5. Leg, France & Leg again!

Backtracking slightly – when I met with the Dermatolist Nurse Daisy on the Tuesday & had my back operated on she looked at a mole I had on my leg that was quite large “we need to take that off” said she…and so they do…
On Monday 8th July I go into Gloucester again and have a “medium” margin taken off from around my leg mole – it is just above my knee on my inside thigh.
I am told to do no exercise & to take it easy because this could split easier than the back scar.
This new scar is about 3cm long – not that big – but it impacts on me in a greater way than my back did. I hate not being as mobile as I would like – I hate walking with a limp – it suddenly “tells people” I am unwell whereas up until now other than family and our immediate close friends very few people know. I have to confess to doing too much – I think I was worried about how my poorlyness was impacting upon work (I work full time) – my boss had been supportive and understanding with time off for surgeries & appointments – but I couldn’t see him allowing days off for a small cut on my leg.
I hate the children seeing me poorly again – their faces when they see my scar. The sigh of relief when they see that it is healing & express joyfully “mummy is ok – she isn’t going to die her back / leg is getting better”…I know they are little and it is hard to process. I don’t want them to have to know – I don’t want their precious innocence taken away.
Anyway – enough of the maudlin we have a Holiday to go on. The stitches are supposed to stay in 10 days – we are due to fly on the 18th – so Wednesday night the stitches come out of my leg. The nurse thinks it has only just knitted together & hands me a wadge of butterfly stitches just to give it extra strength.20130723_103737
So the 4 of us head off to France to visit my family – the holiday itself was heavenly – the sun shone, the children smiled & laughed & played. 20130724_173703We saw my brother & his girlfriends new house, met their dog. We swam, we ate, we drank – we visited Arcachon & the Dune Pyla sur Mer which was phenomenal and worth a visit.
My leg was not in fairness given the respect it deserved – the air cabin pressure of the flights and the constant movement caused it to start to peek open – only slightly – but slightly was enough when you add Pool Water, Lake Water & Sea Water into the mix….cue the start of an infection. I know I should have stayed out of the water – but the dinkies had been so excited by the holiday & by the idea of swimming & playing with mummy – I have to confess I put their enjoyment and mine before my health & you know what – I would do it again!
So – we get back on Thursday 26th we fly back & get home at about midday. Literally 1 hour after walking in the front door Daisy calls….it’s bad news – my Leg is also a Melanoma & they need to take more tissue to make sure they have it all.
To be honest – I think I was expecting it – I think I knew that it was also going to be bad & I am disappointed – but if it makes any sense I am more disappointed because it means that once again I will be immobile – once again I cannot live my normal life with my normal routines and exercise. This time I need to treat this scar with more respect….I promise!
But on the plus side I am told that in all the hoopla that Gloucester have finally persuaded Stroud to book me in for Mole Mapping……something I have been waiting for since October 2012!