Oh Mister Sun

"Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me!"

Yeah, that's the tune I USED to sing as a teenager and young married women. I used to spend my weekends at the beach and pool with my friends wearing baby oil, cooking oil or whatever we could find to get some sun. I tried and tried to tan like my fiends, but it never happened. I would always burn, peel and then freckle. I did this same cycle for many, many summers.

Well, I am paying for it BIG time now! Not only am I wrinkling early, but I just had my 4th Basal Cell Carcinoma. No fun!

Yesterday, I had a MOH's procedure. Thought I'd share a few pictures for those of you that have not jumped on the sunscreen wagon yet.

Here I am waiting for the lab to check and make sure the doctor got it all.

Not too bad, hu?

Well, take a look at this....

That was right before they stitched me up! NASTY!

And here it is the next day. Woke up with a nice black eye.

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful! ;)

And here I am on day 3.

Yikes!!!  That's just plain scary!!  I think I scared small children that day!  

So, the lesson of the day, friends, is ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN! 

 Learn from my mistakes! You will be so thankful when you are older.

You're welcome.

Update....Since this procedure, the doctor found another Basil Cell Carcinoma.  It was ugly and nasty when removed, and required months of laser treatments afterwards to get rid of the horrible scar it left me. So, if you are counting, that was my 5th time having skin cancer.  That's not good!   Boy, do I wish I could go back and redo those teenage years at the beach and by the pool!  Learn from me teenagers and young people!  Now is the time to wear your sunscreen!!  You think you won't care about sun damage when you get older, but trust me....you will!  And I consider myself very lucky to have only had Basil Cell Skin Cancer so far.  Melanoma is so much worse.  I am counting my blessings that I have not had that yet.

So, moral to the story is....  A tan lasts for a moment.  Sun damage lasts for a life time!  So, wear your sunscreen and go get some self tanner!  :)