HOLY MOLE-Y! Part 1

This mole popped up on Colb when he was about a year old. It was a normal looking, flat brown mole. Over time, it began to grow and change color. I was always concerned about it, but our pediatrician kept saying it was something to watch, but not something to worry about. Until recently, it hasn't seemed to bother Colby too much, but the past couple of months it has become irritating and has bled numerous times.

At Colby's three year check-up last week, the doctor referred us to a plastic surgeon to have it removed. He has no reason to believe that its cancerous or anything, but the fact that it bleeds frequently and is growing is reason enough to have it removed AND for it to be covered by our insurance (answered prayer!)

We met with the plastic surgeon Wednesday afternoon. Now, to most people, having a mole removed is a simple in-office thing. BUT if you're 3 and can't sit still on your own, it becomes surgery.

So....Colby will have his mole removed on the 22nd in the same surgi-center where he had his last "little" procedure.

This will be the 4th Hale surgery in 2 1/2 years....hypospadios correction (Colby), appendectomy (Matt), ear tubes in / adenoids out (Matthew) and now a little plastic surgery. Add a pregnancy in there and it gets a little expensive! We thought that 2008 would be the year with no major medical expenses, but apparently not.

We are very thankful that we have good insurance and that all of our issues have been relatively minor (with the exception of Matt's ruptured appendix). We know that Colby will get through this just fine.

Stay tuned...