Surgery Consult

I set off for my appointment with the dermatology surgeon early, arriving 15 minutes before my appointment. I was brought in to a room at 4:40 and was quizzed for my medical history by a fellow named Meaghan. Then Indira came in to take photos of the site. I was so cold, I put on a hospital robe.

At 5:24, Meghan returned to say the doctor was doing a procedure and I'd have to wait 30 minutes more. What could I do? The punch biopsy area was starting to throb and my contacts needed to be irrigated but I had no materials. I made and received calls, including one from my daughter in Peru. Dr. Nahal came in at 6 and examined my leg. The area, my front ankle, is too tight to suture so I would have a draining wound to care for 3 months or so. That didn't sound so bad. The other option, which the doctor is investigating today, involves seeing another surgeon and having a skin graft at the time of removal. The graft would have to be cleansed and dressed for 3 to 5 months, until it "takes." That sounds worse to me but I'll see what Dr. Nahal has to say.

I got home at 6:30 and had a gin and tonic. Then I made dinner and forgot about my day of dermatology.