WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2021

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Replies

  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    edited August 2021
    TANNING
    I read that we were encouraged to have a tan "glow in the 60s 70s 80s, that that was considered healthy, and people would tan. That's what I remember. Sunscreen was to avoid burning and we used low levels of protection 1, 2, 4! (there wasn't really 50 back then much, 16-20-30 was max, for people who burned easily) for early days of sun till we got a tan to "protect" us from sunburn. The tanner the prettier. Having at least a golden color if not more was the common aesthetic! I remember occasionally "tanning" with friends after school. Fortunately I found it pretty boring and didn't like staying very long. I had 1 summer by the sea as au pair 20h a week and I had an evening job too, a few nights a week and would then sometimes asleep in the sun in the morning, but I think not so much exposing my face, more my legs.
    Then I was really very into outdoor sports: walking, hiking, bicycling, cross country skiing, camping and being outside a lot. I rarely used sunscreen as I didn't "need" it after the first few days. At about 33-35 w boyfriend we'd go to the beach at about 4pm every couple of weeks, no sunscreen. Thank goodness we preferred the late hours most of the time (less heat and less traffic and easier parking!). He was an MD student so maybe he had the cancer issue in the back of his mind, but I don't remember him mentioning it and I'm sure he didn't use sunscreen much if at all. (again we'd only use if we thought there was a risk of burning). He had also spent a lot of time outside travelling in tropics for years, and though he was my age he had a tannish band slightly darker tan color around his forehead. I would not be surprised if he had skin issues to deal with now or later, but as the dermatologist says, it's a partly the luck of the draw, who gets it and who doesn't.
    Then at about 35 an older friend worried about wrinkles said one should always use sunscreen. I did use it a fair bit (not always) on face but I'm sure I must have missed my neck (not thinking about wrinkles on neck). And almost always when hiking or beach, wearing a hat hiking and covering face at beach. But I've done long hikes and spent much time outside, used to always bike to work, now scooter (so part of neck and face exposed through and under helmet!). I read that some use sunscreen even inside, like lotion. Or lotion with 30 protection, since windows don't protect from UV really.
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,723 Member
    Barbara - Both of those, plus her lawyer brain, plus an undiagnosed touch of ADHD. I'm crossing fingers the buyers haven't given up on her. :o

    Kids coming for a 'playdate' today. (Edie's words) Just from 1 - 5. DDIL will be starting to pack for Mallorca. Leaving on Sunday. I was kept awake in the night by tumbling thoughts/anxieties around looking after them.
    Managed to work some helpful anxiety techniques I've been reading about and went back to sleep. :D

    Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,628 Member
    bananasandoranges wrote: »
    auntiebk wrote: »
    "Get to do"s and "chose well"s
    Chose well: take BP,
    Bonus: stroll with T and Shadow, lovely vegan lunch with same, YouTube Fern Canyon hike.
    Get to do: take BP, dogs to powerline, finish minutes, laundry, veg prep, flagger course progress, figure out how to see what’s using all our mobile data, USE those torture bands/do that BB&B video, call S, fire district: research NFPA, grant NIMS requirements, ongoing: input 2019 call sheets into NFIRS, work with chief on equipment letter, substance abuse policy, NFIRS mutual aid and other missing details, likewise Lee skills/tasks, ask for boots donator contact info, appreciation letter or certificate to boots donator, index mutual aid files; watch STAS Day 20, declutter sideboard, learn new dances (Tequila Little Time, Homesick, Nothing but You, A Little Less Broken, Blame it on my beating heart,; Do Your Thing, practice dances: One Margarita, I’m so used to being broke, All Night, Pure Movies to Wine, Beer, Whiskey, I ain’t never gonna love nobody but Cornell Crawford (Alley cat),); finish mulching flowerbed, invest another 10 minutes in prepping living trust, Freddie’s for complete series TDAP <$48, get Shingrix vaccine, find and configure a screen time popup, figure out where to plant the last of the naked lady bulbs, and soon as it warms up above 50 and dries out below 60% humidity I’ll tape and spray paint those rusted areas of Aunt Elsie’s stove, ask Te about GB’s FD firetruck tax levy – contacts, media, advocate???, Reward: inventory seeds, plan this fall’s garden, wishlist replenishments (Milena F1 orange peppers and beit alpha cukes next year).
    August
    19: Be thankful for your food and the people who make it possible. Amen!

    Tracey :love: that grandson and his Viking hat/beard.
    Evelyn thank goodness our vermin are smaller and less aggressive than raccoons. Have a looong story about our Wheaten’s fight with a raccoon, the short of it is she ended up at 24 emergency vet at 4 am for 5 puncture wounds around her snout. We were thankful the raccoon missed her eyes. Congrats for passing on the strata’s secretarial torch!
    Machka your comments about skimming uni notes, amen. Wish I’d known then what I do now . . . but I guess good judgement comes from experience… which comes from poor judgment. :lol: Absolutely pet playtime counts as exercise when your chasing your cat chasing his ball.
    Allie Touched by an Angel was one of my faves. Does Alfie like to play tug? ConVERYgratulations on the good news!
    Margaret brava for getting better at setting boundaries (and for your hint to Drew :> ). Some men dislike small dogs because they’re afraid they’ll step on them and injure them permanently. Still no excuse not to respond to Drew’s overtures. I’m thinking of taking AARP’’s free hearing test to establish a base line, would your DH consider doing so?
    Pip you ROCK! :love: that Yogi.
    Katla you’re a better person than I am. I would ask Karma to bring him back not just as a cat, but as one of his victims with full knowledge of what was happening and who was doing it.
    Heather SMH at G. Is it her indecisiveness or is she just not ready to sell, cementing the life change?
    Rebecca love letter? :love:
    Debbie brava for getting back into Zumba!
    Annie cheerful teachers are welcome gifts these days.
    Welcome @euchre35!
    Terri hope the eye meds do their job and seeing gets back to normal soon.

