surgery...on a 96 year old woman

Tomorrow my great grandmother has surgery to remove a HUGE basal cell skin cancer on her cheek. She has had it for years and years and has known for years and years that it is indeed cancer. However she decided she didn't like the dermetologist and so decided to ignore it.

Warning...some graphic information is about to follow.

So...withing the last 6 months or so it has taken to bleeding uncontrolably for long periods of time. For awhile she still refused to wear something over it to keep it covered. Gross beyond belief and thank goodness some sense finally kicked in.

So no one really wanted to take her to the new dermotologist that I go to. It was summer so I said I would. The main reason no one wants to take her is because she wants things done her way and complains loudly if it isn't. The other reason is because she wants it done...she wants it done now...and she doesn't want to have any recovery. (LOL OKAY). Another side reason is that she just isn't always very pleasant to be around and usually when we tell her what to do to fix the problem she ignores us anyway.

Now let me explain a little about my great grandmother. She is 96. She still works 4 days a week...full days i might add. She still drives (not at night anymore thank God for that one). And she still lives at home and takes care of herself. For the most part you would NEVER realize this woman was 4 years shy of 100. I don't begrudge her any of this. Honestly most people are wowed by her including me. However, she doesn't see it this way. All she sees is that she can't walk as fast or as long as she did 50 years ago. Last time she did this we were at the doctor's office and I told her that she needed to quit complaining about what she didn't have and spend some time thanking God for what she does. Most people...if they are alive at 96 sure aren't doing what she does. She just rolled her eyes at me. That pissed me off. A big reason I get tired of being with her.

Anyway...she wants them to just cut it off and for her to be instantly fixed. For the most part she will be...she just has to wait for the MASSIVE HOLE in her cheek to heal. She thinks they should just be able to slice a piece of her thigh off and fill in the missing piece. OMG...to begin with that would be talking major surgery which she REFUSES to have. Not to mention the fact that her skin is thin thin thin and that would never work...she would have two slowly healing wounds instead of one.

These people doing the surgery tomorrow have no idea what they are in for. She refuses to go to a hospital or to be "put under". I don't blame her on the being "put under" thing. I don't relish that idea either. She thinks she will never wake up if they do put her under...which is always a concern. Instead they are giving her this medicine that I had when I had my colonoscopy. You are awake and completely coherent but you don't remember any of it. That is the best drug around. I wish I could have it every time I went to the dentist. Can you imagine KNOWING that they were cutting on your face for up to 8 hours? Holy Crap.

Thank goodness this is only supposed to take one day. For her, for my mom, my aunt, and for the rest of the family we couldn't take it if it was going to take longer. Tonight she called my mom asking if maybe there was another option we could persue. Mom told her no. And there isn't. Either she gets it cut off or it will stay there and continue to gross out the whole family.

So anyway....as you go through your day tomorrow...if you spare a moment pray for my mom. She will need it as she is the one in charge of this. If they had let me start earlier this year I could have dealt with it all and it would be over.

Oh yeah...the reason I was put in charge. I was the only one who would just do it. I ask questions...tons and tons of questions. I am blunt and I don't care if my great grandmother gets mad at me. The way I see it....she will get over it. And besides....she wants us to fix the problem so she WILL do what we tell her and what the doctors tell her....other wise it is a waste of my time, her time, and everyone else's time.

Okay...almost 10pm. Time for bed!