Update on Eyelid cancer.
The Drs have this process down to an art. Last Thursday Dr. Sorace removed the cancerous portion of my eyelid using the Mohs procedure. He removed some of the lid and biopsied it while I waited in the waiting area. I was called back a second and a third time until my margins showed no cancerous cells.
He placed a large opaque lens on my eye to insure that no damage was done to my eyeball. This lens, which was more like cardboard, stayed in the whole time. This really irritated my eye. The ONLY time I felt any pain was the second time I went back. That nurse went a little deep into my eyelid with the shot to deaden it and I yelped like a little puppy. Each time I went back they gave me another shot in my eyelid to deaden it some more. My eye was really irritated that night because most on the cancer cells he removed were underneath my eyelid. Dr. told me to keep my eye closed the rest of the day and night. Impossible.
The next morning I had my eyelid repaired by Dr. DeBacker. Both Drs. were nice guys and followed up with me within 24 hours. I was under general anesthesia for the repair work. Sorace had cut out a square from the bottom of my eyelid up into the middle of my lid so it was an easy fix for DeBacker. I still have a string going through my upper lid that is stitched to my eyebrow. This will hold the lid in place for it to heal, otherwise the lid would droop apparently. Next Wednesday I get that stitch out as well as the stitches in my eyelid that were used to bring my eyelid back together. I never saw my eye after the Thursday work because it was bandaged when we left but my wife came back to get instructions. When she walked in my eyes were shut but she could still see my right eyeball because of the hole in the lid. Sort of freaked her out.
Not a process I want to go through again but really not bad either. No pain just a very irritated and tender eye. Was impressed with both Drs. Eye is still swollen but hopefully by next Wednesday when I get stitches removed it will be more normal. We then fly out to Vegas for 4 nights! Will be good to get away.
Just this morning I talked to a friend in the scientific field and was telling her about this. She attributes eyelid cancer to wearing contacts for decades. Her theory is something had to be introduced to the lid for there to be cancer there, especially cancer under the eyelid. The solutions, in her opinion, were the cause. In the last week I have talked to 2 other friends who have had eyelid cancer. Both of them wore contacts for decades, as did I. Interesting.
