Help me think through what to do - second basal cell carcinoma

[WobblyLondoner]

I recently found out that I have a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on my face and am now waiting to get an appointment for Mohs surgery which would remove it.
This is my second BCC. Last time it was a 7 month wait before I had the surgery. Although BCC are typically described as slow growing, by the time I had the procedure I needed quite extensive surgery (it was on the side of my nose). At the time surgeon made a comment about it being a shame it had taken so long before I could have surgery as the BCC was one of the more invasive types (this upset me a great deal at the time as I'd not had this communicated to me in any way before). However he did an amazing job removing it (in 4 stages, all on the same day) and now - a few years later - you would not notice it unless you were looking for it.
My problem is that, because of this past experience, I am very anxious about whether this new BCC will be the same as the previous one, and how long it is going to take before I can have surgery. This new BCC is right in the inside corner of my upper nose, millimeters away from my inner eye. I'm worried that it might be the same type of BCC as before and that if it takes 7 months to get an appointment again I might need more extensive surgery than I would need if the procedure was tomorrow.
The letter from the hospital has simply said they will be in touch with an appointment for the surgery. I have tried calling the consultant's PA to get a better sense of the likely length of wait but it goes straight to voicemail - I've left a message but have not had a call back yet. My DP has suggested that if the wait will be 7 months again we should think about having the operation privately - but we could only afford this by adding the cost to our mortgage or asking my parents if they could help. I feel very uncomfortable about this, mainly because of the queue jumping aspect.
Sorry - this is all a bit incoherent. I guess I'm after any advice on the best way to make a decision about what to do (including how to get through to a real person at the hospital!). I haven't told any of my family yet about the BCC apart from my DP - I especially didn't want to tell my DS (12) until I knew when I was going to have surgery.

Hello OP.

I could have written this myself (except mine’s on my temple, just next to the scar from the first Mohs procedure).

My first was of the infiltrative subtype - so one of the more troublesome ones.

I don’t know which hospital you are with, and whether it’s the same one which treated you before, but in my experience (from other surgical stuff I have had) if you get an appointment letter with a distant date it’s often worth saying to the PA/secretary that you can make yourself available for cancellations at short notice. There will always be cancellations for one reason or another.

Also I am shocked that you waited 7 months last time, if like me you are in London (inferred from your username). Was that from diagnosis to surgery? I waited 5 months from GP to diagnosis, but once diagnosed only 3 months to surgery (in 2015).

Thanks for your reply @LarkDescending - I had wondered about saying that I'd be available at short notice as my work is literally round the corner from the hospital. Yes I am in London and yes it was 7 months from diagnosis to surgery. From what the consultant said the demand for this surgery hugely outstrips supply.
I hope your second BCC treatment goes well.

I wonder whether some priority is given anyway to (a) those with a recurrence or at least (b) recurrences in patients with a known history of an aggressive subtype. I don’t know the answer to that.

Honestly I would wait for the letter and try not to worry too much in anticipation about what date it might contain. And if as you say you are on the doorstep of the hospital you’d be an excellent candidate to fill a cancellation. Good luck with it all.

I don't think you should have any qualms about going private in these circumstances - the anxiety and the waiting must be unbearable, and if you can add to your mortgage that's a relatively pain-free way of paying it off.

Update on this. I finally got through by emailing with my questions rather than calling (have never had a call back to my messages). These were passed on to the consultant who now wants to see me again, which is a bit odd (given that I was simply on the waiting list for Mohs). But obviously very good to have the opportunity to put my questions to someone in person.

Any more news on this OP - did you get your questions answered and a date in the diary?

Thanks for checking in Lark. I did go in and see them and they said I would be prioritised because of its location. Then had a month or so of no news -but have just been given a date in a week! Fingers crossed.
The message is that you need to stay on top of it I think and not just wait for something to happen - if I had I'd probably be waiting another few months at least which is a depressing thought.