January 13th: Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that. ~Michael Leunig

I struggled for a long time on what to write tonight. I had all these plans but for some reason tonight they felt as trivial as a piece of rubbish on the wind.

Tonight I watched the funeral of Kristian Anderson. He has been all over the news, after his massive fight with cancer, in which the cancer ultimately won.

But this post isn’t another about cancer; it’s one about holding close to you those whom you don’t know how you would live without.

I am one who is, for the most part, grateful beyond belief for my family, my friends, and the people who I have just met within the last week but who have supported me.

When was the last time you said “I love you” to your partner, family, friends?

I tell Daniel whenever we part company, whenever we hang up the phone – even if its been 5 phone calls in 5 minutes, at night before I go to sleep and in the morning when I wake.

It is the same with my family. When I leave or they leave, or when they hang up the phone. My last words are always “Loveyoubye.” Yes, I say it so quickly it all runs together.

My Grandmother, who only says “Love you too” in the cases of extreme pain or worry, even gets a “Love You” when I hang up the phone.

Some people tell me I am silly to do this. They’re all my family, of course they know you love them. Well, Yes. I’m sure they do. But if one of them died tomorrow and I never got to see them again, I would know that the last thing they heard me say was that I loved them.

As mentioned in a previous post, the last thing I said to Nanny Middo was that I loved her. And that one little fact is so important to me, though it may seem trivial to you.

Another Grandmother drummed into me at an early age, that “There is never too much love in the world.” This is something that I hold true to as well. It is something that I will pass on to my kids, and will teach them to pass it on to theirs.

Even my best friend and I tell each other “Lubb Lubb”, because that’s saying “I Love You” but with some added awesomeness.

There are times when I positively Yearn to hang up on Daniel, my parents, my siblings, or my family because they have frustrated me so much. It is very rare that I do, and if I have been pushed that far, the conversation is followed by a text that says I love them. I am too scared to face the possibility that the last thing I have ever said to someone was in anger, and cranky, and maybe not 100% meant.

How do I know that tomorrow isn’t going to leave me like it has to so many others, alone, scared, devastated and wishing that I had taken the opportunity to tell someone I loved them just one more time.

Tonight, give your partner an extra hug; send your mate a message; send your parents an email. And if it is too late for you to do it this way, shout it to the Heavens. Heaven doesn’t have good reception for your mobiles, so your text or phone call wont get there.

Sometimes, Life is too short.

“Life is short, even if you live to be 100 years old that is but a blink in eternity.” – Kristian Anderson.

To read more about Kristian and his battle, you can visit his blog here

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January 9th: I come from the Land Down Under… so I check for Melanoma!

If I was to say Melanoma, what would you think?
If i was to say, “have you been checked?”, how would you respond?

A melanoma only millimetres deep can Kill you.

So what is “Melanoma?”

Scientifically:

The most dangerous form of skin cancer, these cancerous growths develop when unrepaired DNA damage to skin cells (most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds) triggers mutations (genetic defects) that lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors.  These tumors originate in the pigment-producing melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. Melanomas often resemble moles; some develop from moles. The majority of melanomas are black or brown, but they can also be skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white. Melanoma is caused mainly by intense, occasional UV exposure (frequently leading to sunburn), especially in those who are genetically predisposed to the disease

(www.skincancer.org)

We’ve all seen the ads – how tanning is unhealthy, even if you want that glow. Some doctors in the US are crediting Twilight actually, because of the way they have made “pale and pasty” a new in-thing.

We all know what to look for: a change in the shape, colour, height or width, or for increased itchiness.

But when you see these signs, do you go and get them checked?

I know I do, and I have a scar on the side of my face to attest to that fact. Although, to be completely honest, I wasn’t always this meticulous about my moles. It was when my Nonno, whom I love so very dearly, was diagnosed with one on his arm.

It scared the absolute bejeebus out of him, and my nanni, and the whole family. He had it successfully removed, but he still needs 6 monthly check ups, even when they venture OS later this year.

Australia is renowned for its hot sun, blazing summers and tropical beaches. But these little facts of every day living in our great country come with a lot of risks – ones which aren’t always heeded.

Melanoma represents 9.5% of all cancers, with more than 10,300 cases diagnosed annually. The risk of being diagnosed by age 85 is 1 in 15 for men and 1 in 24 for women.

In 2008, there were 1430 deaths from melanoma.

Surgery can be curative for thin melanomas and requires that the melanoma be removed with at least 1–2cm of normal skin around it. If the draining lymph nodes are involved they are removed.

For thick melanomas some cancer centres offer high dose interferon after surgery, however many offer clinical trials of vaccines because there is no routine therapy mandated. Surgery should be the mainstay of treating relapsed melanoma if it is possible to remove all of the disease.

For widespread disease, chemotherapy is borderline effective and drugs such as dacarbazine can palliate symptoms, as can biologicals like interferon or interleukin 2. Radiotherapy may palliate local symptoms

An individual’s prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as their age and general health at the time of diagnosis. Five year survival for people diagnosed with melanoma is 92%, rising to 99% if the melanoma is detected before it has spread. If spread is within the region of the primary melanoma, the five year survival is 65%, dropping to 15% if the disease is widespread.

(www.cancer.org.au)

Is your tan still looking as good? Did you know Tanning Beds are just as lethal?

If you have any moles that have changed, or notice any symptoms, please go straight to your doctor. It may be too late if you wait.

Please take five minutes of your life to watch this video. It May save your life.

With Love, Hugs, Floppy Hats, Sunglasses and SunScreen,

K

Melanomas.