# Not much for Doctor's visits but...



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Despite being a young guy, today I went to my first dermatology appointment. For years my mother would say I should go see a dermatologist and I would put it off. In the last few years I did proactive things to limit sun exposure like wearing western shirts, canopies, working at less peak sun times. A couple of months ago an incident spurred me to make an appointment. My Dad had invasive squamous cell carcinoma on his ear.

I picked a doctor that was highly recommended and pulled some strings to be seen by her as soon as possibel. I went around asking for my family history and found a stronger history of skin cancer in my family on both sides (I knew about my grandparents). My Mom had malignant melanoma removed from her leg. My maternal grandfather had multiple melanoma, he succumbed to lung cancer at 87. I have a maternal aunt that is 54 with multiple that has metastasis, she's currently doing an exploratory treatment. My paternal grandmother had a spot on her nose and ear removed. Paternal uncle had something but he couldn't remember exactly the type.

My body has multiple moles that I was concerned about. For 2 months I was so anxious about the pending visit that I sometimes had trouble sleeping because I was so worried about it. The doctor looked me over and I can say I do not have any skin cancers. It's not to say I won't ever have cancer but since I am being proactive I increased my chances of survival. I am now scheduled for yearly visits. I hope you all don't put this off.


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

Glad to see you went. Most people will put it off and by then it's too late for it to be a smaller issue. I also am not one to go to the doctor must be a guy thing... Lol. I was out this past March checking sheep fence and was wearing muck boots and slipped on the ice. The grip on the toe caught the ice and caused my foot to spin 180 and I hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. I'm not a small dude by any standards I tell everybody I have the body of a God I just leave out I'm talking about Buddha LOL. I laid in the snow for a couple of minutes got up hobbled around all day and night hoping it was just swelling. I woke up the next day and it's still hurt just as bad when I went downstairs and told my wife I needed to go to the doctor she about needed to go too for a heart attack because she was so surprised. Turned out it was a extremely bad sprain which almost is worse than a break I guess. It's still sore when I move it a lot. But I needed to be sure it wasn't broke. I know Insurance game is a racket I genuinely believe doctors are there to help you live longer.... most of the time.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

People really need to know their family histories, fortunately cancer is pretty rare on both sides of my family. Both sides of my wife's are train wrecks. On her Dads side her grandfather died of colon cancer, her Dad had two surgeries for colon cancer, had testicular cancer and had numerous suspicious moles removed over the years. On her moms her grandfather died of cancer, her uncle has had colon cancer three times, a cousin has had breast cancer, her mom had one kidney removed because of cancerous growths. Her moms side of the family is also the side that carries the gene for Tetralogy of Fallot, which is what the wife was born with, three open heart surgeries later and thats taken care of for now.

Genes make a huge difference.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Been there and done that on the cancer scare. CDL DOT physical P in the cup and they could not belive I could not tell i had blood with urine . When I first stated the testing looked bad they gave me treatment potions to think about . Quite a few sleepless nites . Turned out to be a false alarm . Injury from catherization during THR Surgery . Still going to urologist every 6 month numbers aren't bad but not perfect . do not like the scope grr


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