Bad decisions

This past week I feel like my bad choices in early adulthood have caught up with me.

I had a doctor visit to the dermatologist for my 6 month checkup. About 6 months ago I had my first appointment for just a routine skin-check and make sure all was well. I had never been and knew I hadn't been too kind to my skin over the years. 

Well, all was not well. I had several spots that didn't look so good. Spots I wouldn't have ever guessed were problematic. I got numbed up and biopsies were taken. One spot came back that it had cancer like cell growth. 

To even hear the C word is enough to scare you shitless. It's not cancer (yet), but shares cell growth similar to that of cancer. So, they went back in to cut all of it out. I now have a nice linear scar on my stomach next to my belly button. 

I went to this appointment this past week just expecting a quick exam and then to be on my way. After all, it had only been 6 months and my body hasn't even seen the sun. 

But once again, I had to get some more skin cut out for biopsies. Two areas they had removed last time started to regrow and apparently that's not good. I have to wait on lab results, but for now I have stitches in my back and a head full of worries.

So many years of laying out and not wearing sunblock, tanning beds, getting sunburns so I'd tan faster (stupid logic, I was young and dumb!) and now this. The tans have faded and all I'm left with is the damage. Self-inflicted damage at that. And fear of skin cancer. 

Tans don't last forever, but biopsy scars do. Put that on a bumpersticker. 

Do yourself a favor, stay out of the sun, wear sunblock and go get a skin check! 

PSA over.