PSA: Please be good to your skin

I've really never been bad to my skin.  I'm not a tanner and I don't even really like the sun....aka I don't like to sweat.  But, I managed to have basal cell skin cancer (carcinoma).  I will now be even more vigilant about protection for both the kids and myself.

I'm fortunate that I knew I had a familial risk so I did go to the dermatologist every couple of years.  Now I will probably go annually for a quicky check.  The thing some people don't realize is that skin cancer isn't just a mole.  It can be any anomaly in your skin.  For my mom and I both it was a skin colored, slightly rough or scaly patch that itched.  Mine didn't itch constantly, but it's been aggravated by this winter's extreme cold.  When I scratched it it was hurting.  I put it off long enough and finally made the appointment.  She couldn't even see it without me pointing it out and then thought it may just be a keratosis, which I would have been thrilled with.  I got my results from the biopsy today and it is basal cell.  Since I go often enough and when you catch it and it's just basil cell it's easy to deal with.  Cut the cancerous cells out.  It's only in the very top layer of skin....unlike melanoma.

My biggest problem with it is that I will have a scar on my back.  It's closer to my shoulder, so it is visible.  I HATE that.  I'm glad it will be nothing once it's removed, but I hate scars and the thought of having more areas chopped out now that I've had one spot.  So, I'm hoping to protect my kids from this.  Sometimes, for some people there is no protection.  It is what it is.  I think that's my problem since it's so prevalent in our family.  Thank goodness 3 of my kids do not have my genetics...that gives me hope, but leaves unknowns of their own.

So please, please, please don't ignore your skin.  Take care of it.  It's not worth it.

Blogworthy Carrier Warning

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100309/ap_on_bi_ge/us_baby_slings_warning

Please read, especially if you are pregnant or may become pregnant.  Not a Yaz commercial, but this is a warning for newborns being carried in slings. Thought it was worth posting since I'm a carrying mom, but not sling wearing.

Lisa

Tiny hands rubbing your arms

This is what I get.

I've had kind of a crappy day today.  Nothing specific just not such a great day at work and rough evening at home.  I was finally sitting down after all the kids went to bed and was just reading when Jaemin woke up.  Just a couple of small whimpers.  I crawled in his toddler bed with him and just laid beside him.  He always strokes my arms when I lay in his bed or he lays in mine.  He rubbed my back this morning.  I love that I can just lay with him and make him feel better.

It was in no way his birth mother's purpose in life or reason for her pain to make me a mother to a 5th child.  It just happened out of free will.  But, of this I am thankful to have him in my life forever.  He is so amazing and I love him more and more each day if that's possible.  I love everything about him and I love just laying there with him breathing on my face. 

He is always going to be my unexpected gift.

Who needs Diego and Sponge Bob when you have CMT?

TEENAGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have one as of tomorrow morning! Oh my he's 13. Though his grades stink from time-to-time without A LOT of encouragement he's still a pretty good kid...uh, I mean guy?

Happy Birthday Cole!!!!!!!! (Coke Coke as J calls him)

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Our Story

Until I get the chance to put our story back on this blog, the way it was on our old blog, here's a copy of the first page. I'll eventually move it to it's own page here as an intro. There's more info on us if you search our 'Post Tags' whether it's regarding living with spinal cord injury, Korean adoptions, a surprise adoption, open-heart surgery etc.

Lisa


All 7 of us!

We have 5 kids, 2 came to us biologically and 3 to us via airplanes. We've been married for 15 years and are now parents to a 12, 9, 7, 4 and 1 year old. We've known since we were engaged I carried a translocation of chromosomes 10 and 14. We lost our very first daughter. After the older boys were born we decided adoption may be a better route for us to have one more child. This epiphany came 7 years and 3 kids ago.

Cole had open heart surgery at 8 1/2 months old for tetralogy of fallot. He was also born with situs inverus and dextro cardia. He is fine now, but will have to be seen by a cardiologist for the rest of his life. He is smart, very active and independent. He gives us a run for our money and things are never dull. His favorite thing to do at home is to play with the babies. He loves babies!

Chase was born with an unrelated birth defect and had two minor corrective surgeries. He is smart, funny and sweet. He likes to play sports and is a ham most of the time.

Kaelin is our, always meant to be, August baby. She is sweet and crazy silly. Her great heart has earned her many friends.

Chelsi was born 10 weeks early at 3 1/2 pounds. She may be small, but mighty....including her voice. :) She is vibrant and smart. A girl full of attitude and life.

Jaemin was our surprise "gift" (as big sister K calls him). He was a sibling call from Korea. We were not expecting any more children and we got him within 3 months of finding out about him. Shocking surprise and the fastest roller coaster ride ever. What a joy my boy is. He is VERY active and a beautiful little boy. Smiles that light up the room.

In 2008, Brian fell, playing basketball, in 2008, and became a walking quadraplegic (replaced C5 after completely crushing it and fractured C6; fused from C4 to C6). It was life changing to go through that experience for our entire family.

Through God's grace we went from the two of us, to the 7 of us. We had no plans for more than 2 or 3 children and really had no idea adoption would be part of the plan. But, God led and we followed. We learned with each adoption that God was there and we stepped in faith more and more believing in Him more and more as each year passed and each child came into our lives.

We are thankful everyday for our unexpected blessings.

I know people don't like labels to describe them, but I will say it. The first two were "born" to us. The last 3 were "adopted" and my husband is a "walking quad" from a spinal cord injury. But these aren't labels to me. Labels determine something. These adjectives are just words that describe who we are/were or how we came to be. They affect us, but they don't determine who we are or what we will be.

Yeehaw!

Jae was sick today with a minor fever, so we spent the day watching CMT videos....what's new.  Chelsi made a new video.  Today's chosen song is Hillbilly Bone so we could get little brother involved.