skin--and those who burn it

last week at the dermatologist, almost as an afterthought, i had a little bump removed from my shoulder. it's been there for several years, most of the time remaining pretty inconspicuous, but every now and then, it would become irritated, bleed, and scab up. i pretty much just considered it to be a undying pimple/bug-bite and never had it on my mind when i went to the doc. but i finally asked about it and my doctor's reaction was to immediately take it off and check it out.

the results came back today & it was cancerous. MILDLY so, thank God. considering my fair skin and my tendency to sunburn, it really isn't too much of a surprise. all i have to do is return next week to get a little more skin sliced out, then i should be a-okay (though i will be tempted to implore the doctor to scan every surface of my skin for any additional anomolies).

i write this to ask for your prayers, and also to realize with me how precious our bodies and our healths truly are. i am extremely fair-skinned and never have truly tanned--only sunburned. when i was a child, my parents monitored me in the sun (though i loathed wearing a tshirt over my swimsuit in the beach pool), but as a teenager i bought into the impression than tan skin was a requirement for being beautiful. thankfully, i've wised-up since then, in large part due to a comment i received from a young mother at my church, maybe about 5 years ago. she noticed a sunburned patch of my skin, then warned me that she had similar skin & already had an instance of skin cancer herself. since then, i've been better about embracing the nature of my skin and avoiding prolonged sun exposure--but there's always those accidental burns and unavoidable conditions. now, of course, i will be even more precautious. go ahead and just call me White-y Whitney from here on out ;) i'm okay with that--hey, if i'd just lived a few centuries earlier, this translucence would be the hottest look on the street....

it would seem that my skin is the bane of my existence these days--i also started taking accutane this week (my third go-round). but the operative words there are 'it would seem.' having the nurse's (and wikipedia's) multiple assurances that this spot on my shoulder is extremely mild and non-threatening reminds me that God truly is sovereign in my life. sure, i struggle with a less-than-perfect complexion, and my irresponsibility in the sun has caught up with me, but i am one healthy woman because my God sustains me. He created me, He ordains my days, He traces my path before me.

cancer is a scary word to hear no matter what. but I thank God that mine can be removed with one quick outpatient procedure--and my prayers are with those who have a greater struggle before them.