    Julie, hooray for veggies and recumbent energy! The skin story, way too long.
    Dates are approximate and likely misremembered ;)
    My skin is fair for a light brunette, and always sunburned easily. Back when I was a teen, we laid out in the sun intentionally, even with baby oil to enhance the tan. I had several bad burns, two that actually blistered: one under my breasts from having the sun hit where it was normally shaded ;) and one on my shoulders from a cloudy day sitting on a dock between a pool and a lake.
    In the mid 80’s a white something sprouted at the end of my nose. Well-meaning friends would hand me a tissue, one even tried to wipe it off for me. :blush: Finally went to a grumpy old male dermatologist. Without really telling me what he intended to do, he stuck a needle in the end of my nose, presumably novocaine to numb it. The needle hurt so badly that tears spurted from my eyes. I tell this story to every young woman I hear talking about going to the tanning bed parlor. Sometimes I exaggerate a little and say “tears spurted out from my eyes and bounced off his glasses.” Biopsy: basal cell. Do not remember him recommending sunscreen, hat or any protective wear.
    In the late 90’s a zit appeared in the middle of my chin and would not go away nor heal. GP said he’d normally take it off for me but since it was “in the middle of your face” he referred me to a dermatologist. She numbed it with cream, then novacaine, and shaved of some to have biopsied. Think it was dx as basal cell. She referred me to the dermatological surgeon for Mohs surgery. That woman was a real artist. She cut along the wrinkle line around my chin to peel back a third of it to get to the spot. When it healed you could not tell there was a scar.
    This began a regime of twice yearly full body visual scans. The dermatologist (who took the biopsy) had a bit of a rocky bedside manner at first, and was a quick draw artist with that doggoned freeze gun, but eventually we established a good relationship. Good thing because a year or two later, another “zit” popped up on the side of my nostril. Biopsy: squamous. Back to the surgeon. This time she sliced along the wrinkle line between nostril and cheek, again, invisible. I did look like a pirate with the bandages and bruising until it healed, but all came out well.
    Finally in the mid 2000’s or early teens another zit popped up in the hairline just above my forehead. Biopsy: squamous again.
    Little to no visible scarring. Pics at bottom.

    The last three were all Mohs surgery, done on an outpatient basis. They gave me a twilight drug so I was “out there” while they did the onsite analysis. I don’t think they ever had to go back and remove more, but they might have. I did learn that I’m sensitive to the twilight-making drug “Halcyon.” It makes me unable to pee. Called the nurse and she said if I didn’t pee within the next X hrs to go to the ER to get catheterized. Yikes! Sitting on the pot, running the shower, holding my hand in the warm water-filled sink and visualizing rushing rivers did the trick. Whew!

    My hair cutter found something suspicious on the back of my scalp but the hot shot dermatologist advised it was just a “pink mole.”

    So no baddies for at least five years, maybe more. My current dermatologist said that meant I could revert to annual scans, but I’m sticking with every six months. Use it as an excuse to hit Trader Joe’s while I’m in the big city. ;)

    I truly hope you get results soon. I urge you to add 500 mg Niacinamide to your daily supplement regime. “In patients with sun-damaged skin, oral nicotinamide helped prevent the occurrence of nonaggressive skin cancers (11). . . .Other studies found a reduction in actinic keratoses, a predictor of melanoma risk (13) (21). Additional studies are warranted (14).” from: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/nicotinamide
    I have lots of keratoses and haven’t yet noticed a reduction, but perhaps there’d be even more if I didn’t take it ;)

    My thoughts are with you!

    2ebh2dq1ljin.jpg
    hzv6ffrwu6we.jpg



    Lighter, lovelies!
    f8qt1s098sxm.gifBarbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD
    August: leaner/stronger/kinder than July.
    daily: sit with Joe: 17, weigh/wii: 19/0/0; steps>6704=6810 vits=18, log=19, CI<CO=18, CI<250<CO=14, Tumble=10, Shadow=18, mfp=20, outside=22, up hill=21, clean 10=6.
    wkly: Sun: Mon: Tue:LD YH=1, Wed:TC=2, PW=2. Thurs: Fri:TC=2. Sat:PW=2. rX x4=2.
    wt=1/31:141.3 2/28:142.4 3/31:145.3 4/30:141.5 5/31:142.4 6/30:141.5 7/31:140.2!!! 8/1:141.3 8/8:140.4 8/15:141.5 :rage:
    mnthly: board mtg=1, grant=, plan=, waist=42.0
    bonus: AF:11 play= sew=
    2021: choose to be leaner/stronger/kinder NOW

