Seventeen years ago, I had an innocuous looking freckle on my arm. It didn’t bother me. I’d had it for awhile, it seemed. I had a lot on my plate in the previous few years going through a dreadful depression and the breakup of a twenty year marriage. A freckle on my arm was the least of my worries. 

Daughter #2 loved reading her dad’s medical journals when they arrived at the house. She’d been reading them since she was five and was particularly intrigued by the ones that dealt with skin health. One afternoon during her two weeks with me, she noticed the freckle on my arm and…with alarm in her voice…insisted I make an appointment to have it checked.

My family doctor said she would take a biopsy, but she didn’t think there was anything to worry about. Two days later, she called me to say she had made an appointment with the plastic surgeon to have more of the tissue removed. The diagnosis? Melanoma.

My daughter was right, and has reminded me of that ever since. I have yearly full body skin checks. I had a precancerous lesion removed from my chest last year. I had my yearly check yesterday and I have three precancerous lesions on my face. These are a less serious variety than last year’s so she gave me the option of having them frozen or using a topical chemotherapy. I elected the latter. I’ve done that before and it’s worked out fine. I assured her I would keep a close eye on it and if needed, I’ll return right away. I don’t mess around with those things.

I went into town early enough to sit at one of my favorite coffee shops to knit and people watch. The Bodega is such a sweet place with big comfy chairs and tables. They have a variety of sweets to go with your beverages….like pecan rolls, cinnamon rolls, and scones. My favorites are the sweet treats from Sweet Ash Cookies. They are not only perfectly decorated…but they taste great, too.

I slowly sipped my ginger tea and watched the other customers. A young mom came in with her two boys and their Nana. They brought along Molly, their beautiful Golden Retriever. She was so well behaved and came over for a quick pet…and a little sniff to see if maybe I had a treat for her. I love Goldens…they are angels in fur suits. The boys came in like a whirlwind, touching everything as little boys do. There was a cursory banging on the piano, then a quick search through the toy box before they selected some blocks and began competing to see who could build the tallest tower. The place got so quiet when they blew out the front door like little raucous tumbleweeds.

My next focus was on a mama and her sweet little girl. They were waiting for “sissy” to get out of school. They sat at the table munching on bubble waffles (it’s a thing). Mama explained the rules of Connect Four and they set to playing a game. It was great till Mama blocked the Little’s row and she wasn’t havin’ it, thank you very much. It seems Mama didn’t quite get the finer points of the game across. Given her age and the setting, I was happy to see Mama create a new goal to see who could fill their row first with one color. They soon left, happy as little clams, and headed out into the misty grey West Virginia morning.

A young woman worked on a computer at the table in the corner. A man waited on his lunch order, quietly scrolling through his phone. No one wore a mask but me. I did take it off for my cookie and tea. When I got to the doctor’s office, the front desk person informed me they had lifted the mask restrictions and I was free to remove mine if I wished. I told her I preferred to leave it on. She said she would make a note in my chart and the doctor and staff would also wear masks in deference to my comfort. I thanked her profusely.

History will be rewritten. People will forget the devastation the pandemic wrought. They’ll spin the tale as over cautious or political over reach. But those of us who understand science and worked in the field won’t forget. Do I like wearing a mask? Not particularly…but then again, I’ve worn one for so long now, it’s automatic and doesn’t bother me a bit. I haven’t had so much as a sniffle since covid started. Why would I want to expose myself to that again? I like staying healthy. And, it doesn’t hurt anyone else so I’ll just wear it and call it good.

It was another beautiful day…rain or not. Today is knitting group…a decidedly fun gathering. A great way to start out my week.

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“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

3 John 1:2 ESV