Pirates Attack Creola: The Mac Attack

Continued from- FedEx Is Fast...Right?,

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Warning: This Blog Contains Photos That Might Be Sickening

Or Offensive To Sensitive Stomachs,

AND The Lesson Is An Important One

Through the doors of the lobby of St. Luke's Medical Center, Manila, Philippines, (the only hospital in my experience with a grand piano in the lobby and various pianists to actually play it), came the "good news" that the diagnosis of malignant melanoma had been "CONFIRMED," the Mac Attack Surgery could begin.

Dr. Uygonco, the oncological surgeon, and Dr Sibulo, the plastic surgeon, took charge. Dr. Melvin Sibulo and Linda enjoy a laugh.

Of course, in the behind the doors of the Cancer Institute was Dr. Gorospe leading the charge in her magical slippers. Photo to come

The strategy with melanoma is to cut it out of the skin. The surgeon finds the lesion and takes out his handy-dandy pen and draws a circle around it so that has a distance of at least 2 cm away. This is where he/she plans to carve away. Of course, she/he must get at least 2 cm of flesh beneath the lesion, too, so sometimes you have to cut DEEP and WIDE. The margins must "Be Clear of Disease."

Lesson: Catch a melanoma before it gets big, so they can "excise" it easily and without it getting so big that it might spread to some distant place in your body you don't want it to be.

This melanoma got too big for its britches so "excision" was about the size of a small quarter-pounder (no cheese, lots of secret sauce). Thus the Mac Attack. Thank you Dr. Sibulo, you did a great job of making of hole disappear.

But if you ever think you have it bad, check out this little boy building sand castles on the polluted beach of Manila Harbor. I am sorry for two disturbing views in a row.

The post-operative care was excellent. This is Miguel. He is not only tall and handsome, but a commensurate professional nurse. Someone has developed an excellent nurse-preparation program in Manila.

Wherever you are in the world it is the people that make the difference in what you expereince. St. Luke's has a wonderful collection of people that you make your stay positive and enjoyable.

Steph and Linda "enjoyed" caring for Bill at St. Luke's. (left) Chris, Bill's very own Customer Care Officer smiling because Bill had finally been released! (right) A hardy to thanks to both of you.

Tricia, Linda's Customer Care Officer, often assisted with challenges that both of us presented. She provided absolutely wonderful support, even checking in me on her one day off. We cannot thank you enough.

Dermatology contributed, too. Removing a basal cell carcinoma from my forehead that had grown back from its laser destruction in Panama City two years ago and identifying other curious skin irregularities as not harmful. Yeah...good news.