For all of my life I have been “moley” as my mom calls it. I have a lot of moles. My parents both have a good deal as well. When I was younger I had a few larger moles removed, but nothing was ever found. They were Benign. Over the years I let myself get more than my share of sun. Years of life guarding and doing stupid crap while not protecting my skin. Well, if only barely, it is starting to catch up with me.
About a month ago I had two moles excised from my back, mostly as a precaution. They are two of nearly 2 dozen of various sizes and shapes on my back. A week or so went by and I had nearly forgotten about them when the Dr’s office called and said I needed to come in to have them excised out further. I was in an awkward place and busy, but I said ok and scheduled an appointment.
I arrived on the day of my appointment with basically no idea what was going on. The doc came in(a doc I have went to off and on for 15 years) and we chatted casually, and then he got a little more serious. He explained the moles were not malignant… not yet anyways. They were dysplastic nevi. “Abnormal moles” if you will. The name sounds worse than it is, or does it….
Skincancer.org says:
“those who have 10 or more have 12 times the risk of developing melanoma compared to the general population”
Ok. You got my attention. I now have take a pledge with my wife to not go out in any way without sunscreen. We’re still looking for the best oil free sunscreen that comes in spray on. But it just has to be part of my life. I’m in search of a good Dermatologist too, since I feel like the previous doc just guess at which to excise.
Also, I’m a little scared. I’m a lot scare, really. Of all the medical problems I’ve had over the last decade, none of them have had life threatening implication. None of them involved the C-word. Most of them were “voluntary” surgeries. Maybe even “elective”. I’m having unnatural thoughts and fears and I only know enough to scare me.
Ugh.
So I just ask you. Get check. Check out the info at dcmf.ca for some tools to help you track the moles you have. I plan this week to take photo documentation of the moles I have to “catalog” them and their progression. My wife is going to be creeped out by this, but I really don’t care.
Just get check out. Ok? And watch this video. Its worth the 5 minutes of Desperate Housewives you’ll miss.
