I have had a very lucky life. I received an excellent education; I met blue jersey dad, my partner for life, back in 1973; and I have three wonderful kids. On a more practical level, I still have a job with reasonable job security, and we are not underwater on our mortgage. Conpared to many people in the US, we are pretty damned lucky, but I have to admit that I am scared.
I am usually pretty fearless. I raised three kids; I trained as an archaeologist when there were very few women in the field; and I have run excavations projects in the West Bank. However, I am facing surgery for skin cancer on Wednesday, and I am scared shitless.
WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
I have always worried about skin cancer. All my ancestors came to the US from the British Isles, and I am blonde (well, kind of grey now), blue-eyed, and very fair. I have been working on archaeological excavations since 1971, and I spent a number of summers teaching swimming to help pay for college and grad school. Although I always used a lot of sun screen and coverd up, I was a malignancy waiting to happen.
What I have is relatively minor. It is a carcinoma, not a melanoma like John McCain had. The doctors tell me that this will not spread, and that once I have the Mohs surgery, that will be the end of it. I suppose I should be relieved, but I am still scared.
Like many 20-year-olds (I'm 57), I sort of assumed that I was invincible. I almost never get sick. My dad lived to be 87, and his dad lived to 93. My mom is still going strong at 90. This brush with cancer forced me to recognize my own mortality. So many members of this site have faced much more serious health problems with grace. I am going to be fine, but, like Rachel Maddow, I need someone to talk me down.
And take my advice--stay out of the sun.
So what's your FP tonight. Pootie and I are hear to listen.