It’s More Than Skin Deep

I had surgery to remove a Basal Cell Carcinoma from my nose. It’s not serious and I don’t run any risk of it spreading to other parts of my body. The problem is that I didn’t get it taken care of 6 years ago when it first showed up. Look, I’m not a dermatologist and to me it was simply an annoying blemish that wouldn’t heal.

However, a trip to the dermatologist pointed to the cancer as plain as the nose on my face. The doctor went to work and I left with a transplant of ear cartilage, a couple bandages and a huge hole in my nose. I can now play “Yankee Doodle” when I breathe.

Apparently, growing up in the 70’s when deep, dark tans were a cool thing, and the fact that I have blonde hair and blue eyes, puts me in a category of people with a high risk of skin cancer. It’s a fact that I’m likely to experience more cancer as I age due to earlier exposure and my genetic predisposition. While I couldn’t prevent it, I could have had it looked at earlier. In other words, cut it out sooner

It’s true with skin AND with life. We all have flaws in our genes, our character, our upbringing that lead us into situations that result in failures, foibles and follies that lead to damaged relationships, wounded hearts and ugly scars. 

It’s not if, but when. We know it will happen, but pretending it’s a minor matter only allows the diseased actions of our life to grow deeper, to burrow in and cause even more damage. My advice? Recognize it for what it really is and deal with it early. Cut out the flaw that’s growing in your life. You’ll be glad you did.