That is a strange title. I will explain. Skin cancer is the basis for this story. Last August, I noticed a small lump on my face. I didn’t think much about it. After all, I have had my share of lumps over my 93 years. I would just keep an eye on it. It didn’t go away. It didn’t get any bigger, either, as the season changed to cooler weather. That was unusual. By Christmas, it was crusty but no bigger. My yearly appointment with the dermatologist would be coming up in March. I would have it checked then. The only cancer in my family was my brother, Russ, but that was caused by smoking. I stopped smoking on my 30th birthday, so I didn’t think that was the cause.

When I pointed out the lump, the doctor didn’t say a word, just reached for a scalpel to cut off its top. She said that it would hurt a little. No, it hurt a lot. She would notify me the results of the biopsy. March was not a good month for me. This would be another problem. Yes, it was a skin cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, but one that could be easily removed. Surgery was scheduled for April 21 out in West Knoxville.

My daughter Anne and I walked into a very cold waiting room. I was shown back to a small room where the surgery would take place. After being prepped, Dr. Primka removed the lump. He gave us directions for wound care and another appointment was scheduled for the stitches to be removed. That would be the following Wednesday back in the office on Emory Road.

I am not looking for sympathy in telling you all this. Yes, I should have worn a hat during my outdoor tasks of flower gardening and laying stone, but I didn’t. I can’t do either anymore so I can forget about head covering. My only outdoor excursion nowadays is just to Anne’s car and back to the house. I went through all of this just to tell the 28/93 story.
As the nurse was removing the stitches, Anne mentioned that other than my knees, I was in pretty good shape for 93. I added that I was born in 1928. The nurse abruptly stopped. She said she was born in 1993 and she was 28 years old. Have you ever heard of such a coincidence? I was born in 28 and am 93 years old. She was born in 93 and is 28 years young. How about that?