I've gotten kind of used to going to doctors these days and hearing them say, "It's part of the aging process" or "Now that you're getting older . . ." So when I scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist for my first cancer screening, I was prepared to hear the same.
But I was not prepared to hear his recommendation. I knew I had some age sports. Just part of getting older, right? I didn't have any areas I was concerned about. Yes, family members have had to have spots removed and biopsied. Thankfully, those were never the "bad" kind of cancer.
The good news was he completed the examination without finding any major problems. Then came the not so good news. He presented me with a choice.
He wanted me to be proactive and complete a four-week regimen to attack any precancerous cells on my face. He warned I would need to be brave and once I started it, I needed to complete it. He also warned the medication was expensive and some insurance would not cover it. The choice was mine.
I prefer to meet challenges head on. I'm not much of a gambler. I've learned it is better to catch things early and nip them in the bud, rather than ignore warning signs and hope they go away. However, I also like to know what to expect before I say, I'm all in.
I left his office with the prescription in hand and went to my pharmacy to start the process. My insurance did cover the cost, so that wasn't a game changer. They didn't have it in stock, but I could pick it up the next day.
That bought me some time to do some research.
I found many blogs and vlogs of others who had taken this journey. The pictures and descriptions matched my doctor's words.
So with my eyes wide open, I chose to follow this course of treatment.
Two weeks into it I wanted out.
My face looked exactly like the online pictures. No surprises there. What I wasn't prepared for was the pain. I'm not a wimp. I've given birth twice without an epidural. My first was over eight pounds and the second was butt-first breech. Those same children each talked me into getting a matching tattoo. Both times I was warned the spot I selected was one of the more painful locations, might I want to reconsider? No.
It wasn't the threshold of pain that bothered me, it was the duration of this treatment that messed with me. Neither of my pregnancies required a long labor. Both tattoos were small. (The design matched, but I chose the miniature versions.)
Two weeks into the treatment, I contacted my doctor to see if maybe my case was special and I wouldn't need to go the whole distance. I'd read other people's accounts of their doctor allowing them to stop after two weeks. The medication insert even stated that the normal treatment was 2-4 weeks. Surely two weeks would be enough for me.
I called his office to speak to a nurse. The receptionist put me on hold and I was surprised when the doctor came on the line. He listened to my plea and reasoning for stopping early. Then he explained that studies have shown that stopping too soon can cause the precancerous cells to come back stronger.
Once again the choice was mine.
He continued by encouraging me that once I stopped applying the cream the recovery period was relatively short. I knew this to be true from the internet testimonies. They also claimed that the skin not only healed quickly, but also healthier than before. Younger in fact.
Hmmmmm, I liked the sound of that. Enduring would reap rewards.
I decided to continue.
I'm now in the final stretch. Twenty-one days down and only seven to go. I'm setting my sights on the goal and pressing forward. Precancerous cells eradicated. Cancer avoided. Not to mention a younger looking me!
Five Lessons Learned
- Sometimes problems can go undetected unless you allow someone else to take a look. The medication only attacks precancerous cells; healthy cells are not affected. I had more dangerous cells under the surface than I suspected
- Short cutting the process may make things worse. Stopping early might have caused me to either start all over again later or deal with the full blown skin cancer resulting in visible scarring.
- My previous poor decisions put me in this place. My earlier choices to soak up the sun and visit tanning salons were not wise.
- I now have an opportunity to make different choices. What will I do now? One blogger was undergoing this for the second time--admitting she drove a convertible with the top down for ten years after her first treatment. I don't want a do over.
- Damage--whether physical, emotional, or spiritual--hurts when it is healing. I tried to think of a time in my own life when additional pain was not required for a wound to heal. I couldn't.
Ironically, the most soothing part of my treatment during the final stages was when I first applied the cream. What caused the pain, also brought the healing and offered momentary relief in the midst of the process.
I wonder if the same is true when the damage is emotional. What brings the healing may cause the pain. Deep wounds must heal from the inside out. Unless the root cause is addressed it festers underneath the surface like a cancer.
Cancer is a threat to our bodies, while relationships can damage our emotions. How healthy are your relationships? Has time taken its toll?
Over time have you accumulated some warning signs from poor choices that either you or someone else has made? Would it be wise to ask someone else to take a look?
I might be able to help. I've recently started working with a ministry that cares for the emotional pain in our hearts. I'd love to tell you more about it. Just ask.