    Barbara thanks. I agree with machka your dermatologist did great work!
    That's not too long. Now I understand why you recommended MOHS. My impression is that they don't necessarily use it in necks. From research I've done MOHS means they absolutely know if they've gotten the whole thing; I think it should have been used in my case: invasive and 2nd biopsy of same thing. To be honest I think he did the scar in the wrong direction. it was a tiny dot of a scar - nothing -after 1st biopsy, just one stitch since the growth was on a stem. Not knowing much as I was on the table (only time I saw the doctor) I asked if he could do it horizontally thinking that would be a more aesthetic scar. He said no he was doing it vertically slightly diagonally, since the 1st dot was that way. I think that was a bad choice. I think he must have take close to 2cm round to have a margin. He was also chatting with his fellow doctor about hospital gossip while he was operating. I've since read that major concerns for many people are 1) health 2) aesthetics, not necessarily in that order. He didn't care at all about aesthetics. He even said the anti-scar skin cream wasn't necessary, was only for scarring. I feel uneasy about the scar. I don't think he did a god job sewing it.
    But onward and upward. I have only had 2 stitches or so on my knee a very long time ago, and I really didn't care much at all about the look of it on the knee. The neck is so different, everyone will see it. It's a bit over an inch. I feel angry and sad about that. Also reading the forum was helpful. It talks about the anxiety of having to get checked regularly, to never know when it's over, to keep getting bits taken out... The fact that some people consider it "just skin cancer" but it's really serious and can spread to other parts of the body if not caught quickly. I'm upset that they haven't called me back 2 weeks post-biopsy, and that the operating doctor said he removed the dermis (2 mm) whereas the plan was to remove the hypodermic. I see that the usual is to remove the hypodermis, so I certainly hope he did that, which means he was giving me a quick inaccurate answer to get rid of me quickly, as he had been in the midst of talking with his very young colleague doctor in private conversation just outside the waiting room. He was replacing the other doctor, so I don't know if he was aware enough of my case and if he cares enough since I was normally not "his patient". Surely the flip side of health care for all is the current delay.


    I wouldn't worry about the scar ... people have all sorts of scars as they make their way through life.

    My husband has a trach scar and a large divot in his head.

    I've had a scar on my chin from where a large, suspicious mole was removed when I was about 10 or 11 years old. I've got 2 other "suspicious mole" removal scars in a couple other locations (back and leg). I've got scars all over my legs and arms from cycling experiences.
    And I've got a massive scar from belly button all the way down from a general exploratory surgery done in my early 20s which located a faulty appendix. Since my early 20s I have not been able to wear a bikini or bikini underwear and often wear garments to smooth things out if I'm wearing a smooth dress or skirt. That's how big this scar is.

    But that's life. :)

    Character marks. :)


    M in Oz
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 10,102 Member
    I have my zipper scar from open heart surgeries and 8 port scars on my belly that i must wear as a badge of courage
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,628 Member
    edited August 2021
    bananasandoranges wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    auntiebk wrote: »

    Julie, hooray for veggies and recumbent energy! The skin story, way too long.
    Dates are approximate and likely misremembered ;)
    My skin is fair for a light brunette, and always sunburned easily. Back when I was a teen, we laid out in the sun intentionally, even with baby oil to enhance the tan. I had several bad burns, two that actually blistered: one under my breasts from having the sun hit where it was normally shaded ;) and one on my shoulders from a cloudy day sitting on a dock between a pool and a lake.
    In the mid 80’s a white something sprouted at the end of my nose. Well-meaning friends would hand me a tissue, one even tried to wipe it off for me. :blush: Finally went to a grumpy old male dermatologist. Without really telling me what he intended to do, he stuck a needle in the end of my nose, presumably novocaine to numb it. The needle hurt so badly that tears spurted from my eyes. I tell this story to every young woman I hear talking about going to the tanning bed parlor. Sometimes I exaggerate a little and say “tears spurted out from my eyes and bounced off his glasses.” Biopsy: basal cell. Do not remember him recommending sunscreen, hat or any protective wear.
    In the late 90’s a zit appeared in the middle of my chin and would not go away nor heal. GP said he’d normally take it off for me but since it was “in the middle of your face” he referred me to a dermatologist. She numbed it with cream, then novacaine, and shaved of some to have biopsied. Think it was dx as basal cell. She referred me to the dermatological surgeon for Mohs surgery. That woman was a real artist. She cut along the wrinkle line around my chin to peel back a third of it to get to the spot. When it healed you could not tell there was a scar.
    This began a regime of twice yearly full body visual scans. The dermatologist (who took the biopsy) had a bit of a rocky bedside manner at first, and was a quick draw artist with that doggoned freeze gun, but eventually we established a good relationship. Good thing because a year or two later, another “zit” popped up on the side of my nostril. Biopsy: squamous. Back to the surgeon. This time she sliced along the wrinkle line between nostril and cheek, again, invisible. I did look like a pirate with the bandages and bruising until it healed, but all came out well.
    Finally in the mid 2000’s or early teens another zit popped up in the hairline just above my forehead. Biopsy: squamous again.
    Little to no visible scarring. Pics at bottom.

