"Sunshine,
on my shoulders,
makes me happy."
John Denver

hello this is my blog

First little history.
Back in high school , I discovered that if I got a little sunburned- a nice shade of bright pink- the my acne didn't show up as much, and maybe even helped 'dry it up'.  Anyway- several of my pics back then showed me as bright to dark pink.  I never seemed to really tan.  Danish/English background.

Right out of high school I joined the Coast Guard, an after boot camp, got the choice assignment of Hawaii! And with an occasional trip to Alaska, and going to school there,  I spent 7 years before deciding to go back home to get educated.  (BYU-Hawaii was too much fun.) (Zoobie!)

Anyhoo-  my first day there off, I got off the bus at Ala Moana park and headed for the jetty.  And saw how incredibly beautiful a local gal's skin was. (Gal-  a mother with a couple kids)  Wow!  What a gorgeous, glowing, brown color!  I've been jealous ever since.  And tried ever since to come close-- silly me.

Several years back in Utah desert country- but hanging around lakes and pools,  got married, visited Florida and NY, then  got a job in NC and found a place near the beach first in KB then in CB.  Similar to Hawaii a good part of the year.  Fishing.  Boating (CG). Long walks. Bike rides. On the beach.

My tribute to the Lifeguards.  Gee, what a job. Uniform is a swim suit, getting paid to get in shape-- morning run, swim, exercises,  then sit in the sun all day, and sometimes get to be a hero.  What a life.  Poor things-  already getting sun damage.
             

    
So-  somewhere a while back a doctor wanted to check out a freckle on my shoulder (had lots of them!) but this one did turn out to be melanoma. Surgery-  about a 6 inch scar on my shoulder.  Chemical treatments (burns!).  Liquid Nitrogen (burns!).  15 more surgeries for squamus cell -- I look like I lost most of my sword-fights. A chemical peel (burns!) First a leg and arm,  then other leg and arm and face.  The face heals a lot quicker this way then a month of cream treatments.  I've used Eufadex, Carac, and Aldara . They all hurt.

me  
  This was a while back- Eufadex treatment. I think the pics were a week or so apart
toward the end.  Takes a 3 or 4 weeks to hit max, then another 2 or 3 weeks before
it heals well enough to look human again. Not sure if they are in order. But you get the idea.
It hurts.  Takes lots of Vaseline to keep face from cracking and falling off.
 


Lessee-  both ears, forehead, back of neck-  I figure I'm entitled to wear a hat from now on (Tilley!). Shoulder, chest, ribs, upper back, lower back, upper arm, thigh, knee, shin, shin, shin, shin.(I wonder why?)


LL- stitches not out
UR- a stitch is 'spitting'
--getting better
Old one- mostly gone.


















   She looks hot!  (Pun intended)





6/12/09
Back to the doctor for regular skin check.
The peel did make everything look much cleaner, but there were 3 things that stood out, so they took a sample, one a dark freckle thats always been there, a spot on my elbow, and a crusty spot on my other shin.  Well- wait a few days and see what happens.
6/17/09
The ones on the lower legs are worst- only because you have stay off your feet for a couple days (if possible). Hurts to walk.
Summer schedule-  every morning try for 12 miles on the bike- Big hat, big shirt, big pantaloons (black karate pants), bike gloves, and sandles.  And sun-spray.  Starting to get warmish, tho.  Might go back to my rash-guard swim shirt.
6/22/09
Well- got the news--  the freckle on my back was 'wierd', but ok.  My elbow and shin were positive. The elbow is small- should be no problem.  The shin, I think, is going to hurt. Big crusty spot that's gonna have to be cut out.  Should be hearing from my plastic surgeon soon.