Monet's Garden Bridge © lynette sheppard
“Seeking employment opportunity as bridge guardian.Salary negotiable, but must include health benefits. No trestles or spans over large canyons, please, as applicant is afraid of heights.”
Okay, I probably won’t need to advertise for that job now that it has been 10 days since a basal cell skin cancer was removed from my left cheek. But the first couple of days? I surely qualified as troll with a capital T. Heck, I scared myself.
And now the stitches are out, I’m healing nicely, and people in the grocery store don’t look away from my face anymore. Hallelujah.
I sent the photo of my face on Day 1 to one of the Goddesses, who immediately returned the favor with her own post skin cancer removal pic. We both looked like we’d been in bar fights – and lost!
So what’s my point here? Besides the blatant play for sympathy (thanks for the flowers, Theresa – and the presents, Mom.) My point is that we are all getting older. And those years in the sun with the baby oil and iodine when we were sweet young things? Well, as Grandma would say, the chickens are coming home to roost. Whatever that really means – Grandma could be seriously obtuse sometimes.
Make sure you see your dermatologist at least once a year for that comprehensive mole check. Wear sunscreen and hats when you go out. Since I was 20 and SPF factors became a happening thing, I’ve been careful about covering up and wearing sunscreen. Still, by then, much of the damage had already been done. Hence, my Halloween-ready visage.
I did ask my surgeon if he might do a little face lift while he was at it. Alas, it wasn’t to be. And I gotta say, after this, I KNOW I won’t be getting one of those. This was trauma enough.
The good news is, the skin cancer is all gone. In a few months, my doctor will laser my scar away. Thankfully, Menopause has pretty much done away with any vanity I once had. Life is good.
As we age, we will definitely have more health issues. That’s part of the deal. You live long enough and stuff will happen. What matters most is living fully, every moment, every day. And gratitude. Lots and lots of gratitude.
By the way, tomorrow – October 18 – is World Menopause Day. I wonder if Hallmark has a card for that…
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Well, aren’t you good about keeping a secret!! Must have been scary and you’re right, menopause DOES help prepare us for some of the realities of aging that we will all face at one time or another.
I can just see you now with the cutest collection of sunhats! Should make for some darling photos too!
Very happy to hear the good news!
Dee
Joined the skin cancer club, eh? Well I’ve been in that one for several years now. My scariest was two years ago: tip of the nose and SCC (worse than BCC). I really freaked out at the potential disfigurement in the center of my face (Michael Jackson kept popping into my head). The one on my high cheekbone healed years ago and is nearly invisible. I got the best Plastics/ENT in our area, and he fixed me up pretty darned good: still scarred, but no giant defect. So yearly checks w/my derm are already on my list. And I’m grateful everyday for my healthy (if somewhat aging body) that still can do nearly everything I command and is still presentable.
Thanks, Dee, Yep, lots of cute sun hats in my future. And Anne – yet another club I didn’t ask to join (the Big M and now, skin cancer.) Do we have a secret handshake? BTW, you look great, so would never have known you ever had any lesions.
I did not know there was a World Menopause Day! How does one celebrate that? I’m guessing by doing what I’m doing right now, sweating it out, lol. Glad your cheek is healing.
and they say blonds have more fun… Glad you are doing well .
my father died as a result of skin cancer nothing fool with at all it was a truely bad way to die… they have come a long way but still nothing to be ignored…
Hello there fellow goddess! I love your blog. Fabulous job. Keep sharing..it’s what we have to do to get through all of this. I just updated my post about my ongoing menopausal journey. Check it out.
Some good advice about sun screen. Can never be too safe, especially with pollution, etc that factor into our sun exposure.