The lump I had removed from the edge of my left eyebrow showed squamous cell carcinoma so my dematologist is giving me a referral for a mohs surgery to make sure all of it is gone. For being as fair skinned as I am and living most of my life in Southern California I feel like overall I've done okay on this front. Still, cancer is always to be taken seriously.

I'm sorry, ND. Yeah, get rid of that stuff!

Sorry it is there, ND, but glad it is caught. All good thoughts your way for the procedure to get rid of it, stat.

FWIW, ND, I've had two Moh's procedures and it's not a big deal.

There are also prophylactic measures you can take with the precancerous cells, including a regular topical solution, or that in combination with lasers, of just frickin' laser resurfacing.

Get used to being good friends with your dermatologist because you're going to be seeing them a lot.

(I wrote a song about mine and sang it to her.)

Thanks David. I remembered that you had been through the procedure. I'm not overly worried about it, I know the procedure is very good at getting rid of everything while taking the minimal amount of flesh.

I just had to call the animal cops on a skunk that is walking repeatedly in a circle in the middle of the street. They said it's probably rabid and not to approach, which... wild animal, so… but then there are a lot of not so bright people in the world whose curiosity/empathy might get them into skunk trouble, so probably a warning was in order.

Anyway, they are sending someone. Poor skunk. Crappy way to go out, but likely more humane than getting hit by a car. So far everyone has been drivng around it gingerly. There is one owner whose little dog gets out often, so I hope that doesn't happen this morning.

Update: they got the skunk. Farewell, buddy. Hope you go out peacefully.

Aww poor skunk.

Also poor Drew! But yay catching it and getting it dealt with!!

Hope they can deal with that with a minimum of collateral damage, Drew!

Sinuses suck. (I mean that figuratively).

Also, a reminder for David: Love & Rockets #17 is out today.

Well, mom was home for nearly a week and then couldn't get out of bed on Friday.

Her oncologist said to bring her in - which involves sweet talking EMS because there is a closer hospital (four blocks as opposed to a hundred and eight). Said closer hospital, however, is having a nursing strike (which I fully support, btdubs) so everyone was game for the sweet-talking. They'll usually take you to the cancer center if they have time and the situation isn't an emergency so the conversation was "Her oncologist needs to see her and I cannot transport her safely... nothing stroke-y is happening."

The word "stroke-y" was, in fact, used several times and not just by me. I find this hilarious.

So mom was safely transported to MSK. After several days of further decline and copious testing the think they've figured out the primary problem and have started a course of treatment. Fingers crossed.