Just a LITTLE Carcinoma

arcinoma. Yes, cancer. But not the big, bad, scary cancer. My doctor assures me that the little spot on my upper back is almost surely a "basal cell carcinoma", which is not dangerous and will not metastasize. He's going to remove it for me when I get back from my vacation. He tells me that when it's removed, the cancer is GONE! I like the sound of that.

I asked him how I could get any kind of cancer after all that chemo and radiation? He told me that the chemo I got was directed at a particular type of cancer and that one of the many downsides of chemo is that it compromises one's immune system. Seriously compromised, it left me vulnerable to many other evils, such as shingles and, apparently, this little basal cell carcinoma.  Even though this can be easily taken care of, I have to say it leaves me with the heebie jeebies. It makes me wonder what other evils are lurking inside my body waiting to emerge.

My doctor also noted that this little carcinoma is in the area of my back that was burned by the radiation exiting my body. Just on the edge of that. Of course, radiation is given to kill cancer cells but, on the other hand, it causes cancer. Don't ask me to explain. I only partially understand it all myself. It's complicated. I know that it was the radiation from my Dad's first cancer caused the cancer that developed 12 years later. A friend of mine's Mom recently got a 2nd cancer - a particularly nasty kind - about 20 years after her first breast cancer and it was said to have been caused by her radiation. Oh, joy!

So, for now the main thing is that this little carcinoma on my back will be removed and will then be gone.  And, bonus, the scar will be on my back and not where I'll have to see the evil reminder every day. 

I can enjoy my holiday.  But, man, all the more reason to do all I can to optimize my immune system and try to avoid chemical exposure. Good reason for all of us to optimize our immune systems and avoid toxins. Wild picked blueberries, how I LOVE YOU!!

By the way, if you like that prettily designed "C" at the top of this post, I got it at Daily Drop Cap. There are lots of inspiring capital letter designs there.