I love spots. There are orange spots on my favorite sweater. There are tan spots on my favorite shoes. The spots on Pete are amongst some of my favorite. The spots from the sun on my skin...nosomuch. I embraced the paleness that is my skin several years ago and practically hide from the summer sun now. Despite my sun-protection regimen, I know melanoma is in my family history and I need to be proactive about my spots, I always made excuses to not make and appointment and go see the dermatologist. I'd say I have a mild case of white coat syndrome and just plain don't like going to see any doctor. period.
During our first Junior League meeting of the year, we welcomed acclaimed author Dorthea Benton Frank as our guest speaker. She was insightful, funny, witty, and frank, just as her last name states. She described her journey to becoming an author & there seemed to be one catalyst for why she sat down and put fingers to keyboard and wrote. Her mother was diagnosed with melanoma & subsequently passed away a few short months later. After the initial shock wore off and the grief set in, she had a fire lit in her to save her mother's low country beach cottage. She started to write stories set in the picturesque landscape of her childhood, and never looked back. The NYT bestselling author started & ended her talk with "GO TO THE DERMATOLOGIST AND GET CHECKED!" She encouraged us to stop being selfless employees, wives, children, mothers and to take a few minutes, stop making excuses, and just do it. Thanks to Dottie, I stopped making excuses and made an appointment for myself and the badger.
We went yesterday and everything went smoothly and we had nothing to worry about! I enjoyed the doctor's bedside manner and enjoyed having my husband there. I told him it was probably the most calm I've ever been in a doctors office! The Dr. thought it was a wonderful idea that we came together and will make it a yearly trip. It allowed him to point out a few spots to keep an eye on for each other in those hard to reach places. It was silly of me to put it off and wasn't a big deal at all. I'm glad I had that extra little push that made me get up and go. I feel better knowing that we're in the clear and can continue on with embracing the pale! If this has been on your back burner...check it off your list! You'll be glad you did, I promise!
9 years ago
4 comments:
Needed to read that today! Thanks! Love Dottie Frank, too. She's a favorite author of mine.
Great reminder! Another important yearly visit is the mammogram. Early detection for any form of cancer is key.
I love Dorthea Benton Frank also. She is one of my favorite authors and that is so cool you got to meet her. It is good to have your yearly checkups. I had to have a punch biopsy a few months ago on 2 moles, but luckily I got them early and was able to get all of it removed. It's better to go now when things can be caught early. It is so sweet your husband went with you!
Great post! I am German and Irish so I am pretty pale. I used to love the sun in my late teens and early 20's but by my mid-20's I was slathering on the sunscreen. I see my derm yearly and find it to be one of the easiest doctor appointments around!
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