Biopsy
 

Family doc just took a 1 cm x 2 cm x 3 cm gash outta my hide just above the area of my left kidney. An itchy spot that Mrs B said looked unusual. Mrs B made the appointment. I asked my doc is she'd stick one of those lipo wands in the hole and take a few swipes--I mean, WTF?

Doc said it looked possibly precancerous so she thought a pathologist should look at it. I was somewhat surprised to learn that hospitals still do paraffin embedding, microtomed sections H&E stained (hemotoxylin and eosin). That's what I learned over 30 years ago when I took microtechnique as an undergrad. I would have thought there would be a fluorescence technique specific for cancer by now.

Anybody here do that kind of medtech? Kind of curious whether that might be a career field to switch to after I retire from my current job.

B

Don't know much more about the technique than do you. I would have thought they'd be using different stuff too though.

I've had a couple of those sections of hide taken out - both tested negative. Never can be too careful though with the family history...

I've had several nitrogen treatments to my hands over the past 5-6 years. Little knots of kerotinized exfoliations of some sort. Doc says they're nothing to worry about so I don't worry. Pretty much the result of sun exposure before much was known about skin cancers and sun exposures. For the past 10-15 years I wear a hat, sunscreen and a loose longsleeve cotton shirt when I work outside.

If you're younger than me and look forward to a golden tan every year, I may bury you.

Best of luck,and may the Gods of health and bodily purity watch over you.

My wife,due to her leukemia must have 2 bone marrow biopsies a year,not the most pleasant experience I must tell you,but then I'm a good gardener and have raised some great white widow 420.

Hope all goes well for you, Bot.

My grandfather had skin cancer. My father has it now. The only question with me is when I will get it.

At least now I know where to go to get some pain relief! ;)

i hope all is well, its too bad that Bush has screwed the ozone up so bad that you have to suffer:(

Bot- Please let us know what happens. Glad you didn't dismiss this and attended to it promptly. I see too much of what can happen with "I just thought it was mole," by the time they get to me it's not pretty. Parafin is still used where I work in certain cases. I'll throw an extra offering on the alter for you tonight my friend!

It's called "senile keratosis." Yeah I know I don't like the name any more than you do...

:D

You forgot to point out how he is personally responsible for dumping every chemical known to man into the environment.

Pasty white is cool!:cool:

Good luck with that, Bot. My old man has had around 15 skin cancers and basil cell growths removed from his face and back. The golden tan thing certainly doesn't help, but from what I understand it is like prostate cancer(he's had that too)--not an if but a when.

Carleton--indoors or out on the 420?

I remember when you told us about your wife. I thought about you last year, when my mother's white cell count went totally nuts for about six months and they thought she had leukemia. Thank heaven she didn't have it, and the condition is non uncommon when you pass 65.

Award for best line!

It will be healed by a soft touch from St Algore of Gaia.

Turns out that it was a basal cell carcinoma. The internet tells me that this is the cancer that everybody wishes they had.

The doc is sharpening-up her ice scream scoop to cut a larger divot next week.

B

Better than malignant melanoma....keep us posted, please. Did you see the show on synethesia last night?

Best wishes to you Bot, glad you found it early!

As to the microtoming, you brought back found mammories, I mean memories, of my undergrad years in biology where there was the really hot girl in my cell lab...ah...:D

I also remember how bloody sharp the glass blade was on that microtome - scary stuff.

Forget Freddy Krueger, get one of those on each finger and you're ready for Hezbollah et al! :D