for the ones you love

Last weekend, while I was in Bellport, I got some hard family news. My brother found out that he had melanoma on his cheek. A tiny, almost insignificant spot, smaller than the end of a pencil eraser. The first thing my sister and mother said to me was "Don't google it." For many people, the outlook with this type of cancer is grim. 

The news really threw me for a loop. Surrounded by family that weekend and trying to digest what I was hearing, the fear of the unknown, really put a heaviness in my heart. I fought back tears the whole weekend and into the coming week.

Surgery was scheduled for last week and then the waiting game began as we all waited to hear if the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes that they also removed. 

When my mother called me on Friday, she was crying. But it was tears of relief. God is good. It did not spread. The doctor was confident he removed all the melanoma. Radiation will follow, but mostly as a precautionary measure. 

Last week, I made an appointment to see a dermatologist. I carry the "red hair gene" which makes me 4x more likely to get melanoma. 

One bad sunburn before the age of 18, doubles your chances. I've had a few of those. 

I write this post today, not to scare or be overly dramatic but mostly because I wanted to share. And I wanted to share a video that my brother's wife sent to me. Please take a moment to watch it for me. Follow the links, and stay informed, for all the ones you love.