enough. Thanks.
Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top

Mason, if you don't mind my asking, do you spend lots of time working outside in the sun?  Wear a hat most of the time or go au natural in that area?

You've got me wondering a bit more about what got things started for you in regards to this growth.  Do the docs think it was influenced by your environment or was just something that you might have been predisposed to?

Reply #21 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes, you're in my thoughts as well, mate.  Take care...

Reply #22 from Stardock Forums Top

When I read the first part of this blag I was very sad. As I continued to read I saw that you were keeping a positive additude about the situation and using a bit of humor. I am glad you did this it will keep all of us at ease and you too of course. THey say laughter is the best medicine too. You stay tough!  You are in my thoughts.

Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
Mason, if you don't mind my asking, do you spend lots of time working outside in the sun? Wear a hat most of the time or go au natural in that area?
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Yeah I work outdoors quite a bit. I normally do wear a hat most of the time, but in the past I had a habit of not wearing one while my head was shaved so that it would tan.

The doc figures that sun exposure is the culprit.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yes, you're in my thoughts as well, mate.  Take care...
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Thanks. :)
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
THey say laughter is the best medicine too.
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I agree 100%