One More Thing All This Freakin Sunshine Did For Me

Sooooo. I've lived my whole life on the coast of Sunny Florida. The Sunshine State! Nice huh? I know a lot of people would imagine it is. And sometimes it is. I have to be honest. We all grew up swimming and fishing and surfing and sunning. It was a good way to keep the kids occupied, both at the beach and, since my oldest was 10, we were blessed to have a pool. (a pool is a mixed blessing) But we're concentrating on fun here. So yeah. Fun. It also kept my husband occupied all these years with surfing so he doesn't have hobbies I find personally offensive-like golf.
 So Fun. Fun In The Sun!
And there have been times when I fully enjoyed it. I certainly spent enough time out in it. Sometimes the beach is breathtakingly beautiful. However, I admit I've gone whole years without stopping to look at a view people save to visit and see and that is available free to me less than 5 minutes away.  Much of the time I am an ungrateful wretch and hate it.  I get so tired of the brightness and the heat. I know, I've gone on about it ad nauseam.

So anyway. I am the youngest. The youngest child in my family and the youngest in my mothers extended family. My brothers were 9 & 12 when I was born and my sisters were 14 & 15. My closest cousin in age was approximately 6 years older than me. We all grew up at the beach before the advent of sunscreen. We all spent a large amount of time outdoors. And for a very long time I've been watching. And waiting my turn.

When my mother was in her 60"s the first squamous cell carcinoma showed up. Just the first of that type and basal cell she would find over the following years.

My second oldest sister had a basal cell at age 24. She has had a few more removed over the years.

My oldest brother died when he was 42. He was an outdoorsman. He didn't die early enough to miss out, though that is not what killed him.

My next brother had a couple squamous cell removed a few years ago.

Over the years I heard through the family grapevine that my female cousin closest in age had a bout of treatment for a rather serious case.

My oldest male cousin was diagnosed last year with Merkel Cell Carcinoma which is rare and so pretty frightening..

So, I stopped ignoring the thing that has been growing next to my nose for 3 years. The thing I kept hoping would go away even though I knew it wouldn't. This was a mistake. I officially have my first Basal Cell Carcinoma. I had become complacent because of years of family having a few scrapes a small incision or some strong topical burn off and that was it. Apparently, if it's near the cartilage of your nose it's not that simple and I needed a flap. Yay.  Luckily I narrowly missed it going too far. It's good I didn't wait longer or I would be missing part of my nose.  I don't really care about the scar. I'm 50 years old, I'm not getting any prettier, though it is disconcerting to think about the possibility of disfigurement.

But it is just a scar.

My oldest sister has just been treated for Melanoma. She's clear now but still...

Right now I would be more than pleased if someone would just Take My Sunshine  Away.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN. MORE IMPORTANT-MAKE THE KIDS WEAR SUNSCREEN!

P.S. My lip area was so swollen I looked like a "Real Housewife" of Your Nightmares.



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