Why Monday Sucked

Remember when I said Monday sucked? Well, now I think I can tell the Internet more about that. Last week I had that tiny freckle taken off the bottom of my foot (I wrote about it here).

Monday the doctor called first thing in the morning to check up on me. I was so happy that he called, "how sweet!" I thought. As he started talking I started getting more and more nervous.

Doc: Anna, we got the pathology report back this morning.
Me: Oh, cool! (totally thinking things are fine)
Doc: The verdict is malignant melanoma, but it's just Clark's Level 2.
Me: Uhhhh, huh?
Doc: And I looked it up and the 15-year survival rate for that is 98%-100%
Me: ... Oh (seriously getting disappointed).
Doc: So we'll get you a referral over to Billings. They'll need to take more skin for testing.
Me: .... mmm.

The conversation with my mom went ok later that day.

Me: Mom, it's malignant melanoma.
Mom: Does that mean cancer?
No. Tell her no. Say NO.
Me: Yes.
Mom: Should I be worried.
Yes, because I'm freaking out.
Me: No. Let's agree not to worry. I won't worry; you won't worry.
Mom: Ok.

The flurry of internet research followed, including this site from the American Academy of Dermatology that says exactly what Melanoma is, what it looks like (mine looked the most like the example for unusual color), and what standard treatment options are. The American Cancer Society has a GREAT website with great stories about cancer survivors. Some made me cry, but most helped me feel a LOT better.

Also, Wikipedia has the best information about what the different stages are, and you can see there that the Clark Level 2 is actually nothing to worry about. All this information has really helped me. I have another operation scheduled for this coming Thursday where they'll take out 1cm of skin to make sure all the bad cells are gone.

What can you do? Three steps.

1. Check your freckles!! When in doubt, check it out. Call your doctor RIGHT AWAY for an appointment if anything looks different.

2. Say a quick prayer for me: I really believe in the power of positive thoughts/prayers.

3. Get on with your day: enjoy today. Don't let yourself worry about things too much. Find something you love to do, and do it.

Poopy Pants

Since Stephan's working an extra 4-hours tonight (and the next 3 nights in a row) I had time to organize the branding photos from last weekend. You can see the entire set here. We were back at the MacKay Ranch, the site of my first ever branding last May. I wrote extensively about that experience here, and I can't think of much more to add. The smell definitely isn't duplicated anywhere in the world at any other time of year. And the noise is just incredible. At the end, when all the calves have been reunited with their moms, the silence is amazing. The space around you just grows with the quiet, and the wind blowing fresh air (without burning hair-smell) is SO sweet.

Then, of course, the food is just outstanding. The best food of the year is served at brandings.

Here's Your Sign

This is Stephan's favorite sign, found above one of the bars we like to spend time in. Did you know that people who own guns don't need gun licenses? The only gun license available in Montana is a "Concealed Weapon" something-or-other, that requires a background check and fingerprinting. That's the same process I went through to get an Illinois Massage License.

Next time you come to visit think about all those people with big purses, or sweatshirts on... they could be 'packing heat.'

Throw Your Hands in the Air

Like you Just Don't Care....

(Sorry, something about codeine just makes everything sound like a 90's rap song)

We had a crazy weekend. Literally, crazy. Saturday involved some people taking off their underwear and dancing about, Sunday started WAY too early (8am) for me and continued with a branding (photos to come). Sunday night ended with a sobering but deeply moving tribute to people who've passed away, and Monday... Monday sucked. But it's Tuesday night now, and I've got so much to type that I couldn't do it all justice. I'll try posting photos, stories and information as the words congeal tomorrow.

Until then, get out your SPF50 because the sun, she's a shining out in Big Sky Country.

I just realized that the 10-day forecast calls for rain every single day and night for the next 10 days. So, perhaps just a wide-brimmed hat will do for now.

Overheard: On the Phone

Sometimes it's nice to not live so close to my parents. As I told my dad how Stephan just pours out catnip for the cats by the cup-full (on the kitchen table) for them to roll themselves in (usually at 10:00 at night) my dad responded:

Dad: Have you ever seen my Cat Spa?

Me: Um. No. I don't want to know what a cat spa is.

Dad: That's the name of the product. C-A-T-S-P-A.

Me: Why? And, but, no. I don't want to know. You people are crazy.

Catching up with Photos

Let's go backwards in time:


Last night, while trying to boil water for pasta, the stovetop caught fire. I put it out with flour. This is what's left.


Yesterday afternoon it snowed/slushed. There was about an inch and a half of snow/slush on the ground by the end of the day. Happy May.


Wednesday was the county Health Fair. Stephan was a great role-model as he purchased an entire lemon meringue pie.


There's only two decent photos from the high school rodeo on Saturday, and this is one of them.

Telling the Internet First

or

Finally a good use for all that yoga training.

For a few weeks I've been watching a freckle on the bottom of my foot grow in size, and change color. Stephan demanded that I make a doctor appointment as soon as possible, which turned out to be yesterday. Doc looked at it, and agreed with Stephan that the little black mark needed to come off. About 20 minutes and two small stitches later, it was in a little jar. They told me to stay off of it for a few hours, stay out of the pool, and baby it for about a week.

When I got home I did laundry, dishes, cooked dinner, took the dogs out, and cleaned the kitchen. No pain!

When I woke up this morning the pain was unbearable. It felt like I was walking with a large pointy spike lit on fire growing out of the bottom of my foot. After some tears and a little bit of pain killers Stephan put me back in bed and went to work. Getting about (to the bathroom, the kitchen, etc.) without letting my right foot hit the ground has proved a challenge. Just now I brushed my teeth for two full minutes while standing on one foot.

Some would think this was an inconvenience. I see it as a reason to buy another Gaiam DVD.