    The last three were all Mohs surgery, done on an outpatient basis. They gave me a twilight drug so I was “out there” while they did the onsite analysis. I don’t think they ever had to go back and remove more, but they might have. I did learn that I’m sensitive to the twilight-making drug “Halcyon.” It makes me unable to pee. Called the nurse and she said if I didn’t pee within the next X hrs to go to the ER to get catheterized. Yikes! Sitting on the pot, running the shower, holding my hand in the warm water-filled sink and visualizing rushing rivers did the trick. Whew!

    My hair cutter found something suspicious on the back of my scalp but the hot shot dermatologist advised it was just a “pink mole.”

    So no baddies for at least five years, maybe more. My current dermatologist said that meant I could revert to annual scans, but I’m sticking with every six months. Use it as an excuse to hit Trader Joe’s while I’m in the big city. ;)

    I truly hope you get results soon. I urge you to add 500 mg Niacinamide to your daily supplement regime. “In patients with sun-damaged skin, oral nicotinamide helped prevent the occurrence of nonaggressive skin cancers (11). . . .Other studies found a reduction in actinic keratoses, a predictor of melanoma risk (13) (21). Additional studies are warranted (14).” from: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/nicotinamide
    I have lots of keratoses and haven’t yet noticed a reduction, but perhaps there’d be even more if I didn’t take it ;)

    My thoughts are with you!

    2ebh2dq1ljin.jpg
    hzv6ffrwu6we.jpg


    Your dermatologist does great work!!

    And now you've got me wondering about my nose ...


    M in Oz


    Australia has the highest overall rate of skin cancer, followed by New Zealand. https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/skin-cancer-statistics/
    since Norway and Denmark are right up there it must be more based on fairness of skin rather than the closeness to the equator. Tasmania fairs better! https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2014/august/skin-cancer-by-state-and-territory/

    I never gave it much thought but now I have no choice for the rest of my life for something that was avoidable.

    Yeah I know ... it's all about "Slip, Slop and Slap" here.

    When I lived on the mainland it seemed like everyone was getting or had gotten bits and pieces cut out.

    I wasn't as concerned about the sun when I lived in Canada but I have been more careful since I moved to Australia in 2009.

    M in Oz
  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    Allie, great news for your future grandson.
  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    bananasandoranges wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    auntiebk wrote: »

    Julie, hooray for veggies and recumbent energy! The skin story, way too long.
    Dates are approximate and likely misremembered ;)
    My skin is fair for a light brunette, and always sunburned easily. Back when I was a teen, we laid out in the sun intentionally, even with baby oil to enhance the tan. I had several bad burns, two that actually blistered: one under my breasts from having the sun hit where it was normally shaded ;) and one on my shoulders from a cloudy day sitting on a dock between a pool and a lake.
    In the mid 80’s a white something sprouted at the end of my nose. Well-meaning friends would hand me a tissue, one even tried to wipe it off for me. :blush: Finally went to a grumpy old male dermatologist. Without really telling me what he intended to do, he stuck a needle in the end of my nose, presumably novocaine to numb it. The needle hurt so badly that tears spurted from my eyes. I tell this story to every young woman I hear talking about going to the tanning bed parlor. Sometimes I exaggerate a little and say “tears spurted out from my eyes and bounced off his glasses.” Biopsy: basal cell. Do not remember him recommending sunscreen, hat or any protective wear.
    In the late 90’s a zit appeared in the middle of my chin and would not go away nor heal. GP said he’d normally take it off for me but since it was “in the middle of your face” he referred me to a dermatologist. She numbed it with cream, then novacaine, and shaved of some to have biopsied. Think it was dx as basal cell. She referred me to the dermatological surgeon for Mohs surgery. That woman was a real artist. She cut along the wrinkle line around my chin to peel back a third of it to get to the spot. When it healed you could not tell there was a scar.
    This began a regime of twice yearly full body visual scans. The dermatologist (who took the biopsy) had a bit of a rocky bedside manner at first, and was a quick draw artist with that doggoned freeze gun, but eventually we established a good relationship. Good thing because a year or two later, another “zit” popped up on the side of my nostril. Biopsy: squamous. Back to the surgeon. This time she sliced along the wrinkle line between nostril and cheek, again, invisible. I did look like a pirate with the bandages and bruising until it healed, but all came out well.
    Finally in the mid 2000’s or early teens another zit popped up in the hairline just above my forehead. Biopsy: squamous again.
    Little to no visible scarring. Pics at bottom.

    The last three were all Mohs surgery, done on an outpatient basis. They gave me a twilight drug so I was “out there” while they did the onsite analysis. I don’t think they ever had to go back and remove more, but they might have. I did learn that I’m sensitive to the twilight-making drug “Halcyon.” It makes me unable to pee. Called the nurse and she said if I didn’t pee within the next X hrs to go to the ER to get catheterized. Yikes! Sitting on the pot, running the shower, holding my hand in the warm water-filled sink and visualizing rushing rivers did the trick. Whew!

    My hair cutter found something suspicious on the back of my scalp but the hot shot dermatologist advised it was just a “pink mole.”

