Going to the Doctors

[frankS]

Well appropiate time to bring back the subject.

I have spent 4 hours this morning in the doctors surgery going through all sorts of check ups, have to go back tomorrow for Shingles gab .

All OK although I have gained a few kilo's lately. Don't know why as I eat the same stuff I have always eaten and don't eat out very much

Frank

[Steve0]

@noelm Hopefully, that's one of life's experiences that you only have once.

My profile photo tells how I fished in the 70s. 80s and 90s too but less frequently (work and family).  Later, I wised up and started wearing shirt. Later, a hat. Later, sunglasses. When I didn't have a solid tan, memories of childhood sunburn blisters made me reach for sunscreen. I've had a couple of carcinomas removed. They looked a bit like large, smooth warts. I treated them as warts. When that didn't fix the problem, I showed them to the doctor.  They were about the size of 10c coins at that stage. "You have skin cancer", he said, without explaining further about the types of skin cancer.  The news "skin cancer" comes as a major shock (mine was not carcinoma, but the doctor didn't explain that). The old saying, "stunned Mullet" describes how you take the news. You don't know what to ask, and in that mental state, no questions came to mind. While things progressed quickly, it seemed a long time between diagnosis and stress easing with a lab result that reported the doctor removed the lot. Fishing took my mind off it, and I had to do a lot! Meanwhile, doctor Google helped me understand there are two types of cancer that are less serious than carcinoma, and I had the good fortune to have one of those.  

Family history is good (father stationed in New Guinea in WWII never wore a shirt; brother spent a lot of time in the tropics), but I learnt my lesson. I now get checked and take the safe option - doctor says, "we need to keep an eye that one", I say "take it off".  Safety first. Three small brown spots are gone since. Each was a very minor, painless procedure on the examination table.  

"All clear" always makes you feel good. It's worth having a check, just to hear those words.     

[noelm]

Yep, I guess we were all the same, days on end surfing, swimming, fishing, no hats, no shirts, most are pretty “lucky” others not so much…..I have a few great friends that are no longer with us from various forms of skin cancer or cancer in general. 
A bit of a humorous story from years ago, I am a decent size person, but one of my mates is a giant, huge man, we were fishing the Banks with his wife and he started to get burnt, his wife (like all women) had her bag with her that is like Aladdin’s cave, women have all sorts of “stuff” in their bags. Anyway, she had some bright pink lipstick, and my mates lips were burning, so, he applied a liberal coat of lipstick, because we were fishing “who cares?” Add to that, the only spare hat was a bright pink tennis visor kind of thing, so he put that on too. End of the day, back at the ramp, here was this giant of a man, no shirt, bright pink lipstick and a pink tennis hat, his wife and I had a laugh at the looks he was getting, but, no one dared to say anything……..back at home, he realised what he was wearing and let fly with some colourful language, abusing us for not telling him (in jest of course)

[Steve0]

The mental image of that made my day!

[Hoods]

Soooo - since we are sharing!!

I have a family history of Prostrate cancer - was going to get the PSA test from 40 onwards however didn't start til 10 years later - now have a grade 1 out of 5 cancer.

Disiussed with BN my recent blood clot episode (2nd in 4 yrs) over dinner at the infamous Coopernook Hotel recently. Back from the Specilaist in Port Macquarie today - more blood tests to try to dertermine the cause.

I talk to a lot of people in my work- IMO there is only 1 person who cares about your health (and its not the Doctor).

We have a duty of care to ourselves.

Whether its Skin cancer or any miriade of other issues - we are responsible to oursleves and our loved ones to take the appropriate actions.

I still go fishing with my father at Eucumbene every year. 20 years ago he and his close mate both diagnosed with Prostrate Cancer - one took action - one did nothing!!

We pay his subs every year in absentia.

There is no time like the present

[Hill373737]

Plenty of good advice in this thread and a good reminder for all of us that we need to look after ourselves.

My other advice would be to " do your living while you're living" .... none of us know what we have ahead of ourselves that could change our lives, maybe even the biggie that is inevitable for all of us!!

This applies to everything in your life ... not just fishing!!