I Am Not Even a Sun Worshipper!

Last week I went to the dermatologist for a checkup. Everything looked great. Just before I left I remembered that for the past few months I have had a teeny weeny little bump on my right cheek...skin colored, small, round. I mentioned it to the doctor. He looked at it under a magnifying thing, said it didn't look like anything but he decided to remove it "In case it IS something, it's good to get it early." He told me to call in a week because they don't call patients with results unless the biopsy is positive. Weeellll - I got a voice message today to please call the dr's office....now, what does THAT tell you? Of course, I knew. I called the office and lo and behold...my biopsy was positive. I have a basel cell cancer, caught early. They want me to have Mohs surgery. The doctor they are referring me to did surgery on my mother's chin and let me tell you....she did an amazing job. She ended up taking a quarter sized piece out of my mom's chin (and Mom has a very tiny chin). It took over an hour, but you would never know that any surgery was done at all....it is not noticeable and Mom is fine. I am not concerned at all, but...if this isn't a wake-up (stupid) call to wear sunscreen (and to put it on my face EVERY morning because I live in Florida and get exposed to the sun just going to my car) then I don't know what is. I was talking to Gerry's nurse practitioner today about it (she is part of the melanoma team) and she suggested that I get moisturizer with UV/SPF 15. For good measure, when we return at the end of the month I will mention all this to Dr. Kim, Gerry's oncologist...couldn't hurt!!