Health Updates

To say 2018 was a whirlwind when it comes to health is an understatement. I started the year with over $6k in my Health Savings Account. I rarely went to the Doctor and considered myself a healthy person.

2018 in Thailand before everything went crazy

In March 2018, I had my first experience with Acid Reflux which resulted in an incorrect diagnosis of GERD. I was treated for this for months, taking two daily rx that weren't working. Then the testing began. Testing is still going on to identify exactly what is happening but it is esophagus related.

In November, I worked an event in Minneapolis. I fractured my foot in a freak accident. Although I am out of my boot, I can't run until June. I was really upset and that accident combined with my esophagus issues pushed me over my out of pocket deductible.

Knowing I could see any Doctor for free through the end of December, I made multiple calls, including a long overdue Dermatologist appointment. With my high deductible plan, if you go to the Dermatologist and if any biopsies come back clear, you are charged 100% as it is seen cosmetic. Being I have a billion moles and freckles, there has never been a time when I didn't have 5+ biopsies removed.

I asked for the Nurse Practitioner to take anything and everything he saw as a warning (nothing out of pocket, why not). He took 5 spots. I got a call 2 weeks later letting me know one of them was Basal Cell Carcinoma skin cancer. This is the most common type of skin cancer, caused by sun exposure. I have a lot of family members who have had many Basal Cells removed. Every single person said "At least it isn't Melanoma".

I had the Basal Cell removed the day after Christmas and saw a different Nurse Practitioner for this procedure. She looked at my left leg and instantly asked why two spots weren't removed. "I don't like the looks of these at all". I said, take them! I got a call on January 4th from Pathology.....

Stage One Melanoma Skin Cancer. Caused from genetic mutation, not sun exposure.

While Melanoma is common, it can be deadly. I caught it at stage one so luckily it is early. However when the Doctor went in to take them out, he saw multiple other spots that are within the melanoma line which is dangerous. I go tomorrow to get 10 more spots removed. My biggest regret is not getting every mole & spot taken off me on the 26th of December when I had the chance. Now everything is out of pocket until I hit my max again. Which will be soon.....

Up until mid-January, I didn't talk about this on my social media channels. I decided to post on my personal facebook as a PSA to my friends being I live in FL and we are frequently in the sun. I had multiple comments, some of which were uneducated. One person even said "Melanoma isn't a big deal but I will be praying for you".  I ignored him.....

After posting on facebook, many of my colleagues and friends let me know that they made Dermo appt's right away. I'm trying to stay positive through all this and if anything, become an Advocate, encouraging others to make appointments. While my Basal Cell looked suspicious, my Melanoma spots looked normal! While I was writing this post, one of my closest friends growing up wrote me. I haven't talked to her much over the past few years. She wrote me to let me know she was diagnosed today with Melanoma on her left leg.

I will post my update after the next round of biopsies results come in. I keep saying, if it wasn't for fracturing my foot, I would have never known.