Skin Cancer

Under control at this point. She zapped The Growth with liquid nitrogen (got rid of two pre-cancerous growths last year this way). If it's gone in a month we're done; if not, we biopsy it and decide on step two.

My students (13-year-olds) were funny yesterday. I was very up front telling them I would be out to deal with a skin cancer on my arm today. They are so frightened of cancer that none of them knew how to respond. Isn't cancer something we are supposed to keep hush-hush? But the father of one of my 28-year old's best friends through elementary and junior high and high school died young last year of melanoma. Lifelong surfer and outdoor sports coach.

I figure the more up front we are about preventive stuff, the better off they'll be. Tomorrow I'll show them the "ow-ie" and explain how easy and painless the procedure was. I'll tell them what I look for, and how I don't mess around with these things, I get them taken care of right away. Maybe some of them will be careful with themselves in the future.

It's a beautiful day in Southern California. Since I had to use a full sub day for this appointment (middle school can't always get decent subs for a half-day), I think I'll splurge on a nap.