Less than a week away

Life has been extremely busy in the past week or so, which hasn't allowed me a lot of time to dwell over my upcoming surgery.  Big changes at work, lots of family happenings, and preparing with my team for Old Town Maine's Relay for Life. 

Today we had our last team meeting, during which we found a way to honor my mother in law, Joyce, who lost her 12 year battle with breast cancer on one of our team meeting days, January 31, 2010. Her death hit Team Twitter quite hard, even though they hadn't met her.  They were reminded of why we were raising money for cancer research.  Joyce was only my mother in law for a very short time; but she will be in my heart forever.  Today we created a "Joyce Project" in her honor...collecting bras to be sent to Athena parties to raise money for breast cancer research.  Athena parties wants to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest chain of bras....if everyone who was touched by Joyce's life donates a bra, it will certainly make a huge dent in that record!

Looking at my upcoming surgery that should be pretty simple in the world of cancer, I again realize how fortunate I am.  I am however, a bit anxious as to what the cosmetic results will be when all things are said and done.  I'm hoping they get clean borders the first time around so they do not have to go in again.  I'm also wondering how "beat up" I will look with the swelling and bruising, right around my eye.

What does one do in a situation like mine, when they have a curious mind?  I Google'd "skin cancer surgery images"....and let me tell you, the images were mind boggling.  These images, however, I felt everyone should see who is out in tanning beds to get rid of the winter white legs.  People need to be reminded that white without scars is so much better than tanned with prematurely aged skin, or worse yet, skin that has to be hacked into in order to get rid of the skin cancers that develop.  There were 1 million NEW cases of non-melanoma skin cancers in the US in 2009 (National Cancer Institute)!  I found the powerful skin cancer prevention poster from Australia and wondered if I've ever seen a skin cancer prevention poster in the US?

In the days leading up to my surgery I will be spending time laughing with friends, starting a new role at work and celebrating two of my sons' birthdays (John is 19 on Monday the 10th and Cameron is 17 on Wednesday the 12th!).  I'm kind of bummed that the day after Cam turns 17 he will be taking me to the plastic surgeon for my surgery; but I also know my kids will never forget to use sunscreen. Please, don't forget to use your sunscreen, today.

**check out this blog I found:  http://www.damagedskin.blogspot.com**