    So no baddies for at least five years, maybe more. My current dermatologist said that meant I could revert to annual scans, but I’m sticking with every six months. Use it as an excuse to hit Trader Joe’s while I’m in the big city. ;)

    I truly hope you get results soon. I urge you to add 500 mg Niacinamide to your daily supplement regime. “In patients with sun-damaged skin, oral nicotinamide helped prevent the occurrence of nonaggressive skin cancers (11). . . .Other studies found a reduction in actinic keratoses, a predictor of melanoma risk (13) (21). Additional studies are warranted (14).” from: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/nicotinamide
    I have lots of keratoses and haven’t yet noticed a reduction, but perhaps there’d be even more if I didn’t take it ;)

    My thoughts are with you!

    2ebh2dq1ljin.jpg
    hzv6ffrwu6we.jpg


    Your dermatologist does great work!!

    And now you've got me wondering about my nose ...


    M in Oz


    Australia has the highest overall rate of skin cancer, followed by New Zealand. https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/skin-cancer-statistics/
    since Norway and Denmark are right up there it must be more based on fairness of skin rather than the closeness to the equator. Tasmania fairs better! https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2014/august/skin-cancer-by-state-and-territory/

    I never gave it much thought but now I have no choice for the rest of my life for something that was avoidable.

    Yeah I know ... it's all about "Slip, Slop and Slap" here.

    When I lived on the mainland it seemed like everyone was getting or had gotten bits and pieces cut out.

    I wasn't as concerned about the sun when I lived in Canada but I have been more careful since I moved to Australia in 2009.

    M in Oz

    I stumbled upon Canada page and it said that skin cancer was the number one cancer in Canada too! and the most preventable!
  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    edited August 2021
    Machka9 wrote: »
    bananasandoranges wrote: »
    auntiebk wrote: »
    "Get to do"s and "chose well"s
    Chose well: take BP,
    Bonus: stroll with T and Shadow, lovely vegan lunch with same, YouTube Fern Canyon hike.
    Get to do: take BP, dogs to powerline, finish minutes, laundry, veg prep, flagger course progress, figure out how to see what’s using all our mobile data, USE those torture bands/do that BB&B video, call S, fire district: research NFPA, grant NIMS requirements, ongoing: input 2019 call sheets into NFIRS, work with chief on equipment letter, substance abuse policy, NFIRS mutual aid and other missing details, likewise Lee skills/tasks, ask for boots donator contact info, appreciation letter or certificate to boots donator, index mutual aid files; watch STAS Day 20, declutter sideboard, learn new dances (Tequila Little Time, Homesick, Nothing but You, A Little Less Broken, Blame it on my beating heart,; Do Your Thing, practice dances: One Margarita, I’m so used to being broke, All Night, Pure Movies to Wine, Beer, Whiskey, I ain’t never gonna love nobody but Cornell Crawford (Alley cat),); finish mulching flowerbed, invest another 10 minutes in prepping living trust, Freddie’s for complete series TDAP <$48, get Shingrix vaccine, find and configure a screen time popup, figure out where to plant the last of the naked lady bulbs, and soon as it warms up above 50 and dries out below 60% humidity I’ll tape and spray paint those rusted areas of Aunt Elsie’s stove, ask Te about GB’s FD firetruck tax levy – contacts, media, advocate???, Reward: inventory seeds, plan this fall’s garden, wishlist replenishments (Milena F1 orange peppers and beit alpha cukes next year).
    August
    19: Be thankful for your food and the people who make it possible. Amen!

    Tracey :love: that grandson and his Viking hat/beard.
    Evelyn thank goodness our vermin are smaller and less aggressive than raccoons. Have a looong story about our Wheaten’s fight with a raccoon, the short of it is she ended up at 24 emergency vet at 4 am for 5 puncture wounds around her snout. We were thankful the raccoon missed her eyes. Congrats for passing on the strata’s secretarial torch!
    Machka your comments about skimming uni notes, amen. Wish I’d known then what I do now . . . but I guess good judgement comes from experience… which comes from poor judgment. :lol: Absolutely pet playtime counts as exercise when your chasing your cat chasing his ball.
    Allie Touched by an Angel was one of my faves. Does Alfie like to play tug? ConVERYgratulations on the good news!
    Margaret brava for getting better at setting boundaries (and for your hint to Drew :> ). Some men dislike small dogs because they’re afraid they’ll step on them and injure them permanently. Still no excuse not to respond to Drew’s overtures. I’m thinking of taking AARP’’s free hearing test to establish a base line, would your DH consider doing so?
    Pip you ROCK! :love: that Yogi.
    Katla you’re a better person than I am. I would ask Karma to bring him back not just as a cat, but as one of his victims with full knowledge of what was happening and who was doing it.
    Heather SMH at G. Is it her indecisiveness or is she just not ready to sell, cementing the life change?
    Rebecca love letter? :love:
    Debbie brava for getting back into Zumba!
    Annie cheerful teachers are welcome gifts these days.
    Welcome @euchre35!
    Terri hope the eye meds do their job and seeing gets back to normal soon.

