Last week was pretty stressful for me too, and manifest itself with a fairly big cold sore outbreak. The virus just hangs out waiting for some body stress and then erupts to the surface. I felt constant tingling in my chin as the virus was moving around along my nerves. I don't normally feel that.

Why stressed?

My wife got a skin cancer diagnosis last week. The best kind of cancer to have. Something like a 99% recovery rate after one somewhat minor surgery. But I've got this very high deductible HSA health insurance plan because I was trying to save some cash on premiums, and this will sting us financially. There were concerns about the surgeon not appearing in the network, and lots of calls to the various doctors, and the insurance co., and meetings with my employer's benefits coordinator.

And I've got this elderly cousin I'm now responsible for, and I've been trying to get services in place for him, and it's excruciatingly slow. Calls with in-home service provider, social worker, county nurse, deep cleaning company, and lawyer. And he calls every day complaining about some problem I need to resolve for him. It was his razor that put me over the top, I think. I bought him a new one on Amazon and 2-day shipped it to him for Friday delivery. He's going to be a significant chore in my life for the next 5-10 years.

And work was unusually busy last week leading up to the holiday weekend. Everybody trying to shoehorn everything in before going away.

But I had a nice relaxing weekend (other than all the driving) with my family at the lake. It was good, and I'm good now. Except for this lingering cold sore that will stick around for a week. I hate having a cold sore at work. I feel like everyone is looking at it. And they are. Oh well.

Holy shit, glatt. You have every right to be stressed. Is she scheduled for surgery yet?

Crapola, Glatt. I know the thing you speak precise. The stress, the sun, all these straws on the camel's back.

Had any luck with Acyclovir?

@Griff, Tell me you have stopped eating wheat.

Surgery is probably tomorrow. It's scheduled for tomorrow anyway, but we have to check a couple final things with the insurance coverage to make sure everything is kosher before she goes forward with it.

Apparently, there is no rush since the spot was cut off already by her regular dermatologist during an office visit. This is just a clean up procedure, but it's a bigger deal in a surgery center.

I think there's a rush though, from my POV, because it's on her forehead and there may be cosmetic surgery later, and if we meet the deductible with this surgery tomorrow, then the cosmetic surgery will be 90% covered as long as it is done in the same calendar year. And I think they want this surgery to heal before they do any cosmetic one. So sooner is better.

Damn. I'm sure everything will be fine.

Hoping for the smoothest outcome for you both.

Sorry, glatt. Virtual hugs to you and the missus.

My mother had skin cancer on her face in her late 60's. At that age the wrinkling has shifted into high gear so she skipped any cosmetic surgery, and in a couple years couldn't see any scars at all. She made 95 and it didn't come back.

Of course Mrs glatt has a ways to go before the wrinkling, although she might have a few from worrying about what glatt is doing in his workshop. ;)

Yeah, I'm off it again.

Stay cool bro. Good luck.

Thinking of you and your wife, glatt.

Thanks!

It should all be good.