Would you like to see what I just got out of my arm?

[greengoose21]

Ok, so for nearly thirty years I've had a little hard pea shaped lump in my upper arm. And every so often I'll try to pop it, squeeze it, whatever. Never any joy.

I tend to forget about it each winter when I'm in long sleeves, then when my arms are bare in summer I remember and start fiddling. This year for some reason (probably to do with being quite a bit skinnier) it has driven me mad. I've been fiddling with it constantly. Something had to be done.

Thankfully, after all this time, I now have a partner in sporn. A fifteen year old apprentice with a Sandra Lee education. This job wasn't ever going to be a single hander.

Tonight was the night. Tweezers sterilised, scalpel acquired from eBay. Cotton wool and TCP at the ready. Local anaesthetic courtesy of Anbesol, and it was time.

And would you like to see the lump of rock that (eventually) I got out?

Oh my good gracious! That came from your arm? Is it hard? Describe the texture.

I can't cut it open. I've tried. It is genuinely like a Little Rock.

Looks like a cherry stone or something

Will you miss it? Does it have a name?

I don't think there's a big hole in my arm. The incision was about 7mm or so, then I was squeezing hard while the apprentice tried with tweezers and scalpel to get the thing out. After a couple of minutes of over cautious and unsuccessful pulling and poking we swapped jobs and I sort of cut around the edge of it and it emerged enough for the apprentice to get a grip with the tweezers and voila.

I LOVE it.

I've had an ingrown hair in my armpit since 1994..you've inspired me..

How immensely satisfying!

Also, in the first picture, I see a little sideways heart shape on the surface -- anyone else?

It doesn't have a name, but I'm trying to decide how best to preserve it for posterity. Mounted on a ring might be a bit weird, but perhaps I could get a little tiny frame

I'd rather have seen the actual excision tbh.
Sporn's only good if you see it coming out.

Is it a dragons egg. Does anyone know how to make it hatch?

dear god in heaven. That came out of you. Surgically removed by you (and said apprentice) - I am in awe Great Goose. Wow. Do tell me if you show the incision; I shall quietly bow out at that point.

Sorry SoNouveau, that would have required a third person, or a head mounted camera, and i had neither available.

Looks like a wee brain in the first pic! Did the anaesthetic do its job?

2017SoFarSoGood
I'll take a picture of the incision tomorrow, assuming it hasn't turned into a pigs foot...as my gran used to threaten in these situations.

S'ok, I might trawl through Doctor VS Yadav's You Tube stuff for a pre sleep zit popping sesh.

Yes, anaesthetic did a marvellous job. Hardly hurt a bit. Fairly bloody mind you, but squeezing the sides of the lump as if to try and pop it out stopped the bleeding.

Soak it in hydrogen peroxide a couple of times to clean and sterilise it.

Wow! Greengoose, you have made my night!

Did it ever occur to you to take it to an actual doctor? Or is that too outlandish?

...or the safecracker!

It occurred to me quite a lot to take it to an actual doctor, but as small painless lumps that have remained unchanged for three decades don't make the NHS priority list, I didn't bother. I had also looked into the cost of private removal, but that was about £300. My eBay scalpel was £3, TCP £1 and I already had some big girl pants!

Is / was it a dermatofibroma?

Oooooooooooo 👌

Oooh! Impressive!
I'd say it's a cyst of some sort that has become calcified over the years.... (Can you tell I watch Sandra Lee on YouTube?)
Just make sure you keep the wound clean, op.

It would make a lovely paperweight.