8.16.2011

steal my sunshine

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When my mom was a little girl growing up in Pennsylvania she would spend many summers in Florida soaking in the sunshine, a lot of sun. As she grew up she didn't seek out the sun, but rather was wary of the harsh rays due to the terrible sunburns she got on her fair skin as a newlywed laying out on her apartment building rooftop watching airplanes fly into the San Diego Airport.

She raised her girls to wear sunscreen and hats. We do. We try. No suntanning around here.
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A little while ago a tiny pearly white bump appeared beneath her right eye. The dermatologist identified it as basal cell carcinoma. This type of cancer can grow roots beneath the skin and cause much damage, being so close to her eye it was scary.

After several appointments, one to get the cancer completely removed and to see if it had spread (it had not!) and then to get it stitched up just right so that once the scar healed it wouldn't cause her lower lid to droop. 

I am happy to say that today we finally saw the eye that had been hidden beneath a half a potato sized patch and it is bruised from all it has been through, and I could only find one single lower lash left, but there isn't a droop and the doctor said it should continue to heal just fine.

Tears of happiness and relief from her perfectly fine tear duct, too.
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She will have to be watchful for more, as will I for my fair skin, blue eyes and light hair.

Funny how much you learn and appreciate about the amazing human body when something like this comes along. How very grateful I was to see both of Mom's eyes looking at me today, I could see that she will rest much easier tonight, the whole family will...we just love her so much. xo

{8.15 to 8.16}
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5 comments:

Tsuki aka LittleGrayFox said...

I'm a fair-skin who slathers on the spf 80, even when I'm in the shade. So I completely understand

congrats to your mom for beating that thing and not missing a beat

who needs a tan? big hats are back in style :)

Meeling said...

Lovely heartfelt post!

I'm a natural redhead and very fair skinned so my whole life thankfully, for the sake of not being a red lobster I've always had sunscreen and hats either put on me when I was little or now I do it religiously myself.

Lovely to hear that she is well. :-)

Paige @ Little Nostalgia said...

What touching post. I'm so glad your mom is just fine.

Stacey said...

thank you :)

Jo said...

Oh. Bless her heart. I am so glad to hear that everything turned out alright and that she is cancer free. Much love to your mom and the family.