Back in mid June I had my yearly check-up with my doctor. I have had this place on my leg just above my ankle for several years and this year she saw it and said she didn't like the looks of it and she wanted me to go have it checked out. It had the warning signs ... irregular shape and two shades of brown, but it hadn't changed and she had never said anything about it before.
Long story short...the biopsy came back that it was an "in situ" melanoma. (That means "in place".) Two weeks after the biopsy was taken, the doctor removed an additional 1 centimeter of skin and fatty tissue from around the original site as a precaution. It has been a little over a month since my initial visit with the Dermatologist/Skin Cancer Doctor. He says the wound is healing like it should (I have a "divot" or "crater" in my leg about the size of a silver dollar that will take 4 months to heal completely. I have to keep it moist by changing the bandage morning and night with a non-stick pad and a combination of petroleum jelly and antibiotic ointment held on with self-adhering bandage. During the day I have to wear a compression sock. All that until it heals in about 4 months. But I am blessed that it wasn't worse!)
Besides wearing the compression sock during the day, keeping the leg up as much as I can will aid in the healing process. That means for the last month, I haven't been too active. The first 10 days after the surgery were the most uncomfortable. (I try not to use the word "painful" because I know there are people out there who are really having pain.) Fortunately for me I had about 8 or 9 posts that I had written and were scheduled to be published so I haven't missed any posts here.
One of the things that I have missed being able to do because of this though is going to volunteer at Hillcrest Thrift Shop. I have missed the last three Tuesdays. Since I am able to do more (be on my feet), I decided to surprise them Tuesday and take them a treat to eat with their lunch. I found this recipe for German Applesauce Cake that wasn't too difficult. It was in the Sesquicentennial Edition Cookbook for Missouri - 1821 - 1971. Mrs. August Begeman noted "Never fails. The above recipe was brought by the family from Germany in 1890 when the family settled in Hartsburg, Missouri, BooneCounty."
The other volunteers were surprised to see me and thought the cake was really good. I took some whipped topping along and most enjoyed a spoonful on top. I had sifted some powdered sugar on top since the recipe didn't give any further directions after it came out of the oven.
GERMAN APPLESAUCE CAKE
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan.
Sift together the flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. (Notice that the flour has been sifted first before measuring it.) Set aside.
Cream the butter until soft.
Gradually add the brown sugar.
Mix well.
Add the flour mixture.
(Mixture will be very granulated looking.)
Add the applesauce
and mix well. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure mixture is well mixed.
Add the raisins and nuts and mix.
Pour and spread batter in the prepared pan.
Bake 30 - 35 minutes. (30 minutes was perfect)
Cool cake on wire rack.
Sprinkle powdered sugar on top if you like.
I had a few pieces left so I gave them to our new neighbors. They were very appreciative, also.
Long story short...the biopsy came back that it was an "in situ" melanoma. (That means "in place".) Two weeks after the biopsy was taken, the doctor removed an additional 1 centimeter of skin and fatty tissue from around the original site as a precaution. It has been a little over a month since my initial visit with the Dermatologist/Skin Cancer Doctor. He says the wound is healing like it should (I have a "divot" or "crater" in my leg about the size of a silver dollar that will take 4 months to heal completely. I have to keep it moist by changing the bandage morning and night with a non-stick pad and a combination of petroleum jelly and antibiotic ointment held on with self-adhering bandage. During the day I have to wear a compression sock. All that until it heals in about 4 months. But I am blessed that it wasn't worse!)
Besides wearing the compression sock during the day, keeping the leg up as much as I can will aid in the healing process. That means for the last month, I haven't been too active. The first 10 days after the surgery were the most uncomfortable. (I try not to use the word "painful" because I know there are people out there who are really having pain.) Fortunately for me I had about 8 or 9 posts that I had written and were scheduled to be published so I haven't missed any posts here.
One of the things that I have missed being able to do because of this though is going to volunteer at Hillcrest Thrift Shop. I have missed the last three Tuesdays. Since I am able to do more (be on my feet), I decided to surprise them Tuesday and take them a treat to eat with their lunch. I found this recipe for German Applesauce Cake that wasn't too difficult. It was in the Sesquicentennial Edition Cookbook for Missouri - 1821 - 1971. Mrs. August Begeman noted "Never fails. The above recipe was brought by the family from Germany in 1890 when the family settled in Hartsburg, Missouri, BooneCounty."
The other volunteers were surprised to see me and thought the cake was really good. I took some whipped topping along and most enjoyed a spoonful on top. I had sifted some powdered sugar on top since the recipe didn't give any further directions after it came out of the oven.
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts
I had a few pieces left so I gave them to our new neighbors. They were very appreciative, also.
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