Follow-Up on Me

Last Wednesday I had my stitches out and finally received the results from the pathology report...not the news I wanted but I wasn't all that surprised either.

The mole removed from my forehead is basal cell carcinoma...next step is MOHS surgery. I need to wait for the official path report to be sent to my PCP and then she will refer me to a MOHS surgeon. I am hoping the report is received today. I want this off of me.

The other two moles came back as inconclusive...the pathologist thought they were bug bites. My PCP told her she highly doubted that but they are not sure what they are. My PCP is hoping the surgeon might be able to tell what they are from the path report or looking at the area.

I was looking at the list for people at high risk for skin cancer and I can tick off almost everyone item on the list:

A lighter natural skin color. - YES

Family history of skin cancer. - YES

A personal history of skin cancer. - NO

Exposure to the sun through work and play. - YES, I live in TX!

A history of sunburns, especially early in life. - YES, almost every summer growing up!

A history of indoor tanning. - Thankfully, only did this once!

Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun. - YES

Blue or green eyes. - YES

Blond or red hair. - Red hair isn't natural but light brown is close enough. ;)

Certain types and a large number of moles. - ??

Fingers crossed I am able to have the surgery within the next couple of weeks and start healing.

Hello from Soggy Texas!

It has been rainy in our corner of Texas since Sept. 3rd...we have seen so much rain! M wakes up most mornings telling us he's tired of the rain and wants it to stop. Thankfully, it looks like we are going to get a bit of a break this week! I just looked and for the next 3 days we have 0% chance of rain. WOO-HOO!!

I realize that most of my updates have been about M and not much about me. At the beginning of July I finally found a new primary care doctor for myself. I got myself back on my Syn.throid and back on the pre-diabetes meds. I was surprised how much better I really did feel after getting back into my meds routine. She highly recommended that I not go off them at the same time again and think that everything will be okay!

While I was having my initial appointment/physical the P.A. noticed a new mole on my forehead and asked about it. Then she noticed a couple on my chest - they were also fairly new. Which brings us to me needing to have them biopsied. I had them removed almost 2 weeks ago and I am still waiting for the results. I go on Wednesday to have the stitches removed and will receive the results then. To say I am anxious is an understatement. The cards are stacked against me in terms of skin cancer...I'm of Celtic decent, I've had sooo many sunburns throughout the years, I have fair skin and blue eyes. My fingers are crossed for positive results but I am also ready to face this head on if it's not positive.

On a positive note, on Friday afternoon J and I both picked M up from school. He was a bit crabby when we got home and decided he wanted to have a lemonade stand. I had to explain that we can do that once it's not raining...he didn't really take no for an answer so we had an indoor lemonade stand that was ready for when J got home. :)

Unfortunately, this is what our skies have looked like lately...silver lining is we have gained A LOT of water in the aquifer and are almost out of the drought!!

Hopefully later this week I can show you some sunny skies!!

Quick Update

I ran out of time during the week this happened so it's a bit delayed...

M is in Kindergarten!!! He missed the cut-off date for public kindergarten by a month and a day, so we looked in to other options and found a daycare that offers private, accredited kindergarten. J really wanted to have M tested out and try public kindergarten but I was really against that, so this seems like a good compromise. So far M is loving school...J and I are still getting used to the transition from pre-school to kindergarten. The communication with the teacher is not the same and I think we are both having trouble with that aspect.

I still have work to do with the school and food allergies, but (knock on wood!) no issues in the first week, so that is huge! The teacher did tell me that M created his own safe zone at lunch. He told the other kids they were not allowed to sit right next to him. I was so proud of him advocating for himself and setting boundaries!!

(PS - if you look at M's sign, it does indeed say he wants to be a housekeeper when he grows up - his Auntie Ester at the Sunbreeze in San Pedro is very proud! she's the head of housekeeping)