    Julie, hooray for veggies and recumbent energy! The skin story, way too long.
    Dates are approximate and likely misremembered ;)
    My skin is fair for a light brunette, and always sunburned easily. Back when I was a teen, we laid out in the sun intentionally, even with baby oil to enhance the tan. I had several bad burns, two that actually blistered: one under my breasts from having the sun hit where it was normally shaded ;) and one on my shoulders from a cloudy day sitting on a dock between a pool and a lake.
    In the mid 80’s a white something sprouted at the end of my nose. Well-meaning friends would hand me a tissue, one even tried to wipe it off for me. :blush: Finally went to a grumpy old male dermatologist. Without really telling me what he intended to do, he stuck a needle in the end of my nose, presumably novocaine to numb it. The needle hurt so badly that tears spurted from my eyes. I tell this story to every young woman I hear talking about going to the tanning bed parlor. Sometimes I exaggerate a little and say “tears spurted out from my eyes and bounced off his glasses.” Biopsy: basal cell. Do not remember him recommending sunscreen, hat or any protective wear.
    In the late 90’s a zit appeared in the middle of my chin and would not go away nor heal. GP said he’d normally take it off for me but since it was “in the middle of your face” he referred me to a dermatologist. She numbed it with cream, then novacaine, and shaved of some to have biopsied. Think it was dx as basal cell. She referred me to the dermatological surgeon for Mohs surgery. That woman was a real artist. She cut along the wrinkle line around my chin to peel back a third of it to get to the spot. When it healed you could not tell there was a scar.
    This began a regime of twice yearly full body visual scans. The dermatologist (who took the biopsy) had a bit of a rocky bedside manner at first, and was a quick draw artist with that doggoned freeze gun, but eventually we established a good relationship. Good thing because a year or two later, another “zit” popped up on the side of my nostril. Biopsy: squamous. Back to the surgeon. This time she sliced along the wrinkle line between nostril and cheek, again, invisible. I did look like a pirate with the bandages and bruising until it healed, but all came out well.
    Finally in the mid 2000’s or early teens another zit popped up in the hairline just above my forehead. Biopsy: squamous again.
    Little to no visible scarring. Pics at bottom.

    The last three were all Mohs surgery, done on an outpatient basis. They gave me a twilight drug so I was “out there” while they did the onsite analysis. I don’t think they ever had to go back and remove more, but they might have. I did learn that I’m sensitive to the twilight-making drug “Halcyon.” It makes me unable to pee. Called the nurse and she said if I didn’t pee within the next X hrs to go to the ER to get catheterized. Yikes! Sitting on the pot, running the shower, holding my hand in the warm water-filled sink and visualizing rushing rivers did the trick. Whew!

    My hair cutter found something suspicious on the back of my scalp but the hot shot dermatologist advised it was just a “pink mole.”

    So no baddies for at least five years, maybe more. My current dermatologist said that meant I could revert to annual scans, but I’m sticking with every six months. Use it as an excuse to hit Trader Joe’s while I’m in the big city. ;)

    I truly hope you get results soon. I urge you to add 500 mg Niacinamide to your daily supplement regime. “In patients with sun-damaged skin, oral nicotinamide helped prevent the occurrence of nonaggressive skin cancers (11). . . .Other studies found a reduction in actinic keratoses, a predictor of melanoma risk (13) (21). Additional studies are warranted (14).” from: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/nicotinamide
    I have lots of keratoses and haven’t yet noticed a reduction, but perhaps there’d be even more if I didn’t take it ;)

    My thoughts are with you!

    2ebh2dq1ljin.jpg
    hzv6ffrwu6we.jpg



    Lighter, lovelies!
    f8qt1s098sxm.gifBarbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD
    August: leaner/stronger/kinder than July.
    daily: sit with Joe: 17, weigh/wii: 19/0/0; steps>6704=6810 vits=18, log=19, CI<CO=18, CI<250<CO=14, Tumble=10, Shadow=18, mfp=20, outside=22, up hill=21, clean 10=6.
    wkly: Sun: Mon: Tue:LD YH=1, Wed:TC=2, PW=2. Thurs: Fri:TC=2. Sat:PW=2. rX x4=2.
    wt=1/31:141.3 2/28:142.4 3/31:145.3 4/30:141.5 5/31:142.4 6/30:141.5 7/31:140.2!!! 8/1:141.3 8/8:140.4 8/15:141.5 :rage:
    mnthly: board mtg=1, grant=, plan=, waist=42.0
    bonus: AF:11 play= sew=
    2021: choose to be leaner/stronger/kinder NOW

