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Go see a doctor for an annual physical exam

Posted 10-22-2008 at 10:44 PM by Bill Ball
Updated 10-23-2008 at 12:46 AM by Bill Ball
I'm a trained health professional, (Pharm.D.: Doctor of Pharmacy) and worked in a university teaching hospital on the wards, rounding every day with the medical team for 10 years before I jumped into the drug industry for another 20 years. I worked in the area of oncology and oncology drugs.

You'd think I'd go to the doctor once in a while for a check up. BUT I've always been healthy as a horse and never felt the need, even though I should have known better. Never hospitalized, never taken any drugs for anything. I had physicals a few times when required while getting a new job, but I hadn't had a regular doctor visit in well over 10 years.

I decided recently to get my deviated septum repaired so I could breath through my nose, and part of the pre-op preparation was an EKG. A general practitioner MD I had never met before examined me before the EKG. While listening to my heart and lungs she noticed two "suspicious" moles on my shoulder and referred me to a dermatologist. I followed her orders expecting nothing to come of it. I've had moles on my back my whole life.

It surprised me when the dermatologist insisted on biopsying them. Lo and behold, the pathology report came back melanoma. I probably don't need to tell you that this is one of the most frightening diagnoses you can get. BUT, good news, the dermatologist said it was melanoma in situ, and reassured me that this is essentially 100% curable (he said 99.9%) by surgery alone, as it is localized disease. Interestingly, I had two melanomas about an inch apart. So, I ended up with 3" long by 1" wide by ?" deep section taken out of my shoulder 2 weeks ago. Path came back all good except there was an area where the margin was only 1mm disease-free - too close for comfort as a 5mm margin is the standard. So, today I went back and had another 10mm wide by 3" long chunk removed. The dermatologist said this was not urgent, but I wanted it over with. We still need to wait for the path results to be absolutely certain, but the dermatologist said I am disease-free.

So, a community doctor, Mary Lowen, that I saw almost by accident, saved my life. It's not clear how long it would have been before the melanoma would have spread and become a death sentence. We're all going to die, but I was expecting many more good years ahead and melanoma is not a way I would like to go. And now, thanks to a conscientious doctor, I dodged that bullet. I owe her BIGTIME. I'm trying to think of a good way to show her my appreciation. Telling this story, if it gets one of you to go to see a doctor after many years, like me, is a good start.

Go see a doctor for an annual physical exam.
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Thanks for posting Bill. I'm thinking it's probably been about 10 years or more since I've had a physical (ER to get a 10 penny nail removed from my finger doesn't count, right? )

Probably ought to get that done.
Posted 11-05-2008 at 01:52 PM by Mike Frye Mike Frye is offline
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Yeah, Mike, it would make me feel good if you did that. BTW, the final pathology came back all clear, so melanoma is not going to get me this time. Now, that the stictches are out, I'm back to wrenching again.
Posted 11-14-2008 at 04:07 AM by Bill Ball Bill Ball is offline
 
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