My Little Follow-Up Appointment

As I’ve written before, I visited the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour kick-off in Raleigh a few weeks ago. (Note…they have GOT to shorten their name!)  After talking with the folks associated with the tour, I went through the free screening.  While the mobile clinic was quite comfortable, it wasn’t as accommodating as a doctor’s office.  However,  Dr. Trakimas did a very thorough job checking me from head to toe.  For the most part everything looked fine, but she found one spot on the back of my right thigh.  It was at a location that was impossible for me to see and even a tad difficult while using a hand mirror.  While Dr. T. thought it was most likely benign, she suggested that I get it shaved and sent to pathology to be on the safe side.  I made an appointment to see her the next week.

I cancelled.

But (before you scream at me)…I scheduled an appointment with my own dermatologist.  I figured having a new set of eyes find suspicious spots on me was a good thing, but before being cut, I’d best get a second opinion, or at least consult with the dermatologist who knows my history best.  When I called to make the appointment, I expected to wait a few weeks.  I was surprised to be scheduled for 7:00AM the next morning!

I felt a little foolish because that the spot really looked like nothing at all.  Yes, it did open my eyes that there are areas on my body that I don’t regularly check, but from the odd mirrored angle, this really looked like nothing at all.  What caused Dr. T to take note was that it appeared different than the surrounding moles. 

So my doc, Dr. J walks in and I explain the situation.  He seemed a bit surprised that I had another screening since I had seen him only 4 months prior, but understood when I explained the circumstances.  I lied down on the table with pants off so that he could get a good look at the spot.  He agreed that it did look different than the others and was worth a closer look.  He suspected it was a “regressing mole”…basically a mole that’s in the process of disappearing.  The mole itself didn’t appear dangerous at all, but the fact that it was changing was the red flag.  (The “E” for Evolving in the ABCDE rule).

Within minutes, I felt that bee-sting of local anesthetic and then the numb tug as he sliced a piece of my flesh.  It was over just before the small talk was about to get real boring.  After redressing, I was handed the “how to care for your intentional skin scrape” paper and told I’d be given a call within a week.

The only bad part about the whole experience was that the cut was right where my leg sits against the edge of the chair at work, so I had a constant itching for two days.  Otherwise, this was not a difficult experience at all.

As for the results?  Negative.  It wasn’t classified a dysplastic nevi…just as a suspicious mole that was fully removed.  I was advised to contact them if any pigmentation returns…after the spot heals of course.

I share this only to let people without melanoma know that it’s not that hard or scary to get checked.  Having an annual screening is important…and if a freebie comes along, it never hurts to have it done again.  Should a suspicious spot be found on you, the process of getting it cut and checked is not bad at all.  My spot turned out to be nothing and the peace of mind was definitely worth the “bee sting” and itching. 

How important is it to get checked?  Three people that participated in that one-day event were found to have spots suspected to be melanoma!  That’s three lives that may be saved from this simple step.  Thank you Dr. T for volunteering and potentially saving lives…and thank you Dr. J for taking good care of my skin.

On The Road Again!

Chrissy and Chris

Last year, the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour made 80 stops in 24 states.  They traveled through some pretty nasty weather conditions, including a massive tornado outbreak last year in Raleigh, NC as they headed out of town.  But despite the obstacles, Chris and Chrissy, the RV’s pilots and mobile clinic’s hosts, are back for another tour.  This year they plan to stop 85 times and visit three additional states.

The stormy theme to the tour seemed to return as another strong shower hit on the day they kicked off this year’s tour in Raleigh.  As I walked up to the large 38-foot yellow and blue RV, Chris was wiping off chairs and checking the many pamphlets and magazines to see if any got wet in the lunch-time downpour.  Kim Parker of the American Institute of Healthcare and Fitness, which hosted this first stop, was the first to welcome me.  Despite the rain, it looked as if a few others were visiting the clinic as well.

“We’ve had a fairly good turn-out despite the weather,” said Kim.  “We hope others show up during lunch and that one of the local news crews will stop by to do a story.”  When I identified myself, she handed me a media guide with all the statistics of this year’s tour.

Over the last four years, the Tour has screened over 13,000 people through the efforts of the volunteer dermatologists along the way.  More than 5,200 suspected pre-cancers and cancers have been detected including 239 suspected melanomas.  I find this ratio interesting in that it closely matches what I’ve read in various studies.  The chance of being diagnosed with melanoma is reported to be about 1 in 50…and the chances increase when being over exposed to UV rays through indoor and outdoor tanning.

Two dermatologists were volunteering during this time.  The first I talked with was Dr. Rebekah Oyler from Andrus and Associates Dermatology.  She was just finishing up her volunteer shift, but seemed quite personable and was very impressed by the service the Tour was offering.  In fact, as we chatted, three new interested people came for a screening.

Chrissy (who remembered me as “that blogging guy from last year”) asked if I was interested in another screening this year.  Of course!  As I filled out the paper work, I asked her a little more about their experiences on the road.  For the most part, she stayed very neutral in picking a favorite stop or more memorable moments.  But as Chris entered the RV, both commented how it’s not them but the brightly colored RV that gets all the attention.  “We drive the RV from place to place and Chrissy handles most of the scheduling, “chimed in Chris, “…but we’re not dermatologists.”

Chrissy laughed and recalled one time when a gentleman knocked on their door after they made a grocery stop to stock up for the road.  When they opened the door, he dropped his pants and asked them to take a look at a suspicious mole.  “I just told him that he needed to see a dermatologist to get that looked at!”

When it was my turn, Dr. Carol Trakimas from the Dermatology Center of Raleigh performed the exam.  “Dr. T” as she referred to herself has been involved with the Tour since the beginning.  In fact, she stated that she was integral in recruiting the other local volunteer dermatologists for this event.  “I feel this is a very important service to the community and have been in constant contact with the Skin Cancer Foundation to make sure I’d continue to be involved.”

