It would be easy to make this a long post but I’m going to resist the temptation.

Over the past few months I’ve been watching a mole on my back change.  I went to the doctor some weeks ago and she said yes, it’s scary, but it’s not quite hey-let’s-remove-this-sucker time yet.  (My words, not hers.)  So I’ve been keeping an eye on this thing and lo and behold, it keeps changing color (darker in the middle, lighter at the edges) and growing ever so slightly.  Today I went back to the doctor and she said, yup, pretty scary.  We can totally remove this if you like.

“Yes, please,” was my immediate reply.

I go in for surgery on the 16th August 3rd.  Outpatient, under local anesthesia, roughly an hour.  They will remove the entire mole as well as a ring of healthy skin–if there’s anything lurking you don’t want to leave part of it behind.  Circular incisions are near impossible to close neatly so they’ll make an oval instead, suturing it into a straight line.  They’ll run tests on the mole to make sure it’s nothing super scary.  I’ll be able to go to work the next day, though I should probably try not to do crazy stuff with my right arm so the scar heals neatly.

Let me just say – I’m really happy I’m in Japan.  My employer doesn’t offer insurance so I’m under the government plan, paying roughly $50 a month.  I was able to see a dermatologist without a referral or appointment, walking in on a Saturday morning.  Everything that happened today – getting examined by the doctor, making an appointment and prep for surgery, getting a different, benign growth removed (she had liquid nitrogen just sitting on her desk, how convenient), and blood tests – came to roughly $30.  I have wonderful peace of mind knowing that I will have surgery at a top notch, new, beautiful hospital and that it won’t break the bank.

Another happy thing – my Japanese is officially good enough to go to a hospital, see a doctor, and even schedule surgery without any major difficulties.  It’d be nice if I didn’t have the chance to find out but hey, I’ll take it.

Update:  surgery moved to August 3rd.