THE REAL STORY:

No, a fish really didn't do that to me ... I've only dreamed of catching a 30-inch walleye. So let's start from the beginning ...

When I was younger, I loved to play golf and didn't apply tanning lotion or sunscreen because it made my hands greasy. This early habit persisted through recent years.

That was a BIG mistake!

THE RESULT?

I was recently diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer. Fortunately it wasn't the really bad stuff (melanoma) ... but the result still wasn't pleasant. An area the size of a dime on the surface required the removal of skin larger than a quarter. Then, the reconstructive surgery more than doubled that size.

THE MORAL TO THIS STORY? Wear your sunscreen!

The following pages chronical my experience from the initial Mohs procedure (removing the cancerous area) through reconstructive surgery and the healing process.

6 Months Before Diagnosis Here I am 6 months before the blotch was diagnosed. The blotch is the little dark area near the corner of my mouth. By the time I decided to see the doctor, it had grown to the size of a dime. NEXT >> The Mohs Procedure Day 1

QUICK LINKS: Intro (don't kiss a fish) Why You Should Wear Sunscreen Mohs Procedure Day 1 Reconstructive Surgery Day 2 (3 pages) Healing/Progress Days 4 & 8 (2 pages) Healing/Progress (Scar Mgmt) Days 15, 24, 46 (3 pages) ... to be continued ...