I had reason recently to need medical attention.
At my annual skin checkup, they tested two spots that were found :
One was basal cell cancer, the other was melanoma..... small scrapes off my back for biopsy.
The melanoma rule is that over 1mm is considered dangerous
Don't ask me why .9999mm and 1.00001mm differ.... an arbitrary number, I suppose.
Mine was 1.22mm
This happened in the US...... I was already here (RD) when the results came.
I hemmed and hawed about seeing the doctor in May when i return.
He blasted me (known him for years) and said - NOW!!
You need a surgical oncologist and a sentinel node biopsy.
Sentinel node biopsy involves injecting a dye and tracking it to the nearest lymph node.
Then remove and biopsy that node.
If malignant - follow to the next and repeat- and so on.
Through DR1 , I was referred to a dermatologist to remove the affected skin and biopsy it further.
Six stitches for each removal and a negative biopsy report..... nada, zero cancer.
Of course, I'm ready to walk at this point.
I call back to my US doctor and back him up with my Cdn one.
Both yell back about the sentinel node biopsy.
OK,
My dermatologist forwards me to the surg/oncol guy.
He sees me and sends me for a 'gamagraphia'..... like immediately....
Point here is that all this happens so smoothly & quickly in RD.....
Canada? Never fast.
Gamagraphia is nuclear.... radioactive dye and a full body scan.... not invasive and not costly.
A $5million machine....... The imaging center i used was CIMEN in STI
The scan covers every organ in your body.
Clean , I am ......... and all done in a flash.
Not to say the waiting period isn't fraught with demons (my brother died of Lymphoma) but all in all, relatively painless.
RD has some excellent doctors, facilities and equipment.
I strongly doubt that my Cdn hospital has a Gamma Scanner.... I will check.
For anyone interested, the dermatologist is listed in the residents' forum.... Dra Yunen.
If I can steer anybody to help..... I'm happy to help.......... as i was helped.
Thank you HB.
At my annual skin checkup, they tested two spots that were found :
One was basal cell cancer, the other was melanoma..... small scrapes off my back for biopsy.
The melanoma rule is that over 1mm is considered dangerous
Don't ask me why .9999mm and 1.00001mm differ.... an arbitrary number, I suppose.
Mine was 1.22mm
This happened in the US...... I was already here (RD) when the results came.
I hemmed and hawed about seeing the doctor in May when i return.
He blasted me (known him for years) and said - NOW!!
You need a surgical oncologist and a sentinel node biopsy.
Sentinel node biopsy involves injecting a dye and tracking it to the nearest lymph node.
Then remove and biopsy that node.
If malignant - follow to the next and repeat- and so on.
Through DR1 , I was referred to a dermatologist to remove the affected skin and biopsy it further.
Six stitches for each removal and a negative biopsy report..... nada, zero cancer.
Of course, I'm ready to walk at this point.
I call back to my US doctor and back him up with my Cdn one.
Both yell back about the sentinel node biopsy.
OK,
My dermatologist forwards me to the surg/oncol guy.
He sees me and sends me for a 'gamagraphia'..... like immediately....
Point here is that all this happens so smoothly & quickly in RD.....
Canada? Never fast.
Gamagraphia is nuclear.... radioactive dye and a full body scan.... not invasive and not costly.
A $5million machine....... The imaging center i used was CIMEN in STI
The scan covers every organ in your body.
Clean , I am ......... and all done in a flash.
Not to say the waiting period isn't fraught with demons (my brother died of Lymphoma) but all in all, relatively painless.
RD has some excellent doctors, facilities and equipment.
I strongly doubt that my Cdn hospital has a Gamma Scanner.... I will check.
For anyone interested, the dermatologist is listed in the residents' forum.... Dra Yunen.
If I can steer anybody to help..... I'm happy to help.......... as i was helped.
Thank you HB.