Thursday, April 16, 2009

More and Melanoma

There was one other thing I forgot to mention in prior response....I guess I don't feel that Dad's alzheimers/dementia has deteriorated since his arrival here. To me, he is more talkative, responsive, and uses more complete sentences than what I recalled, but I'm sure it's a much different perspective when being with him every day versus seeing him on an occasional visit. I'll be very interested to hear what Cathy thinks when she sees him on her upcoming visit.

Dad had the "Mohs" Surgery on his melanoma yesterday (right cheek.) The process involves cutting the area, sending Dad back to waiting room, testing the margins to ensure they've taken enough, and repeating until they have. In Dad's case, it took two times. He came home with a big bandage on his right cheek. Today, the bag under his right eye is bruised, which according to the paperwork is normal. The big bandage has been removed, and there is tape-type bandage on the sutures/cut. He doesn't seem to be experiencing any real pain, but was certainly very tired yesterday, especially considering he had to wake up at 6am in order to be at the office by 7:45. He got to bed around 8:15pm last night, and slept well. He has a follow up next Wednesday, and then we will see when they want to schedule removal of the squaemous cell cancer (right forehead). I think they've said that surgery is more complex, probably because Dad has such tight skin in that area.

1 comment:

Catherine said...

I am not sure that deteriorating is the right word, I would say that the illness hasn's gotten more pronounced. I do think that Dad must enjoy being around more people instead of just a caregiver and himself most of the time Possibly he was going through some depression while living at Homestead Hills, due to Mom's death and other factors?



But I do think the illness is bound to get worse sooner or later, as his brain continues to shrink.