Three docs in one day

In the past, I saw my regular doctor once or twice a year.  Usually for running related stuff, aka broken toes, plantar fascitus (sp?).  Up until this melanoma diagnosis, I had seen him twice this year. Once when I got the flu, for the first time ever, and the dermatologist referral.  In a normal year, I probably would have seen him once more because I fell running and "busted" something.  I tripled that in one day. Today!

So, here's the list of visits:

9:30am  Two biopsies on my back. One a mere inch from my original site incision.  Numbing shots have never hurt so much. One mole looks like the original one but smaller. The other is just.. well..... weird. (Pictures later after results are in).  The tattoos will have to wait.  The tiny, numbing needle about launched me off the table. Each! And! Every! Time! She! Used! It!

11:30 Lunch with one of my best friends. I'm already convinced it helped me survive the day. Talking with her reminds me of the power of friendship and laughter. And how incredibly blessed I am to have her, and all my other friends, in my life.

2:45 pm Primary doctor for a referral to the melanoma specialist, a formality required by my insurance, and some lymph node squeezing for good measure. Getting your neck squeezed like that is a weird sensation. Not painful, but uncomfortably weird. Not choking tight but survival instincts kick in. Underarms and groin were no biggie.  After grabbing my neck, I was over the weirdness of the lymph node examination.

3:45 pm Yearly Ob/Gyn with some discussion of recent scientific correlation between melanoma and breast cancer.  I walked out with a mammogram referral.  Keep in mind, I had to lay on my freshly flayed back for this appointment and the numbing agent had definitely worn off. God bless the doctor for saying she'd go as fast as she could and boy, did she ever.  And she did call my scar "cool." Think I'll keep her.  She's going to consult an oncologist/geneologist for the whole melanoma/breast cancer testing.

These appointments may seem only slightly related, but they are so closely intertwined that I felt like I saw my 'medical team' today.  Every minute of every appointment was some how related to my melanoma status.  And I felt like all three appointments moved me closer to that wonderful Survivor Status I so desperately want one day in the near future.  And none of the doctors wrote off my concerns, requests, or worries.  What a wonderful feeling to walk away with.  And I never once felt uncomfortable sharing these concerns, requests, or worries.  That was a new, wonderful feeling too.  I may be physically battered and bruised, literally, but mentally today was a huge step forward as my status as a patient.

So, the next step.  I get the results from the biopsies on Friday or Monday.  The results from the Pap in the next 3 to 4 weeks. The results of the mammogram 2 to 4 weeks after my appointment (pending).  And I get the results of the referral with an appointment in the next few weeks.  Whew. Now you know why I keep a journal and write it all down or tape the papers in as I get them. I strongly!!!!! recommend this for any patient facing a life altering diagnosis, no matter what it is.