Tuesday, May 6, 2008

New soap box and Family Circle

Over the weekend I got several magazines to add to the 4-5 I'm already behind on reading. One of them is Family Circle and the other is Woman's Day. I'm letting them expire as I never have time to read them so sometimes I just never get around to reading them. For some reason (well actually now I know why) I decided to read the Family Circle one. One of the articles caught my eye about skin cancer.

Usually I skim through those kind of articles because I have the "turtle mentality". Don't ask/don't tell and it can't be true. Immature I know but I'm a chicken at heart. I'm trying to be better so cut me some slack! Anyway, at the end of the article it had pictures and descriptions of the three most common kinds of skin cancer. The very first one really caught my eye because it looked like and perfectly described a spot on my face that I've treated like acne for quite awhile.

Since it perfectly described the spot, I got alittle freaked and called yesterday to make an appointment with a dermatologist. I didn't really feel comfortable getting naked in front of the Dermo that just treated my DS, so I found an all women practice close to my office. When I called they originally said they were booking the end of this month or early in June. I casually mentioned why I wanted to be seen and she found a cancellation for this morning.

Long story short, nice office, friendly staff and doctor. She did a full body scan and 99% agreed with my self diagnosis of "Basel Cell Carcinoma" for the spot on my face. According to the FC article that is the most common type and most easily treated. She took a sample scrape and if it is positive I'll be referred to a specialist for removal because it is on my face.

What really surprised and frankly scared me was her reaction to a spot on my left arm. It just looked like a series of small moles/spots but she didn't like the look of one of the spots. When she pointed it out, that one spot did have irregular features but was so small it didn't trigger anything with me. She took a sample of that too and we'll know both results in about a week.

So now I'm trying not to freak out as I know everything is in Gods hands. I am trying. Not easy for me as I am a worrier which I know is an insult to the one that holds us all in his hand. Trust me, I struggle with that all the time.

So my new soap box is to get screened. Use top notch sun screen or avoid the sun when ever possible. And, do not dismiss Family Circle magazine. It can quite possibly save your life.

On a brighter note......AI....final four tonight. Wonder if Paula has gotten her notes straight or if they have banned her from Dress Rehearsal all together.

Til later.....................

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

wow, i am so sick of that OMA word. I just went over the "SKIN" chapter in Anatomy & the whole "carcinomas" I'm very happy you got it checked. I'm am adament about putting sunscreen on the boys. I have been good about wearing it myself.

Denise said...

Cheryl hun... I am so glad that you got the spot checked out. I will say a prayer for you. It is very important that we use sunscreen nowadays. It upsets me so when my next door neighbor (she's 34) barely uses anything or uses things to absorb the sun to tan.

Love you! Be seeing ya! 9 days... hehe