Holy Moly Roly Poly

About a year or so ago I found a new mole on my face. I figured it was nothing and put it off. It was small so I didn't see it as something to worry with. Well back in August I noticed it was a bit bigger and then by October it was much bigger. I showed it to Barry, who normally calls me a hypochondriac, and to my shock he informed me that he thought I should get it checked. It just so happened that was going in for my "wonderful" yearly and decided I would show it to my doctor and see what he thought. The doctor informed that I should go to a dermatologist and get it checked out.

Well I put it off for a few weeks because I was a bit worried about what the dermatologist would say. Then the spot started doing some funny things and so I decided to call the doctor sooner rather than later. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to get in until after Christmas. Well to my surprise, and after I told them about my concerns, I got an appointment the very next Monday. I went in and I was pretty sure they would take a bit of it off to send off to see. And they did just that. The doctor was very adamant that she very rarely saw skin cancer moles there and that after looking at it she didn't think I needed to worry. Actually her very words were, "I'm going to send it off to be biopsied, but Ms. Russell I'm almost for sure it is nothing." I being a good patient trusted her thoughts and went on about my business. And I followed all the rules with the "lovely" patch they left on my face to prevent any scaring. I then waited for the phone call to let me know what it was, if anything. I assumed that I'd hear something by Monday because they said they would call me back in the next week. Well Monday came and went and I didn't hear anything, so I believe that no news is good news. Then on Wednesday I turned my phone on and saw that I had three voice mails. I checked all my missed calls and knew all the numbers. I then check my voicemail and there was a message from the dermatologist office asking me to call them back as soon as I could. Immediately a pit fell in my stomach. I didn't want to worry, but I knew if it was good news then they would most likely share it over the phone. Barry happened to be there and convinced me that it was fine and that they just like to call and speak to you directly. He left and I called them back. And wouldn't you know they informed me that the mole they removed came back as skin cancer- a Basel cell carcinoma to be exact. I immediately swallowed and then the nice nurse went on to explain that this is the most common skin cancer and is the easiest to cure or get rid of. I honestly was still stuck on the word skin cancer to really hear anything else. She then told me that they needed me to come back in so they could remove all the tissue in the area and around it to make sure it was gone. So we scheduled the appointment, and it will be removed January the 26th.

In the meantime I decided to get on the wonderful computer and Internet and see what it had to say about Basel Cell Carcinoma's. I honestly had never done it before because you always, I mean always, get the worst news or descriptions off there. But after looking at it tonight, I decided I wished I would've checked it out sooner. The pictures they showed were the very thing that was on my face!!! And perhaps if I would've seen it a year or so ago I would've gone sooner before it got a bit larger and started scabbing and bleeding and stuff. Oh well can't redo it now. But what I can do is convince all of you and my own kids to stay out of the sun or at least use sunscreen!! I grew up on the beach and I'm honestly not surprised about the spot, but I wish I would not have worshipped the sun, or better yet the "tan" body as much as I did and still do. I will for sure be wearing protection and putting it on my kids from here on out. As a matter of fact I think I will be wearing it everyday even if I'm not on the beach or at the pool. I will also try to convince all the teenage girls I know to not go to the tanning bed. Statics now show that if you start using a tanning bed before the age of 18 (actually between 15-30 years of age) you increase your chance of any form of skin cancer by 50%. Yes you read that right, 50%. It increases it so much that some states are passing laws that ban individuals under the age of 18 from using tanning beds. And I must say that I wish now that I would've have known that when I started tanning at 16 years old, perhaps I wouldn't be having a skin cancer spot removed now. So with all this and after doing the research I'm a bit worried about the other "questionable spots" I've got. But I know that it is all going to be okay.

Matthew 6:25-34-
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.