Basal Cell Carcinoma - My Story

Now that the sun is shining and summer is just around the corner, I decided that it was time to post this message.This post is especially for all the fair to medium skinned, blond or brunette, blue or green eyed people out there. And I'm warning you, it won't be pretty, but it could save you a lot of pain. Don't worry there won't be anything bloody or gory. 

As a teenager I loved to lay out in the sun and get a "Tan" every summer, the darker the better! That was kind of the main activity of the summer, tanning. Not just regular laying out in the sun, but slathering ourselves with baby oil so that it would "burn" and then turn into a tan. Yeah, I was one of those teens in the 70's. And part of the 80's when I was no longer a teen. During the early 80's I started taking care of my skin. I happened to be talking to my grandmother and one of her friends that were in their late 70's then and still had beautiful skin. They both gave me their lists of things that they had done to keep their skin soft and smooth with few wrinkles. I started on that course immediately, following almost everything they said and have continued through the years. I have used SPF 50 on my face since I moved to southern California years ago, and when I'm in the pool I have always worn a big floppy hat to keep the sun off my face. All of this has been to try to keep the skin has healthy as possible.

Around the fall of 2007, I noticed a very small bump on my forehead and wondered what I had done. I figured I must have burned myself with a curling iron and it would go away. A couple weeks would go by and I would notice it again and wonder what it was. Sometimes it would puff up a little and then it would go back down to it's regular size so it was easy to ignore it. It was flesh colored and looked like a small water blister. Around early Spring of 2008, I mentioned it to my stylist and she said she had noticed it and that I should get it checked out by a dermatologist. I thought about that for a while, expecting that I would make an appointment but I kept putting it off.

During that summer, it changed a little bit. It got a little bigger and it would puff up about every other week. To make matters worse, I kept accidentally scraping the top off and it would bleed quite a bit, but the skin would cover it up again. I started wondering what it was, so I looked on the American Cancer Society website and I didn't see anything that looked like what I had on my forehead. Around June or July, I asked my stylist if she thought it had changed. She thought that it looked a little different and again encouraged me to get it checked. I told her that I had looked at all kinds of skin cancers on line and it didn't look like anything that I had seen. 

By the end of the summer, it wasn't healing up and if it got poked, it really hurt. I started to wear a little bandage over it so it wouldn't hurt it and I even had my stylist cut some bangs. By August, I decided that I was ready to see the dermatologist so I called to make an appointment. I was told that the first available appointment wasn't until the end of October. I actually started to panic then. I had no idea that I would have to wait so long to see the doctor. 

Twelve weeks later, it was finally time for my appointment. The doctor used a  magnified blue light head piece and looked at the skin on my face. He then took a knife and scraped down into the  sore on my forehead for a biopsy. I told him that I would be surprised if anything came back positive for skin cancer because I have shielded my face from the sun for over 25 years. He asked me if I tanned or burned when I was a teenager or in my twenties. I had to say yes, I had done that. We purposely burned because we thought you got a better tan from burning first. He then said, Basil Cell Carcinoma is something that comes in "middle age" due to the skin damage when we were young! Wow, that was not good news .

They told me that I would be notified by mail of the results. If the test came back negative, I would receive a postcard in the mail telling me that it was negative. End of story. If it came back positive, they would call me to set up another appointment. 

Within the week, I received a postcard in the mail and I was really happy to see it. Sometime later, I looked at the card and actually read what it said. I was in shock because it said that the test was positive for Basal Cell Carcinoma and I needed to call and schedule another appointment. Not only did they make an appointment for me with my dermatologist, they also made an appointment immediately following with a plastic surgeon. Knowing that I had to wait for two more weeks with the cancerous cells continuing to grow, made the days very long. I was very anxious about the whole situation that I had to face!

I just happened to take a picture with my phone before I went in to my appointment. As you can see it is quite small and innocent looking.

The day finally came and my dear hubby drove me to my appointment. I didn't know what to expect, but I was quite anxious about the unknown. There was one other man in the waiting room about my age and as we talked, we were both there for the same reason. We were both on the nervous side of calm. I was the first one called back and the doctor told me that they looked at the skin layers as "Stages." He would cut out the skin around the area, check all of the borders under the microscope to see if the borders were clean. If they weren't, he would go down to Stage 2, and he said that we always hope and expect that it will end there. He said he expected that he would get it all at stage 1. About 15 minutes later he came back to the room and said he had to take go to Stage 2. "Okay," I thought, "That won't be too bad." After all, I couldn't feel a thing, although the noises and smells were not enjoyable!

