For any new readers, super forgetful readers, or readers that stepped away from G-Reader for more than 3 hours and had to “mark all as read” because the overwhelming “All Items (xx)” was stressing you out – here’s a quick update :
I have skin cancer. It was caught early, and I’m not dying. The End.
(but really you can read about it here)
When I first got the news, I decided I wanted everything done and taken care of before the wedding (July 3rd). Yeah these next few weeks are pretty hectic already, but I didn’t want a pending surgery and “Oh, the cancer? Yeah, it’s still there…” hanging over my head during the happiest day of my life.
So I called the only office that accepts my stupid based-in-Ohio health insurance, and begged and pleaded for them to squeeze me in.
(I’m not too proud to throw out the Poor Bride card now and again…)
My dermatologist referred me to plastics because young skin scars much easier than old skin I guess. (side note : ask me 5 years ago if I’d ever be in a plastic surgeon’s office in Orange County. Life is funny…)
So the consult was today. Doc glanced at my boo-boos, scolded me for my “tan” (presumably the faint bikini line where “albino” goes to “just very white”), and then started to walk out to put me on the surgery schedule.
“Oh, and no exercise for a few weeks afterwards…”
Ok, everybody relax. I’m not dumb enough to put my health in the backseat just for a stupid local race (that half in Ohio June 26th).
(… ahem.)
And I can’t even say the risk of not fitting into my dress because I went all fat & exercise-free the final weeks leading up to the big day is what threw up the stop sign.
The deal breaker was : I can’t give up my main stress reliever & endorphin source during this crazy ass time. I would have gone absolutely BAT SHIT. I’m already forcing people to uninvite dates and emailing the shit out of my vendors – I don’t need any more help in the Bride Monster game, and taking away my sweat time would put us all on a fast track course straight to Wedding Hell.
So we scheduled surg for July 13th. Exactly a month from today. Nothing will change between now and then. Non-metastasizing, silly little baby cancer. It’ll all be gone when we get back. Bonus : First surgery as a married! Life events, people. Better get the scrapbook out…
I’m accepting applications for at-hope-nurses/slaves to fetch me things and read me stories during my recovery. And a tough-love friend to keep me out of the cupcakes while on this looming exercise ban.
Fat but cancer-free doesn’t sound that bad, though…
Sarah Soon-To-Be
Sarah OUaL 
yahhh girl! way to take care of yourself! this way B can prove his i-am-the-best-husband-ever-you-are-lucky-you-married-me skills after the big day by waiting on you hand and foot!
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Haha I agree with Jayme, this will be perfect for B to show off his newfound husband skills. How long do you have the no exercise ban for? I don’t blame you for putting it off til after the wedding… totally makes sense, having been the bride already those weeks before the wedding you’ll need every stress reliever you can get! (though if you had said you wanted to make sure you were fitting in your dress still or that you wanted to run the half, I’d have got that too, haha).
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She said a few weeks but nurse said that she’s super conservative about it bc she wants “pretty, little scars”. I’ll take a scar over an extra chin if given the chance, though
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i agree with the above, put that new husband to work! no need to stress now… you get to run, have an amazing wedding and then say peace out to your cancer. easier said than done? :)
good luck at your ohio races! i almost did that columbia station half but it’s the first weekend of my fall full training so i didn’t really want to start it off with a half marathon race.
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My friend had a pre-cancerous mole removed, and she was told not to work out either. She did anyway. A really light elliptical workout. And it started bleeding. So, yeah…I guess they really mean it when they say “no excercise.”
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Ew. Thank your friend for finding out the hard way for me.
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When he tells the story, B gets to be that guy who got married, and then a couple weeks later his wife goes and gets plastic surgery.
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All of his dudes are going to be SO JEALOUS, BRO
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Sounds like a good plan. I’m heading to the dermatologist today for my annual skin check. Hoping for good news!
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Woooohoo! Good luck fingers crossed!
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Three weeks later the spots will probably be exactly the same as they are now – I think it’s a good plan. My friend actually had a couple spots also on her mid-section removed. Generally, they were pre-cancerous (not quite there yet), but, it seems like, at the very least, these things are relatively slow moving.
Anyway, we’ll all be happy once you have kicked it in the nuts on 7/13. :)
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I’m happy you went to Plastics-I had a suspicious mole on my face that I was ready to just have the derm take off because he was really worried it was the C word but I waited and had it done my a plastic surgeon. The results, most importantly no C but also that I don’t have a humongous scar on my face
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I think it is a good thing that you waited. I can’t imagine planning and getting ready for a wedding and not being able to run. Even if you are too busy to run its nice to know that you at least have to option. Which half marathon are you doing? I am trying to decide between a 10K and a 1/2 marathon that weekend.
