Cancer.

Cancer seems to happen in waves around me. In those I love and the loved ones of my loved ones. Sometimes the Cancer is fought and beat! Sometimes the Cancer is just too strong and takes the life of a dear loved one.

I have cried with friends and family when this dreaded C word is said. It is not fair!

I had my first, and hopefully last, scare with Cancer myself in December 2003.

I went to the Dermatologist as I had an abnormal mole on my upper right chest area that Charles had noticed and said it was cause for concern. After asking my PCP about it, was told it was nothing but to have it removed since it bled from time to time with the annoyance of my bra strap.

Early December, I had it removed and they preformed a biopsy. The phone call came very quickly thereafter.

I had Basal Cell Carcenomia. A form of Skin Cancer.

I just could not believe this! WHAT? How?

I am fair skined. Blue eyes. Would wear sun screen a lot of the time.

Then it dawned on me.

Just a few months earlier I had this weird rash on my body. After going to {a different} PCP I was diagnosed first wrongly diagnosed with a yeast infection and ultimately correctly diagnosed with a rare for of psorisis. He had to pull out the books and was comparing the photos to my lovely rash and everything. It was a great experience. haha!

Anyways. He said the best treatment would be for me to hit the tanning beds until it cleared up. {I had NEVER been in a tanning bed before!} I did. And only a couple times as I just did not like them.

I was told that the Basal Cell Carcenomia would not kill me itself. If I were to die, it would be becuase it got infected and the infection itself would kill me instead. It was suggested that I have Moe's Surgery to ensure that all the Basal Cell Carcenomia was removed without any additional scarring.

Needless to say, when I got off the phone, I bawled my eyes out! I was freaking out! How could I, at only 19 years old, have a form of skin cancer???

Just a couple days later, I was having my first surgery {outpatient but still! It was surgery!}. As I sat in the waiting room with my husband {of only 4 months}, my mom, and my dad I popped the Valium to relax me. I saw a guy walk in the back door who, to me, resembled Adam Sandler an awful lot! I verbilized that if he was the Dr doing Moe's Surgery on me that I was NOT going to let an Adam Sandler look alike cut me in any way!

It was indeed the Dr {Supposed to be a specialist who only performs these Moe's Surgeries} and in full medical scrubs he looked nothing like Adam Sandler. His assistant did have a horrid smell to him... You could obviously tell he had been smoking and did not let it all air out before coming back in to be five inches from my face!

Thankfully though, Charles was able to be back with me and kept me distracted and calm. :-) I believe only two layers were needed before all the basal cell carcenomia was removed and I was off to heal up. I {am supposed} to go once a year to the Dermatologist for a lovely skin analyzer for the rest of my life.

{{WEAR SUNSCREEN and AVOID TANNING BEDS!!!}}

Unfortunately, I know of people who are batteling Cancer that is much, much, more serious than I had a glimpse at.

My Grandma in particular.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she continues her chemo treatments and hopefully will beat this cancer once and for all! I am fortunate that I am able to head down to spend some much needed time with her this next week as it has been almost five years since I last saw her... And then, it was not under the best of circumstances due to other family member's health concerns.