Here Comes the Sun.... Yikes

I was sitting at my desk Friday in a practically empty office, so excited for a sun-filled weekend when I got a phone call from my dermatologist. I had gone in for a quick screening a few weeks ago and she ended up doing a biopsy on the tiniest, darkest spot on my back. You know the news is bad when the doctor says, "do you have a minute?" It turns out the innocent little dot is a melanoma, the nastiest type of skin cancer. It is however perfectly curable with a simple procedure if you catch it early enough, which we did. I am thankful for that and so glad I went in for that screening, but am just cursing myself for the visits to the tanning salon as a teenager and all the long days in the sun not really bothering to use much sunscreen.

I think I am more bummed than anything, and it sounds ridiculous, but I don't want to be afraid of the sun the rest of my life. Nor be that person who's wearing the hat, long shirt and pants at the beach. Please! I love being outside, particularly in the summer. Sunscreen alone is not enough though. I will just have to go out before or after peak hours, and stay in the shade for the most part.

Melanoma is the most rare form of skin cancer and also the most deadly. It's the second most common cancer diagnosis (2nd to breast cancer) for women ages 30-34. To all of my fair-skinned friends, or anyone with lots of freckles and moles, please get checked! And wear your sunscreen people!