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I think it’s a great idea you schedule it for after your wedding. I’m also in the final stages of wedding planning (August 27th), so I totally understand that you don’t want to take away those few hours a week you can get away from it all! They are definitely necessary!
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OMG your story totally reminds me of mine. So like 2 weeks before our wedding I had horrible gum pain and turns out my wisdom teeth were coming in. LIKE YESTERDAY. I went to the dentist and he was recommending immediate surgery. I FREAKED THE HECK OUT. Like bawling.
So then then he wanted me to take antiobiotics on my honeymoon to ward off the pain until I got back for surgery. Um yeah, BC and antiobiotics do not mix! I told him that and he didn’t know what to say. BAWLING AGAIN.
So I left with a ton of scripts in case the pain got bad and then left on the honeymoon with the scripts. Ended up not being in much pain at all and never filled the scripts. So I ended up having surgery like the week we got back from our honeymoon. Literally.
The surgery actually was a nightmare and I had to get surgery a second time because the surgeon botched it and left part of my dead wisdom tooth in my jaw. No joke. So basically the first 3 months were pretty nuts. My hubby learned a lot about patience and how to care for me in return!
Hang in there! You will be ok!!
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Oh my god that sounds terrible. If B complains at all I’ll just be like, “but Holly’s husband did it for her!” He’ll be like ‘who’s Holly?’ but I’ll be like ‘shut up it doesn’t matter go get me some ice cream’
Thanks for the ammo :)
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Good decision, if I had to drop running/exercising before and during a stressful event like what you have coming up, it would NOT be pretty. Not worth it.
Smart to go to the plastics person, they’ll do a good job. My primary care provider once removed a skin thing from my back (which was TOTALLY benign and nothing to worry about it turned out) and it left an ugly scar that truly wasn’t necessary.
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I think that’s a good decision…..keeping yourself sane in the weeks leading up to the wedding is a smart decision. :)
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I agree with everyone else. They’re super smart.
Kick some cancer ass!
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Glad it will all be taken care of! I feel you on needing to exercise leading up to the wedding. I was the same way! My hubs had his appendix out on our honeymoon… then I had surgery 4 months later, lol. Nothing like breaking it in with some surgery! :)
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I’ll have to agree on a scare over the double chin any day…although I might already be behind on that one :) You’re super brave for blogging about this in the first place. Keep up the good work !
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I’m sorry….a scar over a double chin. I guess a scare too…
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I’ve had a lot of nasty moles removed and when they say no exercise – they mean it! I had one removed on my back that required 12 stitches!! My Dr. didn’t know how deep it was until he went into remove it and it went straight to my fat.
I would make this decision too! Yay for your wedding being so close!!! I don’t even know you (personally) and I’m SO excited.
PS – I don’t think I posted on your Cancer post – but I’m SO glad that they caught it before it was anything serious!
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great news friend! If i could afford a plane ticket to cali and a place to stay, i would come and be your nurse!!!!!!
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If I happen to come across a private jet between now and then I’ll be sure to send it to fetch you
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OMG. Just reading all of this now. I am SO sorry to hear this, but it sounds like you’ve got everything under control. Thinking of you girlfriend!! Hang in there and enjoy these last few weeks of planning as best you can.
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Man. You are a gangster for dealing with all of this. Glad everything is going to be ok, but yeah…I woulda been like ‘No working out, wtf?’ as well! :)
Hugs!!
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if being the nurse = eating bon bons and watching trashy reality tv with you then count me in. if it at all requires any ass wiping, count me the f out. deal? deal.
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I guess I can take “sponge bath/ass wipe” off your chores list… See you and your bon bons soon
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I don’t think there is anything wrong with waiting because I agree you need the stress reliever right now with cancer, wedding etc. it is CRAZY. I have followed your planning and doing it long distance can’t be easy! Hugs my mom has the same thing and has a huge scar you don’t want on your wedding day!
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Hey girl, I went through something similar a few months ago and it scared me to death. But everything turned out OK. I know its scary, but if anyone can get through it you can!! good luck with everything, ill keep you in my prayers!
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thinking of you soon to be mrs. during this time! <3 prayers and well wishes that everything goes perfect for the surgery.
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