After going through one of the coldest spells we've had for a long time, I find that the skin cancer that I thought had been cleared way back, suddenly reappears on my nose and ears. Since this condition is mainly caused by over exposure to sun rays, I'm more than a little surprised at its timing. Presumably this is pay-back-time for the many sunny trips I took in the campervan last year.
Looking for a friendly site to gather a bit of information and support before my nose starts looking like an over ripe tomato, I realise how lucky we are to have such an active group here. The group Skin Cancer UK has very little activity.
Don ,here's a link to a Macmillan cancer support forum,don't know if it's any good and you probably won't find much poetry or humour on it.......love skis and scruffs x
Thanks Skis, I did have a look at that and think I now know all I need to know about my particular problem. I've been given some Solaraze gel to apply which I understand burns the skin and makes it look a bit of a mess for a while but then has the desired effect. At 86 I'm not going to worry about that too much. A red nose will suit my usual clownish behaviour.
I am sorry to hear this beast has returned. Cancer is an awful brute. Have you been to the dermatologist already? I hope it can be dealt with quickly. I don't personally know any sites but the British skin foundation has a site and a forum that deals with skin disease.
I can't vouch for what it's like but I hope it gives you another avenue to explore and get support.
Thinking of you.
*Hugs*
Cas xx 🌹
Thanks Cas, I think I'm going to get all the support I need from my friends here. (Fishing for sympathy I suppose). It's a very mild version of cancer, hardly worthy of the name. I hope you are keeping comfortable and taking good care of yourself. xx
Awe Don empathise with you. Had surgery on my face for what turned out to be pre cancerous and they gave me some cream, which I forget the name of. It sounds as if it was supposed to work in the same way as the cream you have. It latches onto rogue cells and the area goes scabby, but it didn’t work. Anyway it came back and had a second surgery.
I use facter 50 on my face for quite a few months of the year. Been discharged now but on my last visit my con was saying how if she tested all the folks in the waiting room, most of them would be deficient in vit D. I mentioned that I thought that was ironic, it being a clinic for skin cancer!
I hope all goes well for you Don and please know sweetheart you will always get lots of support on here.
My husband had some cancerous patches removed from his chest. He was given a cream, doubt whether he uses it. He gets some raw patches on his face, shaving doesn't help, but he hasn't had them checked out. I think it was basal cell carcinoma. He had to have an op for this in his ear canal, dr said it was sun through car window. Took a strip of skin from his neck to repair that.
"We all get scars on our way to the stars". So true. I had a couple of lumps on my forehead some years back. One I removed myself with a pair of nail clippers, the second was removed at the hospital under a local and has left a large Z shaped scar on my head. Ears and nose are a bit more of a nuisance.
Dear Don, Really sad to learn about your skin cancer returning- however until properly diagnosed,we will keep everything possible crossed,that it isn't and it's an inflammation of some other,less sinister kind eh? You are quite right ,in that this site is so very active and full of terrific members,some just fairly new and others have been here for a considerable time. I did look at another group and nothing had been posted for nearly a month! I do hope you find one that's just as good as here and that you can razzle and dazzle them with your very witty rhymes! Don't go leaving us though......we'll only send out a search party and find you!!!
Thank you, I think I've learnt all I need to know about my skin problem and the doc has given me some gel which hopefully will deal with the matter. Compared with most cancer sufferers what I seem to have is hardly worth a mention. There will be very few of us here whose sole ailment is COPD, and the friendship and support given here is as good a help in recovering from any ailment as you will find anywhere. I certainly won't be leaving.
Hello Don My husband is one of the unlucky ones, 7 years ago he was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. Last February found out he had lung cancer, then had two DVTs .he had a small sore on his ear on the outer lip which wouldn't heal. was then diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer. a small part of ear taken away, six weeks later found out the margins were not clear so he had to have his ear removed. A month ago he had two small studs drilled into the back of his ear so that the false ear can be fitted in a few weeks time. We have all got used to him without his ear don't even notice it. I do hope Don that yours can be fixed without surgery, I think what I am trying to say is even if you do have to have surgery it isn't the end of the world, my husbands was quite pain free. I also tried to find an informative site re skin cancer not much luck I am afraid. The ear seems to come under the head and neck cancer site. The nose I am sorry I cant help you with. Whilst my husbands ear was being sorted he was also having radiotherapy for his lungs. My husband when young had very pale skin, got burnt a couple of times whilst abroad but didn't sun bathe at all and yet he has been told that his was caused by the sun all those many years ago. We do not dwell on his cancers try to live for today and not waste time dwelling on what could have been. All the best Don x
So sorry your husband has had such a rough time, what a great attitude in dealing with all though......wonderful! I have considered that I could lose parts if not all of my ears and nose, there's so little flesh to mess about with in those areas. But I'm hoping to have started treatment early enough to prevent that happening. In anycase at 86, living alone, even that wouldn't much of a big deal. I doubt my dog would even notice!
Don I do hope that you do not have to lose ear or nose, I think we if honest were not that surprised that the first operation was a no go as a very small part didn't heal. I was in hospital last year with a lady that had her nose removed again it wasn't a big deal to her. At the time I didn't ask many questions but can remember her saying it was not at all painful. Good luck with your treatment Don sorry that you are on your own, my sister a widow tells me the time she misses her husband the most is at times like these, just wishing she had him there to talk through things with. x
I'm very sorry to hear that Don. I had a non aggressive cancer on the side of my face removed in 2016 but I imagine the ears and nose, being less fleshy would need a more complicated procedures than the simple cut,remove and stitch that I had. Is the gel a cure for certain skin cancers or is it to slow them down - it doesn't sound very pleasant but I'm sure you'll stick to instructions and use it as prescribed. Best wishes,👍🏻 Magpuss xx
The gel aims to get rid of the problem, but reading the reviews on it, few people using it can stand the serious side effects for the recommended 60 days. It works by burning off layers of skin until it gets down to clean flesh, which seems pretty drastic. But then who knows better than COPD sufferers that there's no gain without pain.
Like our other friends, I am sorry to hear about your troubles. My dad had similar problems a few years back and his treatment was successful so I wish the same for you. I remember him being tickled when the Professor called him ‘young man’ (he was well into his eighties). We will all be rooting for you, sending hugs.
Shame about the skin cancer site, perhaps it is because there are other sites for that.Macmillan site has a lot of tips on such things. Glad you can still keep your sense of humour. Our skin doesn't heal so quickly as we get older, and cancer takes longer anyway. Oh I had a skin cancer removed around thirty years ago with no recurrance, count myself lucky. But unfortunately my skin does take some time to heal a bit like diabetics. Hope the treatment works well for you
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Since this condition is mainly caused by over exposure to sun rays, I'm more than a little surprised at its timing. Presumably this is pay-back-time for the many sunny trips I took in the campervan last year.
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