Eyelid Surgeries Complete (hopefully)

The surgeries to remove the basal cell carcinoma from my eyelid are complete.

On July 14th, the dermatologist completed a "MOHS" procedure to remove it, and the next day, the plastic surgeon did the "closure."  I was awake for the removal but they put me to sleep the second day for the reconstruction.  Both surgeries went very well according to the doctors.  It is hard to tell right now because of the swelling, but the only thing I am nervous about is that my eye will now be "small" and non-symmetrical to the other eye.  I have gotten sick from general anesthesia before, so they gave me some medicine to counteract the nausea, and I am very thankful for that.  I felt a little sick when I was in recovery, but it went away pretty fast and I felt pretty good for the days following...just sleepy.  It's amazing how much of a difference it is to deal with stuff like this when you have supportive family and friends.  I was swarmed by love and support as soon as I found out I had to do this.  I literally didn't have to worry about anything...prayer, transportation, childcare, food, bags of ice, walking my dogs.  I have the greatest people in my life.

Just after the MOHS procedure Thursday

Just before the reconstruction
*I had not eaten since 8pm the night before, and this is about 11am, so the smile is fake :)

The day after the reconstruction

One week after the reconstruction...1/3 of stitches gone

2 weeks after reconstruction - 2/3 of stitches gone

The day before my 2-week follow up visit, I woke up with a horrible scratching/burning feeling in my eye every time I blinked.  It got much worse after being awake for about an hour, and I was worried something was scratching my eye.  I went in to the doc and turns out one of my stitches had busted through on the inside of my eyelid and was scratching my eye.  Unfortunately, my doctor was off that day, and the one I saw was not comfortable removing those stitches, so I had to deal with it for 27.5 hours...yes, I counted.  It really makes me appreciate the little things...the days that I feel healthy and normal...those are fabulous.  :)

Yesterday I went for my second follow up visit to get some more stitches removed...and she did find and remove the stitch that was scratching me.  I still have about 1/3 of the stitches left, but I am getting there.  For some reason, my eye isn't healing as fast as the doc expected it to...she thinks it is probably because of my current "lifestyle" with having twinfants.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but the top of the closure isn't fully healing back together.  She thinks it will probably close up on its own, but if it doesn't, she will go back in on another surgery and close it.  I am praying it heals itself, because surgery is not all it's cracked up to be.