My main uncertainty is what it will look likw afterwards.

Oh, well, I'll see what the dr says.

Thanks for the reassurance.

That's exactly the way to deal with it.

Oddly enough, I'm probably more worried about shaving off my beard.

That goes over well with the young ones.

Don't worry about cosmetics, your health is much more important.

I'm sure I can comw up with a pzzling story that will end the inquiry.

I had a friend who could lie like a "Rug" (sorry, Rug!) when stuff happened to him that left a mark.

A knee operation would somehow turn into a story about loan sharks cracking his knee with a baseball bat!

Funny as hell, he was--he could spin a yarn with the best of 'em!

I've always assumed that when I got breast cancer, I'd just have a mastecomy and be flat chested. Now that reality is here, I'm considering breast reconstruction. I've just lost 57 pounds (motivated by a diabetes diagnosis last fall) and fit in all of my attractive clothes again; clothes that will not look so attractive with a flat or half-flat chest. I'd like to enjoy them for a while!

I'm far less concerned about the cancer itself, confounding the doctors who are used to people demanding it be chopped out yesterday. Way too much family experience that suggests (and early tests confirm) that this is a slow-growing, easily treated/cured critter.

Hang in there, Ms. Toad.

They are complete incompetent idiots.

We will have a come-to-Jesus moment on Monday at my appointment. It has been one administrative screw-up after another - starting with not sending me the follow-up from my routine screening and, on Wednesday informing me that my Thursday MRI was scheduled 30 miles away from the location they had told me it was at (all the while insisting that they had gotten my permission to schedule it there), then not having 2 of the three orders there because - guess what - the orders were apparently sent to the facility I was told I would be at for my MRI.

I understand the need to take whatever appointment is available to get the information as quickly as possible, since many of people and facilities are scheduled months out. I would have agreed to drive to the distant location - had I been asked up front. BUT, I would not have arranged my entire schedule on Monday, when the appointment was made, (and the schedules of my students who had a final exam the next day) on the premise that I had a 5 minute drive to my appointment and could easily hold office hours both before and after the MRI.

I have two good choices for surgical care. This local doctor is far more convenient that the other - BUT - it takes all of my reserves to ask "how high" when the doctor says jump, and then do what I have to to make sure I can reach that height. I can't tolerate a last minute change from my planned 10' jump to a 15' jump because the administrator who originally relayed the doctors orders gave me the wrong information (let alone insisting that I had previously agreed to jump 15'). Not once, but at least a dozen times out of the last dozen communications.

I'll slide into your slipstream for clues.

Let us know how it goes.

Like turbinegy said, it's one of the more treatable ones. Fortunately. But we never know, do we?

NBD; relax.

I've had 4 removed from my face. You can barely tell where they were. Beyond that, I've had friends with large melanomas removed. One has a six inch scar under her eye, but she is still as beautiful. Another had a huge melanoma on the side of her nose, but if you didn't know it before you certainly can't tell now. Sorry you have to go through it but don't worry. odds are very good that in six months you won't be able to see where the cancer was.

Appointment is May 18.

This thing is jst above the left side of my lip. Feels deep to me. I'll ask her when I see her if my beard will grow back there or not.

that was a tough spot for me. I hope it goes well for you. Betting most of your beard will grow back and what doesn't won't be terribly apparent. Good luck.