About 15 minutes later, he came back and said he would have to go to Stage 3. Wow, now I was in shock. The spot on my head was so small and innocent looking, how could this be happening. He finally came back with the results from the third biopsy and said that everything looked good now and all of the borders were clean. He didn't ask me first, but he handed me a mirror to see what he had done. He showed me briefly the different layers he had to go through it get it all out. It was very deep and about the diameter of a ping pong ball. I didn't realize that a forehead had that many layers before you hit the skull. I was in total shock. I could not believe I had ended up with a hole that big in my forehead from that small spot! I was VERY happy that I was on my way to the plastic surgeon to have it fixed.

I was really glad that my dear hubby was there to drive me to my appointment in Laguna Beach with a plastic surgeon. Just before they took me back for my surgery, the man that had shared the waiting room with me at the previous office came in and we compared notes. We both had large wound dressings covering portions of our faces.  

The surgeon assured me that he was the best plastic surgeon around and he would perform his magic on me and I would soon be on my way, good as new! By then, I was ready to get it over with so I could get back to normal life, or so I thought.

There is nothing quite like walking yourself in to a surgery room and laying down on a gurney, willingly. All the gleaming stainless steel, the bright lights, the monitors beeping, the trays with tools and instruments on them. In the past, I have had two surgery's, but I was laying down and drugged up and was being pushed into surgery and all you can really see very clearly is the ceiling! This was so different, it felt like I was in someone else's dream. The contraption that held the needles that would inject the numbing medicine were huge and they really hurt a lot, but after that there was no pain, thankfully. Before he started to repair my forehead, he talked me into letting him remove a "beauty mark." I was in a rather "dazed" state already, so I agreed. He started in on that first and I was starting to feel like I would never get out of there. 

Before he started on my forehead, he told me I was lucky that I ended up with only a hole in my forehead. He said that the man in the waiting room wasn't as lucky as I was. He had lost a large portion of his nose and he was going to have to create a new nose for him with cartilage from his ear, and his surgery would be a long surgery. It was finally over and I was ready to go home. 

Somehow I wasn't prepared for what came next. The rounds of antibiotics, keeping the wound clean and dry, black eyes, swelling, the constant headache, the numbness, and the pain around the wound. I couldn't wash my hair for 5 days! Most of all the pain. The pulling and tugging inside my forehead as it healed. They would have given me some more powerful drugs, but I don't like to take anything stronger than Tylenol. I didn't leave the house for a week and I didn't want to frighten my grandson, so I was missing him very much.

 These pictures were taken a week after my surgery.

I went to see the dermatologist every three months for over a year. He would check my skin with the special head piece that shows more than you can see with the naked eye. I became even more diligent about staying out of the sun and ended up with a serious vitamin D deficiency. My dermatologist told me that he also had a vitamin D deficiency because he stays out of the sun due to all of the skin cancer he sees on a daily/weekly basis here in California. He started me on a vitamin D regiment to get my levels up and my other doctor encouraged me to get a little sun exposure without sunblock. They say that 15 minutes a day without sunblock is safe. I think that is a personal decision. I need to see my dermatologist every year for the rest of my life.

I am writing this and showing you these pictures to try to prevent this from happening to you or someone you love. If I can encourage even one person to check their skin and make sure they don't have something new or unusual, I will be happy. Especially if you fit the profile with fair to medium skin tone, blue or green eyes, or blond or brown hair. Get it checked out. Don't wait. If you don't fit this profile, pass it on to someone that does.

Frozen Chocolate Banana Breeze

I have been thinking about putting together a frozen afternoon treat to enjoy by the pool on a hot day this summer. I wanted it to be low fat, little or no sugar but  satisfying and enjoyable without a sugar rush. That's not asking for much, is it? Last year I bought the Martha Stewart Collection Double Flavor Ice Pop Molds and I filled them with many tasty ingredients, from yogurt and fruit to BBQ Chocolate! This year I wanted something different!

