Stumble It!
This post will contain a very gross image. If you're weak in the stomach or just an all-around pussy, scroll past it quickly.
I went to the dermatologist on Thursday morning for a full-body birthmark, mole (How come I can never say mole in my head without saying "moley moley moley" from Austin Powers?), and skin check. I'm blond and fair, with tons of freckles and birthmarks. I like them, always have, and love how they pop out after an afternoon in the sun. However, I also know it puts me at greater risk for skin cancer especially since my grandmother has had it twice. I've been meaning to go and for no real reason other than sheer time constrains and my loathing for waiting in doctor's offices, I've put it off for oh, about 28 years.
But I went. I finally went.
And came home with four of these bad boys (gross image in 3, 2, 1..):
(That's my left shoulder. I others on my belly, right thigh, and face. YES. I HAVE ONE OF THOSE MONSTROSITIES ON MY FACE. Send bag for face and vodka.)
Those craters are gouges of my flesh left by Mr. I Just Started Wearing Big Boy Pants Dermatologist Man. The four "suspicious" looking birthmarks were sliced out of my body and sent for biopsy. No calls are good calls, says Mr. Wanna See My Thomas the Train Dermatologist Man.
You should come back every three months for more checks, Mr. I Can Ride My Tricycle All By Myself Dermatologist Man tells me.
So I go about my merry day, four tiny pieces of my body being sent to a labortatory and hope that phone never rings.
More than ONE MILLION cases of skin cancer are reported each year. Do you get checked regularly?
Friday, September 19, 2008
Um, ew
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15 comments:
I've never been checked. Never even thought of it. But my aunt had skin cancer, my mom had ovarian cancer, so I probably should.
Good for you to get checked and hopefully the biopsies come back clear on them. My mother had to have a HUGE lesion removed from her face as a result of many years in the sun as a child/teen "back in the old days". As you know I'm quite pasty white and freckly - I've had a 2 of them from my shoulder removed - one came back pre-cancerous so after that scare I changed my attitude towards being ghostly transparent even in the summertime.
Your post reminds me that it has been a while since I've gone for the inventory - I need to make an appointment and get in there.
I have been checked once and so far so good. I hope you do not get a call.
we call it "the Mole Patrol" around here. too many years of lifeguarding have not paid off well for my skin. i've had 5 places taken off and only one spot had a call-back. (i have a nice thick scar on my neck from that one that reminds me to be checked more often than not)
feeling your pain... and thankful to still be feeling, thanks to "the Mole Patrol"!
My female doctor told me that I needed to get one checked. It scared the heck out of me. It came back fine, but now I'm super vigilant.
I'm high risk, too. And, perhaps you lost a few ounces by having them gouged out by Doogie?
My grandfather has had skin cancer and about 2 years ago I had to have a crazy looking mole? cut off of my leg. Never got a phone call. Hope they didn't just lose my number.
Hmmm, maybe I should call.
Is it bad I'm kinda glad my work computer doesn't load your pictures?
We are living parallel lives! Except you actually WENT to the dermatologist to get stuff checked out, whereas I just look in the mirror at my growing moles, thinking, "I should really go get these checked out."
And I was thinking that JUST this morning!
I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Ugh. I haven't been to the dermatologist since they cut a mole off of my bikini line. eek! I have a mole on my neck that probably needs looking at, just 'cuz, but I don't want them to cut it off. LOL. :D
i seriously need to go. i am a sunlover and i hope that doesn't ever come back to haunt me! hope your results are clear.
Never been checked. I should be. I have freckles and moles, too. Being checked scares me. But, I guess it needs to be done.
Can I wait a week, though? This coming week I have an appointment with a neurologist and an allergist AND a massage therapist. I'm a bit tapped on appointments ending with -ist.
:)
I can't believe he took all your birthmarks!
I've never been checked. Ugh.
I totally think 'moley moley mole' every time I think about or see a mole. Every freakin' time!!!! Damn that Fred Savage!!!
I get my moles checked annually! I have one that has grown significantly during this pregnancy and the doctor says it may never go back down :( It's cosmetic surgery at this point though, so in my mind, no point in getting it removed.
Yep. I have dark hair but really really fair skin and when I'm in the sun I get freckles.
So far so good. I've never had anything removed though.
Hope you don't get a call. How young was the dermatologist? (maybe he just has really good skin???)
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