Dermatologist

View of Edgartown Harbor from Our Restaurant

Again, another long absence before updating this blog.  I have no real excuse, although I spent most of last week sailing with my friend, Lew.  We sailed to Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard on his 35-foot Cape Dory boat and then on to Cuttyhunk.  It was a wonderful, relaxing time, as usual. The sailing, company, and culinary experiences were delightful.  Now that I am no longer competing in Block Island Race Week, as I have for the past 20 plus years, it is just delightful to be on a sail boat with a good friend and experience the water, winds, and tides.  It's confronting nature at its best (and sometimes worst), which makes it a primeval experience.  The uncertainty always keeps you on your toes.  I also have to say that nothing quite compares with eating fresh-caught grilled swordfish while watching the sun set over the harbor.  These are life experiences that I will never forget.

Unfortunately, because  I was sailing, I missed the seminar sponsored by the MMRF last Saturday, where Paul Richardson was espousing on all the recent advances in MM therapies.  While I'm sorry that I missed it, I also think that I am pretty up to date with the current status of MM research and treatment options.  I'm sure I would have learned something new, but I don't think I've missed any of the important new developments either.  I do try to keep up with the latest news on this.

Last week I went to the Farber for my monthly checkup, and I'm pleased to say that everything is still on track.  This is now my 38th cycle on maintenance therapy with Rev.  This was supposed to be the last cycle of my clinical trial, but I know I'm supposed to be extended for another 3 years.  My nurse, Kristen, said that they are still working on getting the paperwork together for me to sign the consent form for me to continue on to the new clinical trial.  I'm glad I brought this issue to their attention a couple of months ago, but they still haven't gotten their act together on this.  I'm sure it will work out somehow.  Paul Richardson will not let paperwork get in the way of my treatment.  I expect a smooth transition.

Today I had an appointment with my dermatologist, Dr. Reohr.  I knew there was a problem, since I have had a scaly growth on my forehead for the last couple of months.  She zeroed right in on it, and said it is either a cyst or possibly a squamous cell cancer.  She took a biopsy and stitched it up.  I have to go back next week to find out the results and get the stitch out.  I also had about 15 actinic keratoses, mostly on my face, which are pre-cancerous growths.  She treated these with spraying liquid nitrogen on them.  That wasn't a lot of fun.  For the next week or so, I'll look like I've been in a prize fight.  She wanted me to set up an appointment to come back in a year, but with all of this happening, I told her I want to come back in 6 months, so that's what I'm going to do.

Today was my Habitat for Humanity day.  I've been doing a lot of carpentry work since I started this, and I'm having a great time.  Every day is different, and I learn something new each time.  Today, I was helping to install a kitchen counter top.  There was a lot of crawling around on the floor trying to screw things in from awkward angles, but I got it done.  I'm getting a little old for this.  I had to take a nap when I got home.  But it felt good to accomplish something and contribute in a small way to helping other people.