Comments on: “O” is for Only http://www.sickandhappy.com/o-is-for-only/ How to find wellness within illness! Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:31:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Julie http://www.sickandhappy.com/o-is-for-only/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Julie Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:25:34 +0000 http://www.sickandhappy.com/?p=54#comment-8 Hi Will. Well, at least you are doing what you love as you damage your collagen! I understand the sunscreen thing...but how about a hat? Hi Will. Well, at least you are doing what you love as you damage your collagen! I understand the sunscreen thing…but how about a hat?

]]> By: Will http://www.sickandhappy.com/o-is-for-only/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Will Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:08:40 +0000 http://www.sickandhappy.com/?p=54#comment-7 I have always had the same attitude toward the possibility of skin cancer (although I'll wear concealing clothes for comfort and coolness, I despise sunscreen and have never worn it). I was born in 1968 (no cares about the sun in those sun-sensitive formative years of life), and have CF. After a transplant in 2001, I was warned about the increased possibility of cancers, particularly skin cancers (up to or greater than 65x normal risk). I got PTLD, recovered, Hodgkins, recovered, and was again warned about further increased sun risk. What have I been doing in the meantime? Coaching rowing, in a small boat, sometimes six hours at a time at the sun's height, rowing in skimpy outfits for a few hours at a time, spending entire days outdoors. This is on top of very high previous exposure from days spent outdoors on the water as a teen, crabbing and fishing, running, skating, and then rowing in college. Probably at the high end of sun exposure. I'm not especially fair, and tan quickly, but that's a lot of exposure. I've never seen a dermotologist. It's always seemed like something else was likely to get me first. But nothing has. I'm slightly more careful than I was, but not much. Did I mention that I take three medications (sometimes more) that synergistically make me more vulnerable to sun damage? On a conscious level, this registers, but on another level, the one that would make me take action, it's "why bother". I have always had the same attitude toward the possibility of skin cancer (although I’ll wear concealing clothes for comfort and coolness, I despise sunscreen and have never worn it). I was born in 1968 (no cares about the sun in those sun-sensitive formative years of life), and have CF. After a transplant in 2001, I was warned about the increased possibility of cancers, particularly skin cancers (up to or greater than 65x normal risk). I got PTLD, recovered, Hodgkins, recovered, and was again warned about further increased sun risk. What have I been doing in the meantime? Coaching rowing, in a small boat, sometimes six hours at a time at the sun’s height, rowing in skimpy outfits for a few hours at a time, spending entire days outdoors. This is on top of very high previous exposure from days spent outdoors on the water as a teen, crabbing and fishing, running, skating, and then rowing in college. Probably at the high end of sun exposure. I’m not especially fair, and tan quickly, but that’s a lot of exposure. I’ve never seen a dermotologist.

It’s always seemed like something else was likely to get me first. But nothing has. I’m slightly more careful than I was, but not much. Did I mention that I take three medications (sometimes more) that synergistically make me more vulnerable to sun damage? On a conscious level, this registers, but on another level, the one that would make me take action, it’s “why bother”.

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