    Barbara thanks. I agree with machka your dermatologist did great work!
    That's not too long. Now I understand why you recommended MOHS. My impression is that they don't necessarily use it in necks. From research I've done MOHS means they absolutely know if they've gotten the whole thing; I think it should have been used in my case: invasive and 2nd biopsy of same thing. To be honest I think he did the scar in the wrong direction. it was a tiny dot of a scar - nothing -after 1st biopsy, just one stitch since the growth was on a stem. Not knowing much as I was on the table (only time I saw the doctor) I asked if he could do it horizontally thinking that would be a more aesthetic scar. He said no he was doing it vertically slightly diagonally, since the 1st dot was that way. I think that was a bad choice. I think he must have take close to 2cm round to have a margin. He was also chatting with his fellow doctor about hospital gossip while he was operating. I've since read that major concerns for many people are 1) health 2) aesthetics, not necessarily in that order. He didn't care at all about aesthetics. He even said the anti-scar skin cream wasn't necessary, was only for scarring. I feel uneasy about the scar. I don't think he did a god job sewing it.
    But onward and upward. I have only had 2 stitches or so on my knee a very long time ago, and I really didn't care much at all about the look of it on the knee. The neck is so different, everyone will see it. It's a bit over an inch. I feel angry and sad about that. Also reading the forum was helpful. It talks about the anxiety of having to get checked regularly, to never know when it's over, to keep getting bits taken out... The fact that some people consider it "just skin cancer" but it's really serious and can spread to other parts of the body if not caught quickly. I'm upset that they haven't called me back 2 weeks post-biopsy, and that the operating doctor said he removed the dermis (2 mm) whereas the plan was to remove the hypodermic. I see that the usual is to remove the hypodermis, so I certainly hope he did that, which means he was giving me a quick inaccurate answer to get rid of me quickly, as he had been in the midst of talking with his very young colleague doctor in private conversation just outside the waiting room. He was replacing the other doctor, so I don't know if he was aware enough of my case and if he cares enough since I was normally not "his patient". Surely the flip side of health care for all is the current delay.


    I wouldn't worry about the scar ... people have all sorts of scars as they make their way through life.

    My husband has a trach scar and a large divot in his head.

    I've had a scar on my chin from where a large, suspicious mole was removed when I was about 10 or 11 years old. I've got 2 other "suspicious mole" removal scars in a couple other locations (back and leg). I've got scars all over my legs and arms from cycling experiences.
    And I've got a massive scar from belly button all the way down from a general exploratory surgery done in my early 20s which located a faulty appendix. Since my early 20s I have not been able to wear a bikini or bikini underwear and often wear garments to smooth things out if I'm wearing a smooth dress or skirt. That's how big this scar is.

    But that's life. :)

    Character marks. :)


    M in Oz

    Here is a good page, among many about scars on skin cancer site. Each person has their own experience, depending of their life, background and so on, and presumably that can change from day to day! I have knee scars, one, noticeable, since I was 19 and I couldn't care less. My sister had a very serious accident major neck scar recently and 1st said she liked it but a couple of weeks later she said she wasn't happy with it. She is 65 in a very settled, quiet lifestyle. https://skincancer.net/living/treatment-side-effects-appearance-scars
    I know most everyone I talk to will see and be wondering about my scar for the next months or year. I had a tiny 1cm square on the skin after the previous biopsy and a restaurant owner "friend" (friendly acquaintance) asked me about that tiny thing right away. This is 15 x more noticeable! Since it's on my neck I could say I got bit by a vampire, and then it got sewed up ( bit big for vampire bite but...) :D
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    Barbara,

    First, you are lovely.

    Second, if I ever have to have Mohs surgery, I want the name of your surgeon. Amazing amazing artist. Goodness. Who would ever know?

    Karen in Virginia.
    .
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,628 Member
    grandmallie wrote: »
    Of course here i am starting to stress about something first I have no control over 2nd,that really has no impact on me.. Henri is coming our way.. soooo my brother has been up north all summer and Jean is up there usually from Thursday - monday leaving the care of her mom to others...well if the power goes out yes they have a generator that one,the caregiver im sure has no clue how to use and shouldnt have to ,and Jean will start harping on Sean to come down to start the generator and stick around and she will take off again,i know how this goes..why do i even worry..poor Faith in all of this is oblivious...
    We have underground lines here but will charge everything up here Saturday night

    If it is any help, Windy's modelling shows that Henri doesn't make landfall.
    https://www.windy.com/?28.478,-73.433,5

    Also, Faith is Sean and Jean's responsibility. One or the other of them may have to come to take care of her. Stuff like that happens when you're a carer.

    Just make sure you're OK.

    M in Oz
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,702 Member
    B)
  • TerriRichardson112
    TerriRichardson112 Posts: 19,058 Member
    ☘️
  • KJLaMore
    KJLaMore Posts: 2,847 Member
    Allie- Congrats on the upcoming grandson! Must be a year for baby boys!
    Pip- How far in advance do you plan your bike races? Do you/you and Kirby plan to ride the MS race next year? Love the Yogi pics! He has such a sweet face!
    Barbara- I know you have posted a pic or two of yourself before; but it is always good to see your face!

    Kids here. Tim keeping them busy, but it is getting a little wild. WAY too early for wild. I better scoot! ttfn xoxoxo KJ (Kelly)
  • Peach1948
    Peach1948 Posts: 2,473 Member
    B)
  • kevrit
    kevrit Posts: 4,331 Member
    😘
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,628 Member
    Friday night with plans like these for the weekend. :) We've already watched Midsommer Murders while I finished another colouring page and started today's pile of documents to shred.

    szzj5odl5exa.png


    Sleep
    Keep working on the home office
    Colouring
    Laundry
    Exercise in our home gym ... it's not supposed to be very nice out.


    Machka in Oz
  • pipcd34
    pipcd34 Posts: 17,285 Member
    KJLaMore wrote: »
    Allie- Congrats on the upcoming grandson! Must be a year for baby boys!
    Pip- How far in advance do you plan your bike races? Do you/you and Kirby plan to ride the MS race next year? Love the Yogi pics! He has such a sweet face!
    Barbara- I know you have posted a pic or two of yourself before; but it is always good to see your face!