As an organizer, the Raleigh area should be grateful for her assistance.  As a dermatologist, I have to admit that she and her medical assistant did a very thorough job.  In fact, my exam the previous year was very brief and basic, but Dr. T performed an exam in the mobile exam room that rivaled that of my normal in-office dermatology appointment.  In fact, she was so thorough that she found a suspicious spot on the back of my right leg.  It was a spot I’d never seen before as it was impossible to see directly and involved more flexibility than I usually attempt to see even with a mirror.  To me, it looked like nothing.  To Dr. T, it is worth taking a biopsy.

The RV is not equipped for such procedures, but is merely intended for screenings and suggestions for further treatment.  I took her suggestion to heart and contacted her office.  I have an appointment for that biopsy this coming Wednesday.  Of course, I’ll keep you posted.

As I left the exam room, Chris and Chrissy were discussing any last minute items they needed to pack.  Their seven-month trek was about to begin again.  I wished them well and told them I hoped to see them again next year.  I took a parting photo, said my thanks to those I’d met, and then headed to my car.  The sun has begun to shine brightly…surely a sign for a successful tour ahead!

My Visit to the Skin Cancer Foundation's Road to Healthy Skin Tour



4/13/11 - Road to Healthy Skin Tour



The huge, 38-foot long canary yellow RV drew plenty of looks.  It sat parked in the Rite Aid parking lot in Raleigh, and most folks just gazed at some of the messages printed upon.  “Don’t use tanning beds,” “Use sunscreen,” and “Examine your skin” were only a few of the many messages conveyed upon the vehicle.  Many folks walked on to their cars, or into the drugstore, but a few approached the table in front, full of pamphlets and information about skin cancer.  Clad in my homemade “Black is the New Pink” t-shirt, I walked up and started to browse the info (Yes, I picked up every brochure and will share much of the info in future blogs!)



Christie, one of the tour’s hosts greeted me and asked if I’d like a screening.  Yep, that’s what I came for.  As I filled out the form (and not a long form at all) we talked a little about the tour.  It seemed slow at the moment and I asked if they expected a larger crowd, or was a smaller crowd typical.  Christie responded that it all really depended on the time of day, and expected a bigger turn-out the next day when the RV would be available a good chunk of the day from 11:00 to 5:30.



I asked her what criteria determined the stops they would make.  After all, the big city of Charlotte was visited one day while Raleigh was lucky enough to host the tour for three days.  “Volunteer doctors determine where we’ll be.”  While Christie and her colleague Chris host the tour, it’s the volunteer dermatologists along the way that dictate where they’ll stop.  Today’s host doctor was Dr. Maureen Aarons of Blue Ridge Dermatology.  More on her later.



Christie returned inside the RV as I completed the paper work (and grabbed more brochures) and an older lady approached.  I asked her what brought her to the tour and she stated that she had to cancel a planned skin screening with her normal doctor earlier in the month due to a conflict, but felt it was important to “fit one in” while she saw the opportunity.  She went on to state that, when she was a kid, they used cooking oil on their skin to help enhance the tan.  “While I’ve not had any cancer, I’ve had plenty of pre-cancer removed.  It’s important to get checked now and then.”  Good for her.



Christie called me into the small waiting room…more like a bench in front of a small desk (after all, we’re in an RV).  Chris sat inside and talked a little about the tour.  It all started on March 11 in Florida and plans to end in New Orleans in September.  80 stops in 24 states…amazing…and the two of them are driving every mile.  I asked if they had any days off and he responded that they do, but they’re still with the RV.  “On our days off, we’ll take off and go bike riding.”  But since the RV is always promoting skin cancer awareness, it always gets attention.  “We were at a bike park earlier this week and had bikers knocking on the door asking for screenings.  Of course we’re not the doctors, so we invited them to our next tour stop.”



In the Exam Room



I finally went into one of the two small exam rooms.  It was remarkably equipped and comfortable for being a mobile unit.  I was given the option to have my full body screened, my arms and face only, above my waist, or just a specific area of concern.  I chose the full-body screening and disrobed (leaving underwear on) and put on the paper gown.  Dr. Aarons arrived very soon after...hardly a wait at all.  She introduced herself and described what she was looking for the entire time, putting me, the patient, at ease.  This was her first experience with the tour and she was as amazed at the facility as I.  Eventually, she found one spot of moderate concern…a dysplastic nevus.  This is basically a mole that needs to be watched, but no biopsy recommended.



I didn’t ask, but I don’t believe they performed any type of biopsies on the tour.  On the original form that one fills out, the doctor completes the bottom section and returns to the patient.  There’s a checklist for “presumptive diagnosis,” a diagram of the body to indicate the location, and two choices for recommendations: referred (to see a dermatologist for further examination) or biopsy recommended.  It’s up to the patient to take this information and go do something about it.  So far, as of 4/10/11, the various doctors on the tour have found 188 indications of Actinic Keratosis (the most common pre-cancer), 63 Basal Cell Carcinoma (the most common skin cancer), 26 Squamous Cell Carcinoma (the second most common skin cancer) and 11 Melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer).



Had I not been full of questions, the entire process would have taken less than 30 minutes.  Thirty minutes for a full-body skin screening…I believe time well spent.

Many thanks to Christie and Chris for answering my questions (and complimenting my t-shirt) and to Dr. Maureen Aarons for her volunteer efforts.  My only hope is that word gets out along their tour so that more folks can take advantage of this great service!  Please check their website for planned tour stops (http://www.skincancer.org/Tour/). If the tour doesn’t come to your town, please go see a dermatologist and have yourself screened.