[kayak]

Well, I've got to go Thursday to have a wee bit more minor surgery ... and I'm praising God about it!

Last week I was scheduled to have one mole removed from my leg. When the doc came in to mark it, on the spur of the moment he decided to also do a punch biopsy on another one nearby.

The lab report has come back and the second one ... the punch biopsy rather than the full excision ... was classified as "moderate to severe atypical." On the scale that is used, the next step beyond 'severe atypical' is melanoma.

I go in Thursday to have the area fully excised (to you in Rio Linda, that means cut out ... LOL!) to make sure that all the atypical cells are removed.

The reason that I am praising God is that if the doctor had not had that last minute impulse to take a look at the second one, I would probably not have gone back for another skin check-up for a year ... and would probably have had full-fledged melanoma by then.

I've had it once before ... 32 years ago.

..... Please, all of you, if you notice a mole changing or any peculiar places on your skin, get to a doctor NOW. If melanoma is caught early, it's removed simply (generally in a doctor's office as mine have been) and is over ... gone ... kaput. But if it has a chance to metastasize ... i.e., get into your blood stream or lymph system, often the result is that it is fatal within a year.

[lysie]

Know that you are in my prayers.

Keep that Dr....He sounds like a good one. I thank the Lord for keeping an eye on you and the Doc.

((kay))

[Peach]

I'm so glad your doctor caught that, kayak. It's frightening to think this could have been so easily missed.

I just turned on FNC and there are huge street demonstrations in France; huge.

[Molly Pitcher]

Oh sweetie, thanks for letting us know so we can keep you in prayer. All will be well, and yes, thank goodness for that wise and careful dr.

Gosh this a.m. I was so excited about upcoming Opening Day...then I learned that a longtime friend's in the hospital, and Cap Weinberger has died so close to Lyn Nofziger, and that has made me nostalgic for Reagan, and the amazing figure he was...

And now all of a sudden I'm feeling kinda blue...

[tillacum]

Prayers kayak. You have a good Dr, he's a keeper.

[Utah Girl]

I am so glad you are OK.

[Guenevere]

Thanks for the alert!

I've had basal cell occasionally....(thought it was because I'm very fair skinned and have lived in Florida for 30 years)...

..but last year I had a squamous cell removed from my wrist...(at the 'watch' line)....

..The basal cell never needed stitches, but this one needed 4 stitches!

Good for your doctor for being vigilant!