I believe my kids will now wear sunblock. Always.
Categories: Fun & activities, Places to go
In early December I was diagnosed with one of the earliest forms of skin cancer on my face. This came as no surprise because my nose had been peeling for over 18 months despite the fact that I haven't been in the sun for years. I had a few nasty sunburns on my face when I was younger and that, plus genetics, lead to the demise of my facial skin. The dermatologist spent less than 30 seconds looking at my face before he said, "Uh-huh. Yep. Here's a prescription to help prevent this from advancing to a more serious stage. the process will hurt but it will be much better than full blown skin cancer, especially at your age." He wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way.On January 1 I began the four week treatment,vowing to stick it out no matter how much it hurt. And hurt it has. Not only does my face feel as though it is on fire, I also look absolutely hideous. From my hairline to my collar bone I am covered with angry red splotches and crusty pustules. But what I find to be the most interesting part of this process, other than the fact that I will not expire from skin cancer, is my children's reactions to this diagnosis. My red headed daughter, Cassidy, nearly always wears sunscreen without having to be told so there is no new development there. However, she now peppers me with questions in her free time. She wants to know how I could have let myself get so badly burned that I am now suffering this treatment. She is curious about sun proof clothing and how she can avoid the same fate. My oldest son, Loren, is constantly concerned for my comfort and is even angry that my earlier sins have lead to my current pain. He has shunned sunblock in his more recent years but now vows to wear it when he is out snowboarding this winter. My youngest son, Devon, does not understand at the age of three exactly why his mommy hurts. He can see my red face and knows that I am in pain but he seems to think I have fallen and scraped my cheeks, nose and forehead. He holds my face in his small hands and worries whether or not he can find enough band-aids to help me.
Aside from the obvious medical benefits of my current treatment I am tickled pink, bad pun, that my children are learning from this experience. To have something hit so close to home about a concept as simple as applying sunblock is, I believe, a true gift. I know it is one they are now understanding and I can only hope it is a lesson they will carry with them always.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ethel 1-31-2008 @ 12:36PM
I'm glad they're getting the lesson. I know of two gals both under 30 who have been diagnosed with melanomas. They're both moms, while one is a red head the other has dark brown hair - so it can happen to anyone. They're going to be okay (they were discreet tumors thoroughly excised - that is with full thickness and a 4"x4" patch of skin removed), but its scary that melanomas can develop on young women. And I am glad you caught your skin troubles early on before it became cancerous.
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Joy 1-31-2008 @ 1:20PM
Oh Heather how my heart goes out to you. My husband is on day #3 with this same thing. He had a mole type thing removed from his nose and that was cancerous but can be removed and won't spread so that was the good news. His arms are like your face. So far, so good. He is turning red but hasn’t said it hurts (and I won‘t mention pain!!). Good luck to you, we are just starting out so I hope all goes well for us.
The only thing in our defense was we just didn’t know. Who even heard of sunscreen in the 60’s and 70’s. Please, please take care and be sure to let us know how your doing. I’ll be thinking of you.
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Heather 1-31-2008 @ 1:38PM
Thanks for the happy thoughts! Although it hasn't been a fun process, i am grateful to have caught it in an early stage. Teaching our children about skin care/maintenance is such an important lesson. Hopefully their generation will be more savvy and won't have to burn off their faces, shoulders, arms, etc. :)
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aprilw 1-31-2008 @ 1:39PM
That's great that your kids are learning to be so proactive and preventative about suncare. :)
We are pretty careful too (we've had skin cancer in the family and we are also all pale) but lately I have also been getting my kids to take vitamin D supplements. Apparently here in Scotland, (and across the world), there has been a huge rise in bone breakages in children. Studies have found this is because reduced sun exposure has left kids Vitamin D levels too low and kid's bone density is suffering greatly! (Also rickets in young kids is getting more and more common!!)
Most big brand vitamins don't carry enough Vitamin D, or carry the wrong kind (you need Vitamin D3 or Cholecalciferol, Vitamin D2 is not as effective and many multivitamins carry this). You are better off going to a healthfood store and perusing their vitamins there, or buying a Vitamin D3 supplement on it's own. I know they reccomend here in Scotland now that toddlers get at least 10 micrograms or 400 i.u. a day of Vitamin D3 to avoid weak bones, rickets, and even childhood type 1 diabetes, future MS and many cancers. Older kids and adults need more.
I also saw on BBC Scotland over Christmas that pregnant women should get at least 1000 i.u. or 25 micrograms a day. (And guess what, every pre-natel vitamin I looked at had about 5 micrograms, and it was vitamin D2! I just started taking a D3 supplement on it's own along with my other one.)
Sorry for that long message! Just happened to be something that I've been reading about lately.
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aprilw 1-31-2008 @ 1:56PM
I also meant to say I hope your treatment is over soon, and hang in there. :)
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Eva 1-31-2008 @ 2:51PM
I am so sorry you are having to suffer this, but I'm glad your children are learning from it, at least.
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sheri 1-31-2008 @ 5:48PM
That's how I learned the lesson too. My mom is now missing a good portion of flesh and muscle on her upper left arm. I now treat tanned people with distain when they show off. "Oh, don't worry, you'll be back to normal soon. Hopefully you don't get cancer."
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