I took a much needed break from all things related to skin cancer following my last post on day 38. My skin has still been in the process of healing over these last eight days and I am just now beginning to look closer to my “normal” self. My forehead has continued to peel and itch and still, after eight weeks, has feint red lines criss-crossing like little pathways on a roadmap. The rest of my face from the nose down looks pretty good but it is still a slight pink and turns a deeper red most evenings. Fortunately my eyebrow hairs and the hair on my head stopped falling out as soon as I stopped treatment.
**Almost back to normal.**
My energy level has improved although I still have occasional bouts of nausea that I believe is due to my body’s efforts to rid itself of the last remaining traces of Fluorouracil.
Over Christmas I had my first real trip away from the house in seven weeks and it was heavenly. After being inside for so long everything seemed so fresh and new and fabulous. We even had a white Christmas with a dusting of snow that was the perfect ending to this whole stressful and painful ordeal.
When I look back on the past four months from the date of my first surgery, I realize everything I have been through has changed me. I feel the need to embrace the beautiful things in life more and let go of all the crap. I desire to live more fully now instead of putting everything off until later in life when I am too old and tired (or sick) to enjoy it. Although my skin cancer experience so far has not been as harrowing and life threatening as what some individuals have faced, it has definitely rattled my psyche to the point of affecting change. I truly do see things differently now and I appreciate what I have much more than I did before.
I plan to continue to make occasional skin cancer posts moving forward as I have my follow up scans and appointments or should anything new arise. I will also post a timelapse of my face over the course of Fluorouracil treatment as soon as it is clear again. For now I will get back to my regular posting about photography, writing and art.
Thank you all for following along on this journey. Your kind words and support helped to make the pain and tedium so much easier to deal with. You are each appreciated more than I can ever put into words.