A few weeks ago, I had one of those moments that I should have gone down as my dumb brunette moment of that week for blogging purposes, but I guess I forgot about it by the time the weekend rolled around. As I was getting undressed, I happened to glance at the mirror--I don't normally stare at myself naked, I swear--and see this black spot on my chest reflected back at me. When I was a baby, I had a mole on my stomach that turned out to be a malignant melanoma or skin cancer. Although the melanoma was removed before the cancer spread, I've since had to keep a close watch on all other moles for things like irregular edges and color. Since this black spot, which I assumed was a mole, had not been there the night before and was particularly dark, I freaked out. Visions of surgery and chemo flashed through my head as I looked down, touched the mole, and found that, not only did it move, it smelled a lot like chocolate.
That's when I stopped freaking out and turned red. As it turns out, the black spot wasn't a mole at all. It was icing from my birthday cake. Apparently, I had missed my mouth the night before, and the little sliver of icing had fallen down my pajama top and wedge itself between the twins. Thank god I discovered out the "mole's" true identity before I drove to the nearest dermatologist.
At least I can laugh about the scare. Not everyone gets to. Take Paul Kraus, for instance. In 1997, he was diagnosed with Mesothelioma Cancer, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, and told he had at most a year to live. Kraus, determined to disprove that diagnosis, set out to improve his overall health through diet, spiritual, and lifestyle changes. He managed to beat the odds and is still living with Mesothelioma today. He has written a book about his struggle with cancer called Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Guide. The book is free to newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients in the US, UK, and Australia. Patients in Canada and other countries can order the book directly from Kraus's website, SurvivingMesothelioma.com, by using PayPal.
As for me, I'm going to keep slathering on the sunscreen, make a "Pale is the New Tan" T-shirt for summer, and wear a bib the next time I eat a piece of chocolate cake. If there was ever a doubt that I'm a klutz, dropping icing down my shirt and thinking it's a malignant mole the next day pretty much confirms it.
This post is brought to you by your friends at SurvivingMesothelioma.com.
