All I could think about was one thing: I don't want my daughter to grow up without me.
A little dramatic, probably, but I was a big time sun worshiper in my youth. Big time. I was never smart about sunscreen. Of course I knew I should have worn it, but I have dark skin and rarely burned so I just didn't think twice about it. Dumb.
All things change when you have a child. You start to realize you were an idiot growing up and hopefully it's not too late.
I also had another spot on my stomach that I've had since I can remember. Over the years I noticed it had changed, gotten a little bigger and not quite symmetrical. Of course it did grow with my stomach so for a while I chalked it up to that.
So I was really nervous about my appointment, thinking the worst (because that's what I do).
The appointment went very well. I got a full body check and the doctor immediately told me the "mole" on my leg was not a mole but a small hemangioma. Basically small blood vessels that have grown out of the skin. Gross, yes but very relieved to hear!! Apparently I have them all over, these tiny red dots. They are hereditary. After talking to my mom, she has them too. Just to be safe the doctor removed it and sent it away for biopsy.
She also removed the spot on my stomach, just to be on the safe side, as well as another small but darker than normal spot on my left leg - a spot that I had seen before but really didn't think too much of it.
Just a tiny procedure where she numbed the three areas and then scraped away the skin. Just a band-aid and some instructions on wound care and how to prevent scarring and I was on my way. Results would be in 2 weeks from now.
Fast forward to yesterday (or I guess I should say rewind?) I got a call from the doctor's office about my results. Immediate heart flutter.
They confirmed that the "mole" on my leg was indeed not a mole but the hemangioma and it was completely fine.
The other two spots however came back as atypical nevus (another term for mole). Good news is that the skin that was taken for biopsy "cleared the margins" so I do not need to go back for more skin removal. I am fine.
They did caution me to check my skin every month and come in immediately if I see any of my spots (and boy I have a lot of them) change (following the ABCD's of skin cancer detection. Also said I need to make sure I am wearing SPF 30 or higher when I'm in the sun. I should get yearly checks but I will probably go back in a couple months and get checked again just to be on the safe side.
I say this because I am now analyzing every little spot on my skin and am wondering if maybe something was missed and I need to go back? I've spoken to my sister as well as a co-worker and both have talked me down from the ledge and assured my that if I wait a couple of months it will be OK.
I'm just paranoid because they told me I am at risk for more atypical moles that could potentially develop into skin cancer. POTENTIALLY - doesn't mean they will, which is why I need to take extra precautions.
This has been a real eye opener for me and a tad scary that the thing I was was most concerned about was not a mole and a spot that I probably wouldn't have thought twice about ended up being atypical.
Very important to get your skin checked!! And to wear sunscreen!!
I will say while I was never good at it myself, I am a sunscreen nazi with my daughter. She gets re-applied and sprayed every 45 minutes. She's fair skinned like my husband so I am extra diligent with her. And now will be with myself.
My days of sun worshiping are over. And I'm completely fine with sitting in the shade with a big hat on.
And I would like to add that when I went on my long run on Saturday I wore sunscreen!
So I was really nervous about my appointment, thinking the worst (because that's what I do).
The appointment went very well. I got a full body check and the doctor immediately told me the "mole" on my leg was not a mole but a small hemangioma. Basically small blood vessels that have grown out of the skin. Gross, yes but very relieved to hear!! Apparently I have them all over, these tiny red dots. They are hereditary. After talking to my mom, she has them too. Just to be safe the doctor removed it and sent it away for biopsy.
She also removed the spot on my stomach, just to be on the safe side, as well as another small but darker than normal spot on my left leg - a spot that I had seen before but really didn't think too much of it.
Just a tiny procedure where she numbed the three areas and then scraped away the skin. Just a band-aid and some instructions on wound care and how to prevent scarring and I was on my way. Results would be in 2 weeks from now.
Fast forward to yesterday (or I guess I should say rewind?) I got a call from the doctor's office about my results. Immediate heart flutter.
They confirmed that the "mole" on my leg was indeed not a mole but the hemangioma and it was completely fine.
The other two spots however came back as atypical nevus (another term for mole). Good news is that the skin that was taken for biopsy "cleared the margins" so I do not need to go back for more skin removal. I am fine.
They did caution me to check my skin every month and come in immediately if I see any of my spots (and boy I have a lot of them) change (following the ABCD's of skin cancer detection. Also said I need to make sure I am wearing SPF 30 or higher when I'm in the sun. I should get yearly checks but I will probably go back in a couple months and get checked again just to be on the safe side.
I say this because I am now analyzing every little spot on my skin and am wondering if maybe something was missed and I need to go back? I've spoken to my sister as well as a co-worker and both have talked me down from the ledge and assured my that if I wait a couple of months it will be OK.
I'm just paranoid because they told me I am at risk for more atypical moles that could potentially develop into skin cancer. POTENTIALLY - doesn't mean they will, which is why I need to take extra precautions.
This has been a real eye opener for me and a tad scary that the thing I was was most concerned about was not a mole and a spot that I probably wouldn't have thought twice about ended up being atypical.
Very important to get your skin checked!! And to wear sunscreen!!
I will say while I was never good at it myself, I am a sunscreen nazi with my daughter. She gets re-applied and sprayed every 45 minutes. She's fair skinned like my husband so I am extra diligent with her. And now will be with myself.
My days of sun worshiping are over. And I'm completely fine with sitting in the shade with a big hat on.
And I would like to add that when I went on my long run on Saturday I wore sunscreen!
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