 

A while back I saw Unsweetened Almond Breeze for the first time at our Sprout's Market. My mind started racing with ideas of things I could make. There are 40 calories in an eight ounce serving and has no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. It is smooth and creamy and I knew it would make the perfect base for a frozen treat. I wanted the sweetness to come from a banana and I wanted some chocolate, but I wanted chocolate flavor without added sugar. 

Well, I came up with a frozen treat that I think is great, at least for me. I started out with 1-1/2 cups of the Unsweetened Almond Breeze and to that I added 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract, 1/3 cup of dark unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 smashed bananas. The cocoa powder takes a little time to stir it in because it wants to sit on top of the liquid. Within a couple of minutes it will be completely incorporated. I let it sit for a few minutes after it was all blended and then I added the bananas. 

 I made less mess pouring the liquid using a cream pitcher

Into the freezer

 

  

The possibilities are endless when you have a low calorie/low sugar base. Next time I might add some natural peanut butter to a small amount of the liquid and blend until it starts incorporating. I would start adding more of the liquid, while stirring, a little at a time until all of the liquid is added, making sure it is smooth and not lumpy. 

To use this recipe with dairy and sugar, You can use regular milk in place of the Almond Breeze; you can use 1/2 cup of chocolate chips melted into the milk for the chocolate. You could also add light corn syrup for sweetness and texture.

I'm looking forward to using fresh berries and fruits in the future also. If you haven't tried the Almond Breeze, you really should. It is really good and a great non-dairy product!

Enjoy!

PS  I happened to see the Martha Stewart Double Flavor Pop Molds are 20% off through the Memorial Day Weekend at Macy's. They are very sturdy and user friendly.

Basic Oat and Almond Granola

I have another batch of granola to share. I wanted a granola recipe that is easy to make, takes less than an hour and is as healthy as possible. This is a basic recipe that you can substitute any dried fruit or add any nut you would like. You can also add any flavoring to the liquid mixture. It also makes a smaller batch so that you change your flavors more often. 

I have been wanting to make some granola using Trader Joe's Organic Blue Agave Sweetener instead of honey or maple syrup and Organic Coconut Oil. You can also use maple syrup or honey in place of the agave sweetener and you can use regular cooking oil in place of the coconut oil. Don't be afraid of the coconut oil. It comes in a bottle and in cold weather it will most likely be congealed in the jar, but it scoops out very easily. In hot weather it might be melted in the jar. Either way it is very easy to use. It can be used in place of oil, shortening or butter as a healthier option for most baked goods. 

Enjoy!

The Good Housekeeping Cookbook

This cookbook was the first BIG cookbook that I bought for myself. It was published in MCMLXXIII. It came with a dust jacket but that's been gone for a long time!

I bought it at a B.Dalton book store in Eastport Plaza. I read and paged through this cookbook many times through my early married years...so many times that the pages are loose in some places. I ended up with three favorite recipes from this cookbook that I made over and over; Refrigerator Rolls, Deluxe Cheesecake and Flaky Pastry. It is interesting how so many memories came back as I have looked through these "older" cookbooks. Memories of what I cooked or baked, and who it was for, even though I haven't looked at this recipe for years.

These rolls have turned out perfect every time. I made them many times for family get-togethers, grieving friends/families, new mom's, recuperating friends and everyone always loved them. This was my "go to" recipe because they hold very well, and because it makes a large pan of rolls, 30 to be exact! I bought many of the extra large grocery store aluminum pans to "bake-n-take" these rolls in so that the recipients wouldn't have the job of getting my pans back to me. These rolls sent with a nice warm meal were appreciated and enjoyed many times.

 This is exactly how they turn out!

When we were growing up in Portland, Oregon, it was a real treat to go to Rose's Restaurant and Bakery for a meal or to share a dessert. They have been a Portland institution since 1956. I haven't been there for years but I hope they are still making great food. They had the most amazing desserts and their cheesecakes were one of their signature desserts. Of all the many cheesecakes that I have experimented with over the years, the cheesecake from this recipe was the closest in taste and texture to a Rose's cheesecake. This cheesecake is not for the faint of heart! It takes about a day to make this so I would suggest that you make it the day before you need it. This cake cuts easier if it sits out of the refrigerator for about 30 to 40 minutes.

 This is how the cheesecake looked every time I made it!

