Friday, January 28, 2011

Guest Ramble

First up..Thanks for the Ramble.
Hiya Uberites, uberesques, uberians... which do you prefer?? Anyway, I generally have an odd way of looking at life and my rambles are usually observationally bizaar.

Sorry, not today my friends. Today's is a little bit, alright a lot, more serious than I am ever known for being.

Let me get it out of the way and say the dirty word of the moment, cancer. Such an odd little word that completely changes your outlook on just about everything. As I have said before, I am in Australia, the Melanoma capital of the planet, possibly the Solar System. I always thought of it in a more esoteric, only affects other people kinda way. Well not anymore. It all began with a pimple. Really. This one just didn't go away, and after 3 months of ignoring it, I went to the overpaid Quack. Turns out her medical degree was real and from a reputable first world country university. She took a look and said it didn't look right and was coming out. 3 stitches and some bad, bad, NC17 rated words later I was on my way, assuming that was the end of it.

Sigh...

How wrong was I. News from your Doctor can never be good when the Nurse asks you to come in on a Sunday afternoon a full week before your next appointment. "Come immediately, the Doctor will make room for you" is not what you want to hear from a nurse on the phone. I was just hoping that the annoying, itchy stitches needed to be taken out.

Nodular Melanoma - look it up on Wiki, scary shit. Really. Out of the 3 main types of skin cancers, Melanoma is the worst by far, and of the Melanoma types, Nodular is the most aggressive and the most dangerous. I ignored a 'pimple' for 3 months and it was already a stage 3 cancer. I have just had further surgery to remove a whole lot more of my arm and the lymph nodes in the armpit. Now I have close to 2 dozen stitches, an arm I cant use for weeks, possible months ( great stuff when you're a builder and really need both arms for power tools) and in heaps of pain. My doctor and I think I am one of the lucky ones, If I had ignored it any longer it may well have been a whole lot worse, then again, we don't have the results of my surgery yet.... so fingers crossed.

I'm not after sympathy or platitudes, I have had more than enough thanks :-) I simply want one person who reads this to go to the Doctors and get that odd looking mole/freckle/lump checked out. It may just be the difference between a couple stitches and major surgery, chemo or even death. People die from melanoma every single day. Most would have had a much better chance if it had been found early. So if you have moles get them checked. Stay out of tanning beds, and learn the ABC's of Skin Cancer.

P.S - to all the writers reading this update, please write more, I am bored stupid sitting at home lol, do you people know how much a girl can read when she can't leave the house!! :-)

phantomrambler@gmail.com


How does one follow up to those words? I think by reiterating that thought and statements, take the advice given seek out health care as your life or the life of someone you love is worth it. And phantom, I send my best as more good thoughts cannot be wrong.

Now we best get back to those updates and please feel free to continue sending in rambles...thanks again.

Peace, Health and Happiness. Find it, live it and Enjoy!

Elisa

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