Cast Off! - 20 more stitches

Moving my hand feels so good!

This week was a good and bad week for me. I just got my cast off this morning, which is great! The x-ray shows the bone healing well. It's not 100% yet, but at least I can use my hand again. I only had the cast for 3 weeks, which is by far the shortest time I've ever had a cast on my body. Granted the bone isn't fully healed, but it should be by the time Sea Otter rolls around.

Zombie? Nope, just a rotting hand. A few days of good scrubbing and it will be all gone.

So yes, cast off, great deal. Now the 20 stitches thing. A couple of years ago, Ruth was looking at my back and noticed a mole that she said was a little strange. I brushed it off as nothing. She would bring it up every few months and I kept brushing it off. I couldn't see it, so I wasn't worried about it. Finally, Ruth decided to just make me an appointment with a dermatologist. I went in a for an exam in March and they removed the mole and sent it off to the lab. I got a call a few days ago saying the lab results were in and that the mole came back as pre-cancerous and contained irregular cells.

I had to go back to the dermatologist this week and have an excision. Basically, they removed the mole the first time, but want to make sure they get all of the cells. In order to do that, they cut a bigger hole in my back. I've got 20 stitches holding it back together. It's nothing to worry about and I'll be back riding shortly, but I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy, or bend or exercise for the next 2 weeks until I get the stitches out for fear of ripping them out. (Some of the stitches are internal, which is why the doctor is concerned with ripping them out)

Not me, but generic Google picture of a small excision.

The doctor told me I should have a yearly examine and now I need to be really cautious for future issues. If you're wondering about what to look for, click here.  Basically, listen to your wife, or at least inspect yourself. Cancer isn't something to mess around with and it doesn't take long to check for any issues.

 Everything should be healed and good to go by Sea Otter. I'm excited to get back on the bike and I can't wait to start ripping turns again. Thanks for everyone hanging in there, I'll be back shortly! This weekend is the first round of the NW Cup, I'll be out cheering on Charlie and running the Diamondback pit, so swing by!

-KT