So yesterday marked my first and quite possibly last trip to see a dermatologist. Since I’ve never been to a dermatologist I didn’t know what to expect but what I got was nowhere near the customer service or attention one who is coming to the doctor for fear of skin cancer would hope to receive. You see, I am COVERED in freckles. And moles apparently. As is my brother, my father and all my father’s siblings. And their kids. They’ve been a part of my life since I was a small child due not only to hereditary and light skin but also to an increasingly active lifestyle that took place primarily on the beaches of the Jersey Shore and suburbs of metro-Atlanta. Between track, softball, football managing, cheerleading and just general clowning around, I’d say about 75% of my time was spent outside no matter the weather.
So when I noticed the mole on my right forearm had begun to raise and looked to have some darker pigmentation in the middle, I did what any normal 26-year-old would do: I flipped the fuck out and called my mom to calm me down. Then I called my PCP to get an appointment where I was directed to North Georgia Dermatology (apparently the only derm in my area that Kaiser covers). I was booked for a full body scan yesterday at 9:45 am. I expected a more thorough going over than what I got. In 5 minutes my Nurse Practitioner managed to cough all over the place (allergies apparently), shine a light on my mole, yank my gown off and do a cursory inspection and then tell me to wear sun screen and declared me “Moley” as she walked out of the door. All for the low price of $35 copay plus whatever they are charging these days for a “full body scan” since I haven’t met my deductible.
The whole experience left me with a sour taste in my mouth and more questions than answers by the time I got home. She did ask if I had any questions but I told her it was my first time and I was unsure what I should be asking so she left. Not much help nor did she do a whole lot to assuage any fears or concerns I had. Now, I’m left to try to determine what care I should have received and what steps I need to take next…out of pocket. For example, I had no idea there was a difference between moles and freckles. But there are. Thanks Doc for the heads up. Also, did you know that melanomas grow from the top layer of skin down meaning that examination by both you and your doctor increase your chances of finding and curing skin cancer? Did my doctor explain any of this? Nope. Not one word about the whys, hows or whats of skin cancer screening. Nothing except to slap some sun screen on.
For those of you interested, the American Cancer Society has a great summary of skin cancer as well as step-by-step instructions on how to do a self exam.
1 comment:
Next step does NOT include Gwinnett Dermatology. I went in about a year ago for a similar situation (changing mole, unsure if it was skin cancer) got the same amount of customer service... after waiting, gowned and in the room for no less than 45 minutes while I could hear the doc in the next room cracking jokes with an obnoxious patient. My visit then consisted of a quick 10 minutes that went much like yours did. On top of that, they charged me a whopping $125 because they failed to mention prior to my visit that while they are covered by my insurance, they are considered a "specialty doc" and therefore cannot accept a copay until I meet my deductible. Guess what, the gyno- also a specialist, accepts a copay of $30.. WTF. Long story short (kind of) I went home in tears at which point my mother, enraged by the treatment of her adult child, proceeded to call the office, lodge a very loud and verbal complaint against the nurse and doc and "how could they treat a patient and her child like that"... and then called the insurance company to complain about the office. god love my mother, you know how she is.. dont mess with her kids or her "other" kids (our friends). Anyway, hope you found all the info you need on moles and skin cancer, let me know if you need anything
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