His wife was babysitting her grandchildren in a different city. She was there for a week as her daughter was visiting Europe. She got a call from her family saying something bad had happened.
Her husband went to a Dr. apt as he had been having a sinus issue for a year or so. He had a small sore on his nose since that point and it had recently started to get bigger.
The Dr. started to take some out for a biopsy and kept taking more and more out. It got to the point where he called another specialist as they were taking so much off his nose. The other specialist kept digging more and more and he then realized that by the time they took the worse part of it, the entire top of his nose was missing.
They talked with him about options and the two options were to either take the entire nose off and make a prosthetic nose that attaches with magnets stuck under his skin, or they would take skin off his head and do a skin graft. Then, they would do chemo and radiation to try and kill any existing cells that they left to keep his nose.
They then cut out his skin on his forehead, and they left the base of it attached. They then flipped that skin over and stitched it to the top of his nose. Leaving it attached allowed it to have blood flow and stay healthy as it heals.
Once the skin is healthy and doing well, they will cut off the nose section that is live and healthy, and then flip back the base of the flap that is attached and put it back to his forehead.
It was found to be non-melanoma skin cancer. He said he was willing to share his story to help others stay safe. He said I could take pictures and share as a reminder to us all to wear sun screen / hats, and protect ourselves as well as getting checked for any sores or moles that could be cancer.
I think his nose is looking much better and I am so glad he chose to keep his nose. This guy has a very funny sense of humor. He joked how funny it would be to be walking through the house and to store his magnetic nose on the fridge! He wears hearing aids and joked that he could take his ears and nose off at night if he ended up with the prosthetic nose. ha ha.
I hope the radiation and Chemo get the rest. He said the Dr. said it could come back but in twenty years he would be near 80 and so they will just monitor him and will take out any new growth.
I pray he continues to do well. He is such a great man and his family is one I love dearly.
Have a blessed day!
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