Thursday, June 16, 2011

Rx: Effing Efudex

    The day I've been dreading has finally arrived. My annual dermatologist appointment resulted in a prescription for chemotherapy cream to remove all the pre-cancer spots on my face. This means at least three weeks of swelling, scaling, scabbing, scarlet skin and other unpleasant 'S' words I haven't thought of yet. I won't post them here, but if you Google 'efudex' images you'll see what I'm in for. The trick is, the doc said, to come up with 3-4 weeks when my contact with the public will be minimal. I said, "I'm a merchants association director, not a freaking grizzly bear!!"
   There is a silver lining: A scientific study showed most people who go through this horror wind up with smoother skin and fewer wrinkles. So, there's that.

7 comments:

Marguerite said...

They gave it the right name. Sorry you have to deal with the after effects. Sunscreen has been in the health news lately. Seems there is not much regulation on them and naturally some are proving to be bogus on their claims of protection. European brands seem better choices b/c of stricter laws on otc products. Did your Derm mention any of this?

Cathy Hamilton said...

I know! The name is almost as fitting as Weiner's! My dr. did not tell me about the sunscreen controversy. What I use is built-in to my Clinique tinted moisturizer (SPF 30), so who knows if it's even in there! He did say my nose was remarkably free of damage and, though it blistered and peeled every summer of my childhood, I did wear a lot of zinc oxide and something called Noz-Coat (sp??)

Carol Starr Schneider said...

Effin' Efudex. Apt name. Sorry, BG... But may your face turn soft and smooth as a baby's tushy. xxx

Annie said...

Sorry you have to go through that but it sounds like it is positive future outlook for your skin and health. Remember, you are a delightful person and people aren't visiting to look at your skin.
The whole bear and hibernation thing is just funny. Don't doctors realize we live in the public not under a rock like in the Geiko commercials?

Cathy Hamilton said...

Thanks to you guys, and others who have offered moral support offline. (Annie, I love the Geiko commercial!) I've been advised to wait until fall - summer heat increases the "discomfort", I'm told - and am now thinking it might be good to do around Halloween!

CZ said...

Oh my. Take care!

Carol Starr Schneider said...

Smart to wait till fall. That makes such sense. xxx

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