MONDAY, MAY 3, 2021 MELANOMA

 MONDAY, MAY 3, 2021

Today is National Melanoma Day 

I didn’t know much about Melanoma until my wife got it - about 1987.  

The link to National Melanoma Day says:

“Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, didn’t make its way into recorded history until the 5th century B.C. Hippocrates, who first wrote about the disease, described it with the Greek terms ‘melas’ and ‘oma,’ meaning ‘dark’ and ‘tumor,’ respectively. There were little to no forms of treatment.

“Modern knowledge of melanoma exploded in 1956, with the realization by Henry Lancaster that it was ultraviolet radiation and sunlight exposure that caused the disease. Today, we know that many genetic factors — like fair skin, family history, and eye color — all can indicate increased risk for melanoma, beyond simple sun exposure. Though there is a general understanding of how to prevent, identify, and treat melanoma today, research on the disease is still ongoing.

My wife had some dark spots on her right arm just above the wrist.  I went for the consultation with the oncologist specialist.  I was aghast when he drew a circle that was almost as big as a baseball around the spot, and he said, “I’ll probably have to take all of this.”

I was on a sabbatical that spring trying to get my dissertation done, and I was away from campus. I was in Lincoln at the University of Nebraska.  I had a single room and Dakota State was paying me to be there.  I have an extreme work ethic - if I was getting paid for something, I needed to be doing that!! In other words, I was much more selfish about me and my <*&%#*@*> dissertation  I was in Sioux Falls for a few days while she recovered and then announced “I’m going to Lincoln” - I “HAD” to get that dissertation done.  That was very unloving for me. (And, I knew I was wrong not to stay with her.  These days I could have still worked on the dissertation from anywhere)

That incident haunted me for years - and may subconsciously have led to our divorce.  I was stupid, I was uncaring for anybody except ME.  

She did recover and never seemed to have any additional issues.  She still has a big indentation on her arm.  She also has a reddish spot on her leg where the surgeon took some skins as a skin graft for the area that he cut out.

*****

But, back to the first sentence: “Melanoma, [is] the most serious type of skin cancer”.  We can protect ourselves with sunscreen, minimizing our time in full sun.  

Like all too many, I think I am exempt.  Yes, I am fair, yes, I like to be outside, yes, I get exposed to a lot of sunlight.  And, yes, I am 73.  My new outdoor walking plan will include appropriate sunscreen!!

*****

So, (for me) at look at this:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6555/7-Ways-to-Be-Less-Selfish.html

Seven ways to be less selfish (or … in my view - seven ways to let LOVE WIN!!)

.1 Be a good listener.  Give people my undivided attention

.2 Put my needs last

.3 Remember that EVERYBODY is going through something

(The author comments: “Any time I'm tempted to judge someone or act unkindly, I remember that life exists outside that check-out line or highway—and give them the benefit of the doubt.”)

.4 EVERYONE is talented 

(The author wrote: “Nobody in this world is more important than anybody else. Everyone is talented, passionate, and kind in their own way.)

.5 Check myself - am I being selfish?

.6 Don’t live in the past - I’m trying to be open to others

.7 Think of others

(The author quoted the Dalai Lama: “If you think only of yourself, if you forget the rights and well-being of others, or, worse still, if you exploit others, ultimately you will lose. You will have no friends who will show concern for your well-being. Moreover, if a tragedy befalls you, instead of feeling concerned, others might even secretly rejoice. By contrast, if an individual is compassionate and altruistic, and has the interests of others in mind, then irrespective of whether that person knows a lot of people, wherever that person moves, he or she will immediately make friends. And when that person faces a tragedy, there will be plenty of people who will come to help.”)

Think of others -” Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”  

We used to say about somebody who was egotistical “Who died and made you king?”  The World’s Population is about 7.9 billion people - that is 7,900,000,000 - and I am just one person.  Are the other 7,899,999,999 going to bow down to me?  NO WAY.

So, two things today - Melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer, and being selfish. 

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!

Karen