CAREERS IN NURSING: PASSION, EMPATHY, DESIRE – SKIN CANCER CENTER

Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Located in Norman, OK, you will find Dr. Benjamin J. Bigbie, MD, Dermatologist working at the Skin Cancer Center; specializing in the removal of all types of skin cancer. This is where you will also find Cindy Wilson, office manager, Mohs Surgery Histotechnician. Cindy has plenty of experience and has been in the medical field for thirty years.
Mohs micrographic surgery is a specialized, highly effective technique for the removal of skin cancer. Mohs surgery differs from other skin cancer treatments in that it permits the immediate and complete microscopic examination of the removed cancerous. Tissue, so that all roots and extensions of the cancer can be eliminated. Due to the methodical manner in which tissue is removed and examined, Mohs surgery has been recognized as the skin cancer treatment with the highest reported cure rate. (story continues below)

“My husband, Rick and I lived in Tulsa, OK where I worked at Oklahoma Cancer Specialist Research and Institute in Tulsa, OK for seven years. Before that, I worked for a doctor at a private practice. We recently moved to Bethany, OK to be near our son, daughter in-law and our two grandchildren. I was fortunate to connect with Dr. Benjamin Bigbie who is a Mohs surgeon, and we hit it off and the rest is history,” Cindy said with a smile. “Dr. Bigbie has been in Norman for about fifteen months.”
“Our practice treats skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma as well as some other tumors of the skin. We treat our patients like we would want our family and friends treated. We have a small team, we work hard and were are like a family unit. I like knowing that at the end of the day, we have done a great job and we leave knowing that our patients have been well cared for,” Cindy commented.
“We only see a limited number of patients a day as our surgeries can last one to three hours depending on lab time. With the patients being at the officer for that length of time, we get to know a little about them and their life. It is rewarding to talk to our older patients and learn of their history. It’s a way we are able to connect with our patient as they connect with us.
“When I was hired as the office manager, my former employer asked me if I would be interested in the field of Mohs Histotechnology. I told her I would. I like to challenge myself and decided to give it a try. Long story, short, I trained at another physician’s office and went to a course sponsored by the American Society of Mohs Surgery. I went on to join the faculty of that annual course and was a part of that for fifteen years.”
Born and raised in McAlester, Oklahoma, Cindy still has family members there. Asking what Cindy wanted to be when she was little, she replied, “I don’t remember what I wanted to be when I grew up but I had no clue that I would be working in the medical field,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t image doing anything else though.”
“One thing for sure, I am a firm believer that all things happen for a reason and that is how I ended up doing what I do. I love my job and I feel like I have a real bonding with the patients. I think if someone wanted to work in the area, I think that person would need to have plenty of passion, empathy and a true desire to help others. Of course, that applies to any kind of job in the medical field,” Cindy said.
On a personal note, Cindy has been married for forty-one years. “He is my partner, sounding board, and the love of my life. My daughter-in-law is an RN and I have other family members that are in the medical field as well.”
I’m only starting the therapy with Accutane; take the drug for a week only. The skin condition still hasn’t changed, but my eyes and lips are really dry. The doctor gave me a prescription for eye drops to moisturize the mucous, and lip balm helps with lip dryness. I know that https://smokeypointskin.com/accutane-online/ is my last chance, so I’m ready for any challenges waiting ahead.
Asking Cindy how the Coronavirus has effected her life, she replied, “Ugh, I am so tired of it all and it has changed the whole world. Of course, we continue to take precautions in the office and at home. I can say that I admire the front line workers in this battle that they continue to fight. God bless all of them.
Summing up Cindy’s life in three words, she said, “Faith, family and friends.”