"I have had some good days and I have had some pretty bad days during this whole journey."

Did I have cancer? Sometimes I felt yes I did, Sometimes I felt, no I did not. The truth was, yes I did. I was diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma in November 2010. It was an area near my left eye, the bridge of my nose and my left cheek that I had been in denial about for some time. It was a large enough area that the doctors I saw were quite concerned but they assured me that my life was not at risk. The hows and how comes were something I wondered about but did not let myself dwell on. I was told that any number of things could have brought this on - Sun exposure, heredity etc. The one thing I did let run through my mind was regret that I had not been more educated about cancer and how much of a difference early detection would have made. The surgery to remove the affected cells left a large area of my face missing and I was quite distressed about how they would possibly be able to repair the damage. But I was determined to do whatever it took to be well and free of cancer. Although it has taken five surgeries to date, I feel lucky. I did not need chemotherapy or radiation or the other treatments usually associated with cancer. I will be honest, I have had some good days and I have had some pretty bad days during this whole journey. A journey I am still on. This has changed the way my face looks, so how can it not have changed my life? But if there is even a chance that my story may help someone get more educated about cancer or seek medical care for something they are concerned about; then there was something positive that came from my experience.