[Magdalen] Two, two maladies for the price of one visit!

[M J _Mike_ Logsdon]

(Hello, Sally!  Giveaway over, full story begins now.)

Yesterday's trip to Stanford Dermatology Clinic yielded surprising results.  First, it most likely isn't Pyoderma gangrenosum, but Cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis, an inflamation of the veinous system which often results in ulcers very similar to Pyoderma g.  It was determined the previous biopsy taken IN the wound was the wrong place, but rather should have been on a fresh eruption that had yet to break the skin, which they did yesterday (biopsy #1).  Holding pattern treatment?  Oh what joy!  (Really.)  Plain ol' vaseline with non-stick pad and bandage.  Sticking gauze a thing of the past!  I went to CVS last night and bought several jars of it.  Yay!

But what really got their attention (attending physician + supervising specialist) was (ahem) the rest of my body.  For what could be 8 years or 25 years, I'm not at all sure, an "indolent" rash has existed on my thighs, torso, and back (and for a while on my arms, but long since gone from there, and maybe on my head under my hair and beard).  So indolent, in fact, that it settled into a virtually non-noticeable state, noticeable primarily during times of dry, cold weather when I'd itch like a mother, and then forget about it again for weeks, months, etc.  They are pretty sure the three (ONE, TWO, THREE) biopsies they took (stick, cookie cutter punch, peel, sew, bandage, yay) will yield --- lymphoma of the skin.  I've been scratching the hell out of my very own personal cancer.  Gawd.  I even instinctively went to scratch yesterday on the way down to the lab for the blood suck, only to realise at the last moment I was reaching to dig precisely at the places they'd biopsied me.  Jesus.

I go back in two weeks for the stitching to be removed, and discuss further what results they call me about in a few days.  The friend who was going to take me yesterday had a car accident just hours before she was to pick me up, so Anna took me.  Same pecking order in two weeks:  friend, then Anna if needed.  (My day with Anna was actually rather pleasant.  Time may not exactly re-create marriages, but it can heal old grievances.  We even talked extensively about AA and our journeys.  A far cry from 20 years ago when all I got was constant carping.  Oh well; carping diem.)

So, I took today off from from work, claiming the need to sleep and sneak quietly away from intense soreness before landing in my office chair once again.  Even Ev benefitted, because I didn't have what it took to take him to and from school.  Holiday for all.  (Or two, that is.)

I should add that the head doc honcho was very clear when he said that the vasculitis and the lymphoma are totally and completely separate things.  I put the best Rebecca of Stanfordbrook Farm smile on my face and said, "Great!"