It did not stop him. Armed with a canister of Liquid Nitrogen he started squirting. First it was under my eye, then on the side of my face. I just went there to check on a very tiny barely visible wart-like spot on my face that had appeared in the last two or three months. I thought it would be good to check on it while it was still very small, about the diameter of the graphite center of a #2 pencil. That spot turned out to be something with a scary name, Seborrheic Keratoses. Of course, it is something that usually comes with age. It is of no consequence, not at all dangerous, just in a location that warranted a quick removal by freezing it. By the way, that treatment really stings.
What was surprising was that he spotted another very small area that I couldn’t see, even with a mirror. I could feel that it was a little rough area on the side of my face at about eye level. I guess it is good that the visible spot got me to the Dermatologist. I would never have discovered the one on the side of my face, at least not until it was much bigger and more obvious, had I not come in for the tiny spot that was visible on the front of my face. That rough spot is called an Acetinic Keratoses. It is a dry scaly patch that is considered the earliest stage in the development of a skin cancer. At this stage it also was easily treated with another assault by the squirting canister of stinging liquid nitrogen. When I was young, sunscreen hadn’t yet been invented, or if it had, its use was not very common.
Gratefully, at my age whatever visual evidence is left after the squirted spots have healed will not have much effect on this face. It will still be 68, soon to be 69 years old, wrinkled and covered with mostly white hairs. I had best take off my list the career in television or modeling skin products for men (if there are such things).
After coming from having been attacked with the liquid nitrogen, I stopped by the Flying Monkey for a treat. What a treat it was! Not only was there the usual wonderful pour-over cup of coffee but two impossibly good creations of Chef Jamie. I had a cup of white chicken chili that had rich flavors, spices that captured my palate. Along with it came bread made that morning with corn meal and chili’s that had been sent to him from a spot in Mexico that Jamie called the Napa Valley of chili peppers. If that wasn’t enough, I was treated to part of a piece of fudge made with gourmet chocolate, espresso and English Walnuts. I forgot about the stinging on my face.
After I got home Mate Lawrie from Australia used Skype to give me an update on Eleanor, for whom we have been praying. Eleanor is an 18 month old with an extremely rare form of Leukemia. The doctors have been giving her chemotherapy since no bone marrow match has yet been found. There is a sort of good news/bad news update. The good news is that the chemotherapy so far is working very well, well enough to take her off the list for a bone marrow transplant. The bad news is that most of the few with that rare form of Leukemia have died even after transplants. Continued prayers are needed.
On a lighter note, since it was again a Saturday morning in Canberra (Friday afternoon here), I asked Lawrie if he had ironed the morning paper yet. He walked out of view and returned with the huge Sydney paper, neatly folded and ironed. It just makes me laugh. After our conversation, he was going to head outside to do some odds and ends of work in the vegetable garden. It still seems strange to be talking to someone who is in the middle of summer, although it barely seems like winter here with the mild weather.
In the next post I plan to do an update on the writing project (still not actually begun). I spent about an hour on the phone with a very successful Writer friend, getting some counsel. Now as suggested, I need to do some reading before going to bed.
LOL, I have so many of those spots on my face and arms that it is a regular part of my health care. I do not find it painful at all and I sometimes get as many as 20 and more removed at the time. They start as little tiny red dots and since I am so fair they are easily seen. The most painful part is that I have to remove all of my makeup so she can get a good look at my face. And yes, we knew little about sun screen. In fact down south we used baby oil mixed with idione if we used anything and I grew up on the shore. I also spent 28 years driving back and forth everyday into the sun. I have more on my left side than my right. Maybe someday you will have to shave your face clean and let everyone see Pete, the boy.
Thanks Peter for another interesting blog… really good to have a chat and to the people who view this blog many thanks for your thoughts for Eleanor. I really appreciate it as not only does she have an incredible loving and supporting family but one that truly is now worldwide and multi denominational. Will keep you posted but at this stage chemo is working well. I hope to see her when I am in the UK in April.
As for the ironed paper.. well yes Peter , papers were duly ironed, presented to “she who must be obeyed” and tea was made with warmed cup and pen ready for the sudoku…. plus the tissues out of the box placed next to paper ready for use if required.
Another thing Peter could not get over is our lovely game of cricket. Whilst there are three forms of the game I prefer ” Test Cricket” .. this is between countries and we usually have 3 – 4 tests, each 5 days in length, each day having play from 10.30 in the morning till 5.30 in the afternoon with a short break for lunch and afternoon tea. There is the shorter version that starts at 2pm and ends about 10 pm and the even shorter verson of about 4 hrs. I prefer the real cricket, test cricket…. I do accept that I can no longer criticise the length of play of American football….
Next time you come down under Peter, make it in the summer and I will shout you a day at the cricket… This time it is cold drinks, sandwiches (I like vegemite and cheese) and the odd glass of cold lager (for hydration).
Also was interested in Peter’s comments on skin cancers.. a terrible Australian fact is that I think we lead the world in melanomas… Getting your skin cancers frozen to an australian male from the age of 45 years on is sadly an annual event. I only hope our next generation who have had years of sunscreen do not have this risk.
Signing off I do thank Peter and all his friends including the people who read this blof for thinking of my relation Eleanor in the UK, 18 months old and a lifetime ahead for this lovely little girl.
Thanks so much
Lawrie from Australia
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