So. I have a photo for the strong of heart. (As they say on Snopes, Disturbing Image Warning.) If you can take it: click here.
I deliberately picked out the picture that made my leg look fat. Why this sacrifice? Not just so that you can see every leg hair I have been accumulating since my company decided we could go business casual. No. Because this one shows in the clearest detail the weird lesion on my leg. It showed up a few days before the croup. Yeah, and before you ask, it's been spreading slowly.
Now, just so you all know I'm not suggestible, I made the doctor's appointment for Tuesday at 11:15 well before Reuters revealed Laura Bush had skin cancer. Actually, I think my leg just really admires Dooce. (And yeah, I just clicked that last link and thought, "Damn, I'm glad I already made that doctor's appointment.")
I'll update you tomorrow afternoon. The way I see it, we have a win-win here:
Option A: Not skin cancer. Something embarrassing like leg herpes I caught from reading about Erin's cat. Perhaps even a fungus.
Or, alternatively, Option B: Skin cancer, which is going to push this month from the Month Of Pouts and Sighs to The Month of Dark Humor and Crazed Maniacal Laughter.
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UPDATE!
Doc says either a fungus or annular eczema. He prescribed a steroid cream to put on it.
BUT, the funny thing is I called Gary afterward.
He said, "Hi, hon! Why'd you call?"
(pause) "Why?" (I gave him at least a five-second pause here.) "Just wanted to see how you are feeling. How's that achy feeling?"
"I still ache."
(Perhaps a hint.) "Maybe you should go to the doctor." (pause) "You know, our doctor is really good at diagnosing things. Sometimes he can just look at you and know what's wrong."
"Nah. So, why'd you call again?"
"Oh, just killing time, I guess. Talk to you later."
Actually, it's pretty funny. I wonder when it's going to dawn on him.
Leg fungus aside, I would LOVE to have legs that sparse after a shaving hiatus. I go one week without shaving and my hubby starts asking why Robin Williams is in bed with us. Not that it stops me from skipping shaving for weeks on end (especially in this no-shorts weather), but it would be easier to hide if I had your sparse hair coverage.
Posted by: KD | December 19, 2006 at 06:35 AM
My husband had a spot like that on his back last year. It turned out to be a fungus which went away after about 2 weeks of applying the prescribed ointment. However, it does tend to come back every once in a while and he has to do the ointment thing all over again.
Posted by: KC | December 19, 2006 at 10:11 AM
I don't even play a doctor on TV, but I'll guess ringworm.
Leg hairs say: "There's a fungus among us!"
Posted by: Vaguely Urban | December 19, 2006 at 11:42 AM
I agree with Vaguely Urban, it looks like ring worm. I have a friend who got it after a visit to her vet's office. She didn't know what it was, didn't mention it until after she hugged me upon arrival. I ended up with a spot on my arm identical to hers, then my sister came down for the wknd that same week, she called back to say she had wierd spot on her neck. I spoke to my Dr., apparently this is highly contagious and can live on surfaces for days. It does however, go away after a few days with perscription cream. No worries.
So, you don't have to be around pets who have it, their owners can catch it and pass it on.
Posted by: Catherine (redheaded one) | December 19, 2006 at 12:53 PM
ECZEMA, people. Not RINGWORM. Not that ringworm is a bad thing to have. Some of the best people I know have had ringworm, it would appear.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 19, 2006 at 03:33 PM
It's just boring old eczema? And here I worried for nothing.
Posted by: Caroline | December 19, 2006 at 04:29 PM
Yeah, but just for fun, tell Gary it's ringworm. That'll teach him.
Posted by: ~~Silk | December 19, 2006 at 04:35 PM
I am a doctor (not really, but sometimes I say I am just to be a liar because lying is fun) and I diagnose you with gout.
It's not gout. But doctors like to diagnose gout and since I'm a doctor, I shall diagnose you with gout.
Also, fungus? I love you and everything, but...ew.
Posted by: melati | December 19, 2006 at 05:44 PM
ECZEMA, people. Not gout (even though only the best people have gout). Eczema, a noble and honorable disease.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 19, 2006 at 06:09 PM
Even though I'm still taking ~~Silk's suggestion and telling Gary it's ringworm.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 19, 2006 at 06:15 PM
Except Gary answered me with "Did you forget I was a biology major?" as if he had memorized every imaginable subset of biological fungus.
Embarassingly, I will concede it does look like ringworm, expect ringworm is dark on the edge and light in the center, while mine is opposite.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 19, 2006 at 08:49 PM
Man, a situation like that would make anyone way stoked to have fungus, or even ringworm (considering the alternative). Glad you got the all clear.
Posted by: O | December 19, 2006 at 10:04 PM
Ringworm. I'm telling you. You can call it fungus, but it's still ringworm.
Posted by: Becs | December 21, 2006 at 06:53 AM
Re: Dooce and the whole skin cancer thing, basal cell carcinoma only sounds scary when someone tell you that you have it. I had it on my nose - my NOSE - and had to go back for yet more surgery and reconstructive surgery. I still have a nose. People tell me that can't even see the scar.
I looked like an idiot for a month walking around with a band-aid on my nose, but honestly, it is nothing, really and truly nothing in the long run. Be cool.
Posted by: Becs | December 21, 2006 at 06:58 AM
Damnit, Becs, that was exactly the attitude I was going to adopt if it was cancer. 'Cancer, Schmancer.' I would be an inspiration! But now, no such luck.
Ringworm, Schmingworm.
EXCEPT it IS ECZEMA. Now you've got me doing it.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 21, 2006 at 07:10 AM