The dermatologist explained "severely atypical" to me. On the range of mild atypia to melanoma, apparently severe atypia is one step away from melanoma. Awesome.
I had the chunk excision (thanks for the graphic Julie) yesterday. The cool part? He made my scar look like an X.
I will probably start telling people the scar is from a bullet hole.
Savannah and her good friend Catherine are singing a duet at the choir concert on Friday. The wanted advice on body posture/language so they FINALLY sang the song for me so I could give feedback. I cried. They sang so beautifully. I will probably post the video here. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Severely Atypical
I have a lot of moles. I hate that word, truly I do. So from here on out if you want to call them beauty marks then that's fine AND I need you to know that I was blessed with so much beauty I cannot even quantify it! In fact, I have so so so much beauty that I need to have some taken away once in a while. Just to make things slightly more fair for all the rest of you peeps.
A couple weeks ago I go to my favoritest physician's assistant in all the land and have her remove some beauty from my upper left arm. That particular beauty mark was kind of oddly colored (reddish) and seemed kinda inflamed actually and was itchy sometimes. It was acting strange. So I wanted it gone.
I have had so many beauty marks taken off that at some point I was starting to feel a little hypochondriatic (probably not a real variation of the word, don't care), because all the other moles were just that, moles.
This time I got a call from the PA's office. Here's the medical lingo:
Severely atypical compound melanocytic proliferation. Peripheral margins involved. Complete excision recommended for further evaluation and management.
From what I've read this particular diagnosis is pretty much a catch all. As in, they aren't quite sure what this is.
Here's what my PA had to say. This is written on a note sent to her MA and the MA relayed this message to me:
Tell her pathology showed severely atypical cells, no malignancy but the lesion extended to the borders of the sample. She needs to have a wider excision done of this lesion.
Now, how does she know it's NOT malignant? Do they say it IS malignant in those reports?
In the famous words of teens everywhere: Whatever!
I'm going this coming Tuesday to have a larger chunk taken out of my upper left arm. (Despite the fact that the lab report thinks this sample came from my right arm. Phsh!)
This is just reaffirming to me that:
1. I am not a hypochondriac, I had a reason to be cautious.
2. It is time to start seeing a dermatologist now. The PA is great for a lot of things, but my skin needs it's own doctor.
3. We all need to take better care of our skin. I have a massive hat in my closet, my Audrey Hepburn hat. It's big and gorgeous and is now going to be with me when I'm outside in my yard, on my head, protecting my skin. And I will remember to put on sunscreen. Every.single.time. Must remember!!!!
AND.........
I got this news right as I drove into the surgical center parking lot with Harold because he was having his knee scoped and his meniscus repaired. Great timing right?
Harold is rehabilitating at home. He hates "sitting around." I told him he needs to think of this more like, allowing his knee to heal.
MEN!!! Sit down, let your body heal.....FOR THE LOVE!!!!!!!
He's been in pain and I feel badly about that. He went to his first physical therapy appointment. Thankfully our PT is our bishop. He's a great guy and tells Harold what's what straight up. For instance:
Harold needs to be sitting on the couch with his leg propped up with ice on it.
Harold needs to stop feeling guilty about not helping with a move tomorrow happening in our ward.
Harold should feel good about his decision to stay home from work. His knee needs to heal.
Who's excited for the weekend? I am I am I am!
Savannah has prom tomorrow night. She'll look gorgeous, I'm super excited to see my baby girl all dolled up for prom. I {heart} that girl.
And Mack? Well, he is gearing up for a special choir performance featuring songs from Les Mis. And....he made chamber singers (highest level of choir at his school). So proud!
A couple weeks ago I go to my favoritest physician's assistant in all the land and have her remove some beauty from my upper left arm. That particular beauty mark was kind of oddly colored (reddish) and seemed kinda inflamed actually and was itchy sometimes. It was acting strange. So I wanted it gone.
I have had so many beauty marks taken off that at some point I was starting to feel a little hypochondriatic (probably not a real variation of the word, don't care), because all the other moles were just that, moles.
This time I got a call from the PA's office. Here's the medical lingo:
Severely atypical compound melanocytic proliferation. Peripheral margins involved. Complete excision recommended for further evaluation and management.
From what I've read this particular diagnosis is pretty much a catch all. As in, they aren't quite sure what this is.
Here's what my PA had to say. This is written on a note sent to her MA and the MA relayed this message to me:
Tell her pathology showed severely atypical cells, no malignancy but the lesion extended to the borders of the sample. She needs to have a wider excision done of this lesion.
Now, how does she know it's NOT malignant? Do they say it IS malignant in those reports?
In the famous words of teens everywhere: Whatever!
I'm going this coming Tuesday to have a larger chunk taken out of my upper left arm. (Despite the fact that the lab report thinks this sample came from my right arm. Phsh!)
This is just reaffirming to me that:
1. I am not a hypochondriac, I had a reason to be cautious.
2. It is time to start seeing a dermatologist now. The PA is great for a lot of things, but my skin needs it's own doctor.
3. We all need to take better care of our skin. I have a massive hat in my closet, my Audrey Hepburn hat. It's big and gorgeous and is now going to be with me when I'm outside in my yard, on my head, protecting my skin. And I will remember to put on sunscreen. Every.single.time. Must remember!!!!
AND.........
I got this news right as I drove into the surgical center parking lot with Harold because he was having his knee scoped and his meniscus repaired. Great timing right?
Harold is rehabilitating at home. He hates "sitting around." I told him he needs to think of this more like, allowing his knee to heal.
MEN!!! Sit down, let your body heal.....FOR THE LOVE!!!!!!!
He's been in pain and I feel badly about that. He went to his first physical therapy appointment. Thankfully our PT is our bishop. He's a great guy and tells Harold what's what straight up. For instance:
Harold needs to be sitting on the couch with his leg propped up with ice on it.
Harold needs to stop feeling guilty about not helping with a move tomorrow happening in our ward.
Harold should feel good about his decision to stay home from work. His knee needs to heal.
Who's excited for the weekend? I am I am I am!
Savannah has prom tomorrow night. She'll look gorgeous, I'm super excited to see my baby girl all dolled up for prom. I {heart} that girl.
And Mack? Well, he is gearing up for a special choir performance featuring songs from Les Mis. And....he made chamber singers (highest level of choir at his school). So proud!
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