...WHAT MAKES ME ANGRY????

I feel the need to cuss really loud right now. Yep, just need to let a word rip into the cosmos! I received a phone call Monday night from my big brother. His ex-wife had just had surgery WITHOUT letting anyone know. Why? Not wanting anyone to worry, she allowed a half-dollar sized lesion to go untreated for a good amount of time. I had heard of this ugly thing on her shoulder well over a year ago. Turned out to be a rather large Basal Cell Carcinoma. She also had to have some type of lesion removed from her leg and I am told there will be future lesions to address on her face! If you know me, you're already aware of the fact that I lost my BF (Kimberly Jennings) about 6.5 years ago to Melanoma. That sucked!

Even with the belief that Kim is in heaven with Christ --- IT STILL FREAKING SUCKS!

My sister-n-law of 22 years has had alot of hard-core stuff bombard her for the last three years or so. It hasn't been a cake-walk. I know I've tried repeatedly to encourage her to pull herself up by her bootstraps and walk forward, but for some people, its just an insurmountable mountain to climb. She isn't like me. Won't catch her blogging her guts up for anybody to read --- she's somewhat stoic and stubborn. She also tends to avoid things that really should NOT be neglected --- these lesions being a physical manifestation of that very trait. Hence, I have been mulling this over in my head going on three days now. Should I pick up the phone and let her have it --- STUPID! IGNORANT! PIGHEADED! GRRRRR! Or let it go (so much like alot of my family) and pray to GOD she didn't let it fester so long that it grew inward and connected to her lymph system.
I have held my peace but this is my sister. Doesn't matter that she is no longer recognized by the courts as such. She is and always will be --- family. We wore matching candy-cane stripped footed pajamas and cowboy hats. We endured family vacations together and fought as if we were blood. She is valuable and very much loved by her three daughters and my brood. But I am beginning to wonder if she really believes that about herself. I'm beginning to wonder if she has just been whipped to the point of not giving a crap about the outcome of this 'dermatitis' as she so callously called it.

This brings back the memories of Kim and the awful struggle she endured. This makes me want to beat my chest and rail against the women who lay their bodies down into a tanning booth coffin for that 'oh so creamy glow.'

STUPID! IGNORANT! BURNT from the inside out! Please just say NO!

And while saying no --- learn the warning signs of skin cancer. Don't neglect it. Your skin is ONE ORGAN of the body. Do you get that? It can attack anywhere --- even inside your bootycrack and other glorious regions. So take your hand held mirrors and get a good long look at yourself. Closely. Don't be bashful --- be vigilent. And learn the ABCD's of Skin Cancer.


A- Asymmetry: You should notice the general look of your moles or growths, for example, if one-half of the mole or growth does not match the other half.

B- Border Irregularity: Notice if the edges of the mole or growth are ragged, notched or blurred.

C- Color: The pigmentation of the growth is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown and black are present. Dashes of red, white and blue add to the mottled appearance.

D- Diameter: If the width is greater than 6 mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), it could be an indicator of an abnormal skin growth. Generally, any new mole growth should be a concern.

I have no idea what prognosis my sister-n-law is facing. Don't even know if she'd really tell us the truth --- so as not to worry anyone. So pray for her. God knows her name. And if you hear a vile word echoing through the neighborhood, that will probably be me.

FORGIVE me ahead of time.