Mommy’s Boo Boo

If you know me at all, you know I am covered in moles. I have had one on tummy my whole life that has been cleared by dermatologists, but after I had Helen Grace, I noticed it looked differently. I had it checked out recently, and the doctor wanted to take that one off as well as two others. The one on my tummy turned out to be stage one melanoma, and the other two are pre-cancerous. I had surgery last week to remove more of the melanoma and to ensure they got it all. I thought it would just be a minor surgery, but the incision was much bigger than expected and I got terribly sick from either the pain meds or the anesthesia. Not a pretty experience. Luckily, we are surrounded by so many family and friends who covered us with love during that time- bringing unlimited food, entertaining Helen Grace, and sending flowers, just to name a few. Spif did a great job of preparing her for Mommy’s boo boo, that she had to be a big girl and walk beside Mama, had to be gentle around Mama, etc.  The part that hurt the most was not being able to pick her up in my arms when she needed me. I remember when we were in Hawaii, and I got so homesick when I would see babies reach their arms up to their mamas. I’m so thankful to be able to grab her up now- although somewhat slowly and carefully. It has taken me almost a week to be able to drive comfortably and pick up Helen Grace without wincing terribly (although I do still grab her leg so it doesn’t whap me across the tummy), but I’m finally feeling that I might one day feel normal again.

I have gone back and forth on how I feel about this whole thing. Part of me wonders, “Why me? Isn’t melanoma for old people?” I haven’t really ever been a sun bather since I never hold a tan, so how did this happen? Part of me gets freaked out that it’s really happening to little old me. Part of me shrugs it off- yes, it’s cancer, but they can cut it off.

While I’m still sorting all of that out in my head, the one thing that I have gone crazy about is sunscreen. That is one way I can control this to some extent, so you better bet that I am now lathering on 70 SPF sunscreen on any exposed parts of me at all times and putting it on Helen Grace religiously as well. She thinks it’s lotion, so it’s pretty cool to her that Mama lets her help put it on.

Please take from this blog post two things—Go to the dermatologist to get checked out, and go regularly. And WEAR SUNSCREEN, PEOPLE! Is a little color really worth cancer?! If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.

Ok, off my soap box now. :)