The Skin I'm In

Although I'm overweight and out of shape, one are of health that always seemed to me a no brainer about prevention is the skin. I've known a few people who've died of skin cancer, including one young woman from collage, and prevention is so easy. Beginning in the early years of my legal career, I saw a fellow named Joe, who shared space with my brother in law Dennis in South Palm Beach County. Joe is a great guy, and he'd check me, and once actually did surgery to remove a pre cancerous lesion from my lower belly. Joe isn't exactly, well, surgeon to Beverly Hills, and he left a scar that looked like I was attacked in a knife fight. In fact, Dr. Dave, my internist at the time, saw it and really didn't believe it was a small mole removal. I didn't care, though -- I didn't plan on trying out for the Chippendales. But after awhile, the schlep for exams grew too ponderous, and I found a dermatologist, Judy, close to home. The problem was Judy became a hot shot in the Botox world, and getting in to see her was tough. So I switched to another woman, this one a gorgeous Orthodox Jew Wifey had seen, but I never saw her. I was a patient for 2 years, and only got as far as her PA. So I gave up on her, too. A friend at Baptist Hospital suggested an old school guy I'll call Mike, since that's his name. He was from Philly -- same high school as my partner Paul, and he was a decidedly unglamorous dude -- skin checks, the rare biopsy, and mole removals for like $100 per. I had the Ds see him, but there was a problem. D2, a stickler for health, noticed his skin cancer exams were very cursory. She and D1 and Wifey had found a young doc I nicknamed Dr. McDreamy -- the son of a prominent neurosurgeon in town. All three of my women had huge crushes on this boyish, charming fellow. But importantly, D2 urged me to switch to him, as his exams were far more detailed and thorough, and plus, as D2 warned, Dr. Mike was "old as fuh" (nearing 70) and just not that careful any more. I scoffed, and dutifully went for my 6 month visits. Dr. Mike and I compared notes on kids, and long term marriages, and trips. I asked him about a growth on my nose, which never seemed to heal. He said not to worry. But it really never healed, and finally I decided to see Dr. McDreamy. Well, I saw right away why my women would leave me and their fiance and boyfriend for him. I may be seen as a usually nice guy -- this fellow was charming beyond belief. And, despite going to Princeton and Northwestern Med, he was a HUGE Canes fan -- we chatted for 15 minutes about the upcoming season. His best friend from Ransom High and he traveled to an away game each year -- just like my friends and I do. I was hooked. He agreed that the nose thing was nothing, but saw a few spots on the left side of my forehead, and took biopsies. Sure enough, he called a week later, using his first name (I momentarily thought he was a sales guy before realizing who he was) to tell me two of the spots were early basal cell cancers. Not too much to worry he said, these almost never spread and become fatal -- but they do grow, and having to remove them leaves some nasty disfigurement. He prescribed Mohs surgery, which removes the thinnest possible amount of skin, while getting the bad stuff out. He didn't do it, but referred me to a woman named Alysa who does. I had met her socially through my friend Pat a few years ago -- most impressive young surgeon. Her office called right away, and in a few hours I go under her very small scalpel. So the Ds were exactly right! You really do have to fine the right dermatologist -- and as D1 noted, a young, aggressive one. Dr. Mike is nearing retirement. After literally tens of thousands of exams -- can you really be as thorough as a guy in his late 30s? In the case of my derms, no. I asked Dr. McDreamy if my lesions were probably detectable 4 months before, when I had my last exam. He laughed and said "David -- we're both huge football fans. What's the point of Monday morning quarterbacking?" As I said, a charming and very sharp young fellow. So I plan to really pay more attention to the younger and smarter. We geezers can teach, and probably ought to get the hell out of the way. But Dr. Mike DID always urge sunscreen, a suggestion I ignored. Maybe after this am's slicing, I'll start following that advice.