 

This is the recipe that I used to make my first pie crust. I probably used this recipe for about 20 years. It is a great flaky pie crust. I followed these steps right out of the book: 

Secrets of Flaky Pastry

1. Cut in shortening until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2. Roll dough from center to edges, in all directions, keeping circle even.

3. Roll dough on to rolling pin, then center it over pie plate and unroll it carefully onto plate.

 

 

I needed a refresher course on roman numerals. This cookbook was published in 1973.

Enjoy!

Gold Medal Century of Success Cookbook

Today I have some more "older" recipes. I don't remember where or when I got this cookbook, but the pages are well-worn with food spots, and the cookbook automatically opens up to the most-used pages. 

I guess it doesn't look too bad for a 31 year-old cookbook

I have made many other cinnamon roll recipes since then, but this is the first cinnamon roll I baked. I have been asked for my cinnamon roll and orange roll recipes so I'm posting them and a couple more too.

I had to laugh when I read the comment at the bottom of the page, "This is an updated version of the sticky buns so popular with 17th-century Pennsylvania Dutch settlers. It calls for an overnight rising of the shaped rolls in the refrigerator...an easy way to serve hot, homemade rolls for breakfast." I wonder what they would say now?

The following recipe is for Overnight Caramel Pecan Rolls and Overnight Cinnamon Rolls. They each make two dozen rolls.

 These are gooey and sticky rolls

This recipe is for a Sweet Roll Dough with three variations of sweet rolls; Orange Rolls, Cinnamon Twists and Hungarian Coffee Cake. 

 Our family favorite was the Orange Rolls

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Brown Sugar Snack Cake with Cherry Rhubarb Swirl

I decided I wanted to make a small snack cake with a swirl of the homemade cherry rhubarb jam on top. Looking through the refrigerator, I saw that I had some buttermilk that was a couple of days away from it's expiration date, so I started searching for buttermilk snack cake recipes. I couldn't find much to work with, so I took a basic buttermilk cake recipe and tried to turn it into a snack cake.

I knew I wanted to use whole wheat pastry flour and brown sugar along with the buttermilk. Add to that, baking soda, baking powder, butter and an egg and you have a cake. And of course, vanilla, you can't forget that. I prepared the pan and baked it for about 23-24 minutes. It turned out very moist and tender and I like the swirl.

Actually, that doesn't look like swirls, does it? It looks more like twirls!

I need a little more practice on the swirls.

My dear hubby fixed this for our dinner:

 

Fresh grilled Wild King Salmon, served with a fantastic salad with a white balsamic dressing, almonds, cranberries and feta cheese. It was the best salmon we have had since last spring when the Copper River Salmon were available. It was so good, I couldn't stop saying "That was so good!"

So after dinner I served him this:

 Dear hubby loved it!

We were both happy!

There is something about that Cherry Rhubarb Jam. Everyone that tastes it can't believe how good it is. If there is any left, I think I will find other things to add it to like scones or muffins.

Now I am going to go and have one bite of that cake, just so I can say I tried it.

 

Enjoy!

Cherry Rhubarb Jam

When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. I am a huge fan of rhubarb and especially paired with cherries. There are plenty of recipes for rhubarb with strawberries but I don't come across that many recipes with cherries. This recipe intrigued me because is uses cherry gelatin and cherry pie filling. I immediately thought that if this turned out well, there would be unlimited combinations you could make with different flavors of gelatin and pie fillings. 

The rhubarb and sugar need to sit for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. This allows time for the juices to release from the fruit. Next you need to bring the mixture to a light boil until the rhubarb is tender, about 10 minutes.

 This picture shows how much liquid the sugar brought out of the rhubarb

Next you take it off the heat and add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. The final step is adding the cherry filling and the flavoring. This recipe doesn't call for a water bath to seal the jars. You let it sit on the counter until it cools and then you can store it in the fridge for 3 weeks. I decided to make a half recipe which made 2-1/2 cups. This recipe can easily be doubled to make 5 cups. It would use a small package of cherry gelatin.

If you have wanted to make jam but it seemed to complicated, time consuming and the thought of trying to seal jars in a water bath scares you, this is the recipe you should try. This is the most foolproof jam recipe that I have ever made. You will be so happy with how good it is, you will want to make another batch to share with all your friends and neighbors!

 Enjoy!