As all of you probably know I am recovering from having surgery on my arm. It started out as a scaley spot like dry skin. Then a couple of months ago it started growing it looked like it had a pimple in it. By then it was staying sore. I had to the Dr for another reason and he looked at that spot. I asked him if he thought it was cancer and he said yes. So the following Monday he did surgery on my arm. The cancer was very deep. They had to go through muscle and all. Just want yall to be aware of whats going on on your body especially face arms and legs the part be exposed to sun. I'm the kind of person I don't like to be covered up when in the sun, so now I guess I'll wait it out until this fall, maybe I can dig then. THANK God it didn't take my life. It was the kind that can be contained in the same spot, not spreading. It didn't have any brown spot to it. So all you gardeners be careful in the sun.
skin cancer
After many bouts with skin cancer my favorite friend is spf 30 or 45. The sun really can damage your skin and is dangerous. BE CAREFUL
coco
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!!
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!!
I had melanoma removed from
Thanks for the warning, Miss
Great Reminder!
Now that the weather is getting warmer (and if you live in a climate like I do, it's getting downright HOT,) it's easy to want to spend more time outdoors, eating, playing, SWIMMING (which is both my summertime exercise and relaxation,) digging in the dirt, planting, watering and so on. It's easy to forget to put on sunscreen, wear a hat or cover yourself to protect yourself. Preparing yourself for the sun doesn't mean you have to wear long sleeves in 90+ degree weather. Wear sunscreen, wear a hat, and wear sunglasses. Not wearing protective glasses can hasten the onset of cataracts.
My mom has had over a dozen skin cancers removed over the years. Back when she was a kid, it was common to treat acne with radiation or sun lamps.....They never considered what the ramifications of that radiation would be later in life. For my mom, it's meant major problems with skin cancers and a malfunctioning parathyroid gland.
We should all always wear sunscreen. We should remember to reapply it about every hour, or if we sweat, go swimming or get wet from sprinklers.
Gardening is wonderful mental therapy. Growing your own food is healthy, but part of a health conscious lifestyle involves taking care of oneself and remembering to apply SUNSCREEN.
Thank you for enlightening us, Miss Jo! We love you dearly and want you to be as healthy as humanly possible!
Susan, the Texas Yankee, the Texas Rangerette and the Assistant Administrator
SKBeal's Snazzy Tra
Susan,The Assistant Administrator, the Texas Yankee and the Texas Rangerette.
Please take care
Jo, keep in mind that you can also garden very early & very late into the evening, when the sun is not direct. I can't be in the sun very much - I use 30 spf sunscreen every day in summer & generally wear sleeves in daytime, but I manage to keep gardening by adjusting my hours. When I get in from work in the afternoons, I can work in the backyard which is in shade by then and let the front yard wait a bit.
Lots of good things to Early AM & Late evening gardening - they have better temps - not nearly as hot, you're not as likely to get sunstroke, plants do better with watering at these times, great way to get into planting a "moon garden" with flowers that bloom at night, plus you get to sit back & enjoy the day (and all that heat) while everyone else is slaving in the sun.
Lots of other pluses to early/late gardening, these are just the ones I appreciate at a thought. Evening gardening even has the advantage of no bees & wasps to fight with over the flowers.
DizzyD %-}
Lavender Poppy
Great