    Kids here. Tim keeping them busy, but it is getting a little wild. WAY too early for wild. I better scoot! ttfn xoxoxo KJ (Kelly)

    As soon as the ride is over on day two is when we would register for the following year. Since this year there is only going to b a one day ride, not sure how they are doing it. I don’t think Kirby will do the ride if it’s only one day. I don’t k ow if we will actually drive up so I can do the ride myself, I may then start doing the ride virtually like I did last year.
  • csofled
    csofled Posts: 3,022 Member
    🌼🌻🏵️
  • LisaInArkansas
    LisaInArkansas Posts: 2,906 Member
    <3
  • Vickil57
    Vickil57 Posts: 1,882 Member
    <3
  • GodMomKim
    GodMomKim Posts: 3,703 Member
    B)
  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    Machka thanks for reminding us of your lovely meeting story and unique path. It's great that you had those lovely years. I'm sorry that life has given some unexpected turns and big responsibilities. It's great that you still love one another.

    That gets me thinking about what it means to be or not be "in love" in a couple

    I
    think of
    -some friends in relationships where they say they are not "in love" and never were, but they are compatible with their SO and have had kids with them- and yet they feel torn somehow for this not feeling "in love", 3 or 20 years later.

    - and others who are "in love" and pretty happy at least on that level, and it contributes to living together and going through the whole things, they still feel very happy to be together years on down the road.

    -people who find their SO a bit difficult finally - for what every reason (health, mood, other) but still are "in love" and committed and it works overall.

    -people who were very much "in love", but not so much after 20 years and much experience of this and that (not horrible stuff, just regular couple, family stuff - dealing with kids, money, responsibility, little spats over this and that, maybe some imbalance in responsibility...or something)

    -people who are or were very much "in love" but it not working out very long term, due to incompatibility, or immaturity or lack of communication skills or something else.

    - and probably many other ways of interacting in a couple around "in love"
  • Whidislander
    Whidislander Posts: 3,820 Member
    Sister and I sent thru some tea sets that were her husbands ex wife's. I took 2 that have larger saucers/small plates and circles for the cup. When I get them home I will take photos of them. I think they're really sweet.

    Today heading into town to make copies of photos we picked out from the bunches we each had. One particular one is of my paternal grandmothers childhood home in Seattle. Very opulent, and stately.💖

    My middle sister isn't joining us because her boyfriend (that's married😒) has COVID. She didn't seem driven to get tested, but my eldest sis here and I told her she needed to get officially tested before coming. That, of course, gave her an out and not attend. She has a bunch of photos both of us wish to get copies of, but it will have to be another time.

  • bananasandoranges
    bananasandoranges Posts: 2,410 Member
    I got my biopsy results by mail but they are not totally clear.
    They were supposed to remove the hypodermis (the part under the skin, which is 2mm max I think). I asked the dr who operated me after and he said he just removed the dermis. and only removed 2mm, which is unusual and not what was planned. I asked about this. The results only say the width but not the depth. Every other thing I received specified the depth. The reason they needed to go back in was "biopsy incomplete in depth".
    In biopsy of June 25th there was definitely some remaining cancer below skin. Here they didn't say they went below skin and said they only went laterally which was really not a problem.
    Since depth is specifically in every analysis to date and omitted here, whereas I asked specifically about it, I get the feeling that they messed up the depth. I would be happy to find out otherwise.
    My guess is that I am going to get the run-around and they say: well it says they were to do depth so they surely did it", but with no documentation of that. I would be happy to find out otherwise.
    Unfortunately I have seen too many hospital mistakes to not think they are possible.

    My mom had her carotid artery totally blocked and so had an operation to have it cleaned. But they cleaned the unblocked artery rather than the blocked one. She died a few months later. I can't say it was surely due to that as she was had been in a nursing home in poor physical health for at least 4 years (but remained very sharp). It surely didn't help.

    I was to have 3 little polyps removed, about 10 or 15 years ago, by a very good surgeon. But she didn't have the images on operation day and only removed one, whereas it would have been so easy to remove all 3! She forgot to check or something like that.

    When I was ill with something about 15 years ago, they gave me a massive antibiotic (horse pill we called them) for something else which made me massively more sick and put me into the hospital, and contributed to making me quite ill for months.

    In general, when they mess up they cover for one another in the medical field, and don't admit it, for the most part.

    I would be very happy to get a written document that says they removed the hypodermis, but I am not counting on that it was done or ever getting it. I hope to be happily surprised. That can happen.
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 10,102 Member
    edited August 2021
    Heather looks like a good time was had by all,but I bet your knackered,thats why we have kids when we are young lol..
    Texted with Tracy.. she told the people at work and her dad and i though her dad doesnt want to know the gender..
    And she asked Kyle who he told and he said everyone lol. I said if he isnt the proud poppa.. lol.. i had a dream about a name last night now I know how the kids now a days like all these odd names but Caden James has a nice ring to it but told her they could spell it Kayden so a bit different and would have Kyles first initial too.

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