Mike J

Hello; Guess I would have to be
one of the MOST exposed to the
problems of Skin Cancer and one
of the Lucky ones who has a
number of problems.
In 1958 I was in the Navy and
was at the Atomic Bomb test site
at Bikini-Eniwetok.
I was there for all 28 Bombs and
as part of the the Seaborne Security Teams I was exposed to
both AirBorne And WaterBorne
Radiation.
I have been run thru every test
and I will be 65 Tomorrow and
I can not beleive I made it.
I wont get on my soap box I just
wanted to say my 002.
Mike J.

Formula Outlaw

Mike J, great to hear....

jcboats

i know cancer..
my dad had skin cancer for 25 years, had over 30 procedures 3 major, he passed away 2 years ago of lung cancer. my aunt (his sisiter) dies 3 years ago cancer spread into her central nevous system. both my sister and myself have had basil cell skin caners removed from out face and back. i recently had 10 stiches 2 inches below my eye and several chemical burns. i am irish and fair skined. over the last 7 years or so i have been real good about "covering up" i wear high spf sun screen,t-shirts and hats... i am sure that all who are on this web site love the outdoors and being on the water.... you don't have to stop, just use good judgement the worst thing is the prolonged exposure.
as mentioned on the previous post you will not know the damage from too much sun for several years.. so now is the time to think and monitor yourself...

enough preeching...

Formula Outlaw

"JC", My mother passed away from cancer of the liver at age 60. Others on her side of the family have passed from cancer. Like you said, you can continue to enjoy the things you like to do, just take precautions.

mcollinstn

Several spots removed on arms from welding.
Several spots removed on face and scalp from sundamage.

All of the spots were biopsied as precancerous.

I just make the annual visit to the derm-digger. He's a good one, if they look the least bit suspect, he takes a "core sample" and sews me up.

Sunblock.

Airpacker

SPS1000 seems to be the way to go these days. Seriously . I used to go for the 0 spf dark tanning oil crap and literally try to roast myself dark all summer. When I met my wifes parents for the first time 15 yrs ago,they thought I was hispanic. They freaked when they relised I was a pastie white son of a red haired irish woman. A close friend had 21 spots removed 4 summers ago and it really got me thinking. I now boat in long sleeved t shirts,always slap a hat on when we are off plane and drown myself in top quality spf40 or higher . I had a customer lose 75 percent of his nose to melanoma and I really don't want to end up like that. Its sometimes hot in long sleeves but if you think about what gets burned the most when boating,fore arms,neck,ears,face and forehead, it only makes sence to cover what you can and spf the rest.

dyno

I am considered high risk get checked every 6 months nothing yet....

Formula Outlaw

The neck is one of the worst places to get a skin cancer, particularly Squamous cell or Melanoma, as these can matastesize quickly due to all the blood arteries, veins, and vessels in the neck. I am very lucky they caught my latest one eighth of an inch away from my caratoid artery. And it was just a speck on the surface. I hadn't noticed it. Ended up costing my 57 stitches (internal and external) more. I'm now at over 2500 total stitches I've received for all my surgeries and whatever. Keep that neck plastered in sun screen.

jcboats

somtimes it takes some one close to you or even a family member to get some form of cancer before you realize that it can happen to you, cancer knows no predudice. i know we all enjoy this board and like talking about the thing that we all all here for, but it is good to come down to earth and share some "real" moments that touch our lives on a personal and private level.

jc

Wasabe

Reading this thread has convinced me that I need to get mine removed. Doctors have been warning me for years but I have been too scared to go.
I wish you all and your loved one good health.