Thinking about lying in a tanning bed makes me want to throw up. I blame these "cancer machines" for my problems. When I was 16 my mom convinced me that I would look better in my prom dress if I "got a little color". It never bothered me to tan for every prom or wedding I was in after that. When I cheered in college we were kind of, sort of required to tan. Long story short, our sponsor was a tanning company and our coach would tell us if we needed to go more. I was that person who didn't want her to say anything to me, so I'd go ALL THE TIME. Literally seven days a week were spent in the tanning bed.
Now, when I see people, and especially minors who I can tell have tanned, I'm mad. I don't think it should be legal ESPECIALLY for people under 18.
So, there it is. Melanoma sucks and tanning beds are stupid.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Sunscreen
There are a lot of choices to make concerning sunscreen. More choices than I ever realized. I'm mad that magazines, etc. often say that, "Any SPF is fine as long as it's higher than 30." OK.....this is partly true. But what most people don't realize is for that SPF to work properly you need a shotglass amount on your body and need to reapply every 2 hours. I don't think most people do this. So, I'm shopping for SPF 70 or more to avoid any issues.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Red + Head
I'm mad at my genetics. A dad with red hair and maternal aunts and uncles who are gingers. A grandpa and a brother who both have had melanoma. It was only a matter of time....
(Nevermind that I sped up the process by tanning in a tanning bed....)
When I read all of the risk factors for this stupid disease, I basically can say, "Yep, that's me," all the way down the list. Sometimes I'm happy to tic all the boxes, but not this time.
I remember when I used to hope my children were redheads. I feel akin to those with the same auburn tint as me and I wanted that for my kids. Not any more. I hope they all have dark hair like their dad. I hope they don't get my freckles.
I hope they don't get my genetics...
(Nevermind that I sped up the process by tanning in a tanning bed....)
When I read all of the risk factors for this stupid disease, I basically can say, "Yep, that's me," all the way down the list. Sometimes I'm happy to tic all the boxes, but not this time.
I remember when I used to hope my children were redheads. I feel akin to those with the same auburn tint as me and I wanted that for my kids. Not any more. I hope they all have dark hair like their dad. I hope they don't get my freckles.
I hope they don't get my genetics...
Friday, February 21, 2014
Here, Moley, Moley.....
Body checks. Yuck.
When you're a redhead, you have freckles and moles. Lots of them. So how do you know when something changes? What if it's just new and not scary?
Every month (at least) I have to look ALL OVER and check for changes in my skin. I feel like an explorer who doesn't know what she's looking for. I second guess every little spot, and ask my husband, "Does this look funny?"
One of the best decisions I've made concerning my melanoma is printing off the front and back of the human body. I've marked this paper with the moles I find most concerning. Then I go on and describe the mole. This has really helped me to feel a little more in control.
When you're a redhead, you have freckles and moles. Lots of them. So how do you know when something changes? What if it's just new and not scary?
Every month (at least) I have to look ALL OVER and check for changes in my skin. I feel like an explorer who doesn't know what she's looking for. I second guess every little spot, and ask my husband, "Does this look funny?"
One of the best decisions I've made concerning my melanoma is printing off the front and back of the human body. I've marked this paper with the moles I find most concerning. Then I go on and describe the mole. This has really helped me to feel a little more in control.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
The Future Looks Shadey
OK...so I feel like I'm jumping around. WELCOME TO MY MIND!
When I think about having melanoma, it seems like a lifelong thing. Yuck. I wish it would just go away. I think back to my carefree days in the sun - staying outside as long as I wanted, putting on whatever sunscreen I could find, wearing tank tops. *Sigh*
I mostly feel badly for my family. I feel like because of my choices they will suffer. Mom can't go to the waterslide park without a care. Dan's wife can't go fishing all day without thinking twice about the last time she applied sunscreen. We can't all just go for a walk on a whim.
But hey, I'm here. I get to be a part of everything. But I still think melanoma sucks.
When I think about having melanoma, it seems like a lifelong thing. Yuck. I wish it would just go away. I think back to my carefree days in the sun - staying outside as long as I wanted, putting on whatever sunscreen I could find, wearing tank tops. *Sigh*
I mostly feel badly for my family. I feel like because of my choices they will suffer. Mom can't go to the waterslide park without a care. Dan's wife can't go fishing all day without thinking twice about the last time she applied sunscreen. We can't all just go for a walk on a whim.
But hey, I'm here. I get to be a part of everything. But I still think melanoma sucks.
Dermatologist
I should tell more about my story, but I have to write about my appointment this week to get my mind off of things....
I go in on Thursday to see my dermatologist. I am soooo dreading it. It has been almost 6 months since I found my first melanoma and 3 months since my last moles were removed. At my last appointment my doctor was worried about a few spots, but I talked her out of removing them. Now I want them GONE! I know it's vain, but I'm worried because these will be the first spots I won't be able to hide.
Until Thursday, I'll try to keep my mind off of it.
I go in on Thursday to see my dermatologist. I am soooo dreading it. It has been almost 6 months since I found my first melanoma and 3 months since my last moles were removed. At my last appointment my doctor was worried about a few spots, but I talked her out of removing them. Now I want them GONE! I know it's vain, but I'm worried because these will be the first spots I won't be able to hide.
Until Thursday, I'll try to keep my mind off of it.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Just the Beginning
Since I'm starting this blog all about my experience with melanoma, I should explain my situation. I'm going to try to be brief (I get rather winded when I tell all about it).
This last August (2013) I was in my classroom hanging up colorful, "WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL!" posters. The school secretary buzzed into my room and asked if I could take a phone call. It was my GP who had removed a mole from my lower left calf two weeks prior - a mole, he said, that didn't seem suspicious since it was asymmetrical, had fine borders, and was one color. (NEVERMIND that it had TRIPLED in size since I found it during my first trimester of pregnancy 18 months before....) The nurse had called me a week earlier to explain that they were sending my mole to Mayo, but I didn't really know what that meant. On this specific day, my GP was calling to explain that the Mayo tests confirmed I had "superficial spreading melanoma." He explained that although melanoma is the worst of all skin cancers, superficial was the one I wanted.
Right.
Well, two days later I was in the surgeon's office. My surgeon told me they would remove a section of my calf to be sure the melanoma had not spread. In the meantime, I had to set up appointments with an oncologist, an optometrist, and a dermatologist.
Little did I know, this was JUST THE BEGINNING of my time with all the "ists." I felt like I knew NOTHING about melanoma, and I was right.
This last August (2013) I was in my classroom hanging up colorful, "WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL!" posters. The school secretary buzzed into my room and asked if I could take a phone call. It was my GP who had removed a mole from my lower left calf two weeks prior - a mole, he said, that didn't seem suspicious since it was asymmetrical, had fine borders, and was one color. (NEVERMIND that it had TRIPLED in size since I found it during my first trimester of pregnancy 18 months before....) The nurse had called me a week earlier to explain that they were sending my mole to Mayo, but I didn't really know what that meant. On this specific day, my GP was calling to explain that the Mayo tests confirmed I had "superficial spreading melanoma." He explained that although melanoma is the worst of all skin cancers, superficial was the one I wanted.
Right.
Well, two days later I was in the surgeon's office. My surgeon told me they would remove a section of my calf to be sure the melanoma had not spread. In the meantime, I had to set up appointments with an oncologist, an optometrist, and a dermatologist.
Little did I know, this was JUST THE BEGINNING of my time with all the "ists." I felt like I knew NOTHING about melanoma, and I was right.
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