Skin Cancer

Moles. I have lots of them. Small ones, big ones, brown ones, red ones, round ones, square ones you name it. These small little dots can cause a lot of fear and stress in your life if you're like me, a Hypochondriac. If you think about it, these little moles can really determine whether you live... or you die.

Right after my college graduation my parents whisked me away on a surprise retreat to this fabulouse resort in the mountains of Upstate New York. Hikes in the mornings, swimming and spa treatments during the day, outdoor movies at night, all along with five star meals three times a day. All was going well, until our second day hike towards the over look tower. "What is that on your back?" .... "Ya ooh that doesn't look normal, it's discolored." "Oh and it looks like the shape is sort of morphing." My parents were talking about a mole on my back that I've had my entire life that now apparently looks "interesting" and "unusual".

Needless to say, that morning hike caused a great deal of stress in my life from then on after. I returned back to the room and immediately began to research, "abnormal moles" "melanoma" "skin cancer" "How long does it take for a mole to metastasize and kill you?" It. Was. Terrible. Dinner conversations, day time conversations all changed to the discussion of how I need to wear sunscreen all the time, never go out in the sun, and I've done this to myself. I've killed myself with skin cancer. It didn't help that just before al this I was watching the Real Housewives of Orange Country where Kimberly got Skin Cancer and had to move away to Colorado. There I was, I couldn't eat, I couldn't concentrate on anything other than the brownish red spot growing on my back and how I would have to move away from California (If I didn't die beforehand).

 I flew home and went to the doctor to get all my moles checked. Did you know that these little moles can metastasize, and spread cancer to your BRAIN? Thankfully my parents were wrong and the moles were "normal" and "not unusual at all" nothing spread to my brain. But being a Hypochondriac like me, I needed it to be definite. For awhile at least. So I got every single mole removed that was terrifying me so much. I wear sunscreen religiously and have invested in a bottle of self tanner. Hooray!