I think I've said it a multitude of times in some of my reviews but--- here we go again! ----…read more"getting old sucks, but it beats the alternative." I never gave the topic of skin cancer a 2nd thought until my father had to have a spot on his skin removed over 30 years ago. This threw me into a profound depression, and I got drunk (in those days, I didn't really need profound depression, or even mild depression, as an excuse to get drunk, although it was to my mind a very good excuse/reason). Turns out, skin cancer if caught early is not the worst cancer, and my father lived for several more decades. On another occasion, an older co-worker, with Irish skin fairer than mine, had a very large segment of skin removed from his face. It wasn't disfiguring, but he did look like he had come out the clear loser in a serious bar-room brawl. It was sinking in for me that cancer of any sort, skin or otherwise, wasn't something to take lightly.
In my last physical, my doctor pointed to a spot on the side of my forehead, and said, almost casually, "You should get that looked at by a dermatologist." I was aware of the spot, which had been there for a few years, and had assumed it was merely the result of aging skin-- a "freckle" or "sunspot." I wasn't a "sun-lover," but during my childhood, my parents were devotees of lying in the sun at the beach, and, as an adult, I often ran for 6 miles at a stretch in the blazing sun. So, I wasn't cavalier about my doctor's suggestion.
My oldest friend has a Mediterranean olive complexion, but he was a lifeguard and surfer in his younger days, and he's been going to a dermatologist for 20 years. I asked for a recommendation and he recommended Dr. Abbate. Nice guy, very knowledgeable, very thorough in his examination.
Not loving the thought of having to drive to Riverdale, I sent an email to Dr. Abbate's office and to another dermatologist closer to home. Dr. Abbate's office responded immediately. The other guy? Never heard from him. My choice had been made.
I did ask my friend, "This Dr. Abbate-- this isn't the kid we knew from grade school, is it? That Mark Abate is our age, and this Dr. on his website photo is a young man. This isn't a 'Picture of Dorian Gray' thing going on, is it?" "No," my friend replied calmly. "This isn't the same guy you were in Cub Scouts with."
The office is modernistic, off of Rt. 23, but I do have to mention that the parking situation is abysmal. I had to circle around 3 or 4 times before I secured a spot. It appears that "valet service" is available, but I'm not entirely sure how that works out in a restaurant, much less a medical office.
In the waiting room, I was surrounded by older people, which I have to admit was disconcerting to me. In spite of what I say, I still like to think of myself as firmly entrenched in middle-age as opposed to old-timer status. In fact, 1 guy in a wheelchair started trembling and had to be wheeled into a back room for a "medical emergency." EMT personnel arrived quickly on the scene. Hopefully, things worked out OK for him. (In fairness, there were 1 or 2 young people in the office and even a child.)
Mercifully, it didn't take long for me to be called inside. I was told to take off my clothes with the exception of my shorts and put on a backless paper smock. This is always a bit unnerving to me as my physique is no longer that of the runner/weight-lifter I once was, and...the spot is on my face, Doc! Is this near-total nudity really necessary?
The Dr. and nurse came in, and Dr. Abbate was very friendly and personable. I mentioned my old friend, and Dr. Abbate nodded his head fondly, and told me to say hello to him. He also mentioned that 1 of his golfing partners has the same last name as me, and wondered if we could be related? My last name is common in north Jersey and I shrugged. Maybe we are, maybe not.
(Irrelevant aside: I have the same last name as a writer famous in the 20s, but the only "famous" people I might actually be related to are prohibition mobster Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll and old-time character actor J. Carrol Naish. Maybe. Then again, maybe not...)
Dr. Abbate was thorough in his examination, looking at my feet, legs, under my arms, front, back, and backside. In deference to modesty, he asked about the groin area, and I was spared that part of the examination. He then asked if I had a problem with needles. Not really, but I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, so I kind of equivocated. He put the needle in, and then I guess "scraped" the facial spot in question (it stung a bit but no real pain). A small bandage was put on it, and I was told I would hear back in 2 weeks. We shook hands, and I made an appointment for next year.
With the caveat about the difficult parking situation, this visit was as pleasant and painless as these things can possibly be. Dr. Abbate is a real nice guy, professional and thorough, and I'm glad I "picked" him as my dermatologist.
Highly recommended.
