Who doesn’t love starting their Friday morning with a skin cancer screening?
The local recreation center on Sanibel Island was offering free skin cancer screenings this morning, and after breakfast, my sister and I headed over to get checked out.
The screening itself wasn’t very thorough (they only checked my face and my arms), so I definitely want to follow up with a local dermatologist for a comprehensive exam. My mom previously had melanoma and my great aunt was recently diagnosed with melanoma as well (as was my beautiful blogging friend, Alyssa) and since I missed my annual appointment last year, I definitely want to get my skin checked out again when I return to Ocala. In the meantime, I’m using lots and lots of sun screen!
After the exam, Leslie and I worked out at the rec center and did 20 minutes on the arc trainer before completing an arms ‘n’ abs workout. I love sister workouts!
Breakfast
Breakfast today was a two-parter.
Part one was consumed before the skin cancer screening and included an egg, jelly and cheese English muffin sandwich.
Part two came after the gym and included a small box of Corn Pops in a mug with milk, grapes, some unpictured deli ham, pita chips and a spoonful of almond butter.
Vacation eats are so random! I swear I snack all day long on vacation, despite my best efforts to sit down to a real meal. I want to be sure to save room for dinner tonight because we have plans for a fun night out.
I’m off to help straighten up the condo this morning because Ryan, my sister’s boyfriend, my aunt and cousin are arriving soon. Can’t wait to have the big gang here!
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Good for you for getting a screening done! I talked to my dermatologist about it a while ago and do the usual checking of freckles/moles for changes in shape, but I could really do it more often! Sounds like lots of fun to be had with the fam this afternoon! 🙂
I also got checked after Alyssa’s post and had 4 freckles removed and will know in 2 weeks if anything is wrong! Definitely a good thing to get checked because you never know..
I had a cancerous mole removed a few years ago, and had to go back for check-ups every 6 months after. I just go once a year now though, but it’s such a good thing to do (and i don’t know many adults that actually do it!) Good for you. 🙂
I have an appointment for a screening on March 5th… And I’m terrified!! I do have to thank all the bloggers who have been getting them done and suggesting others to, or else I never would’ve Ben made the appointment. I hope your full screening comes back great!
Oh FUN–everyone is coming! You guys will have a blast 🙂 Enjoy the time together!
I love sister workouts too 🙂
Hi Julie,
Q: I eat 2 whole eggs per day. Think this is a problem?
I heard that people even with high cholesterol shouldn’t attribute it to whole eggs because it is saturated fat in foods and not the cholesterol content that is the issue. I’m confused on all the studies out.
Julie, do you have a suggestion for the BEST and most simple way to track calories and macronutrient breakdown? I know there are various online ways to do this, but I’m looking for one that is not a time-suck, displays good breakdown of the foods, and is easy to use. I need to track my intake for a few weeks to figure out what is going on with my body.
not to intrude, but myfitnesspal.com is great for that!
Yes, or livestrong.com too
I still haven’t gotten checked for melanoma—ever. I know this is awful, and my grandmother had skin cancer a few years back, which should have scared me straight. Alyssa’s post reminded me that I need to do this, and you just gave me the extra kick in the butt!
I love hearing you and Leslie went and got checked out! And yes… go get that full bod screening. 🙂
Your adorable get well card is sitting on my kitchen table. Thanks for being such a sweet friend, lady love.
Thanks for reminding me I need a screening, Julie! Easy to forget to do those things!
I am going to the dermo tomorrow and the first thing I am asking him to do is check me for skin cancer! Alyssa’s story really scared me, especially because she had no weird looking moles or anything!
Great job doing the screening! I’ve had about 4 moles removed, it’s SO important to get your skin checked out.
i love sister workouts too!! i wish they were able to happen more often. with my sister being in AZ, and me in UT though, it doesn’t happen as often as i’d like!
I am sooooo snacky on vacay as well!
Thank you for drawing attention to skin cancer screening! I’ve actually never been checked for skin cancer, but given the fact that a good family friend has a severe case of melanoma and the recent blog world attention to it, I need to make an appointment to get it done!
I am living vicariously through your vacation!
I am guilty of rarely using sunscreen despite living in a warm city- thanks for the healthy reminder!
That’s too bad it was only face and arms, some people may just take that and think they’re fine! I actually have my first appointment with a dermatologist in years on Tuesday!
I went to a derm last year to get checked out. And to be honest, she made me feel like I wasting her time. I might have to switch to my husband doc instead.
The Kidless Kronicles
Just saw that you were featured on ToneItUp.com today. So cool to see your recipes all of over the internet. Congratulations on your success!!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
As soon ad I read Alyssa’s blog, I scheduled an appointment at my dermatologist. They removed one mole and I have to go back to get another removed on my back.
I love corn pops. I can’t buy them because I will eat the whole box!
does hereditary breast and ovarian cancer run in your family? i know that is associated with an increased risk for melanoma.
i’ve also heard reports that while sunscreen has been shown to decrease risk of other types of skin cancers, it is less effective against melanoma? not sure how much truth there is to that.
good luck!
Can’t stress the importance of being checked for skin cancer enough – more than that, of taking sun protection measures. Sunscreen, hat, long sleeved clothing and sunglasses! My dad died of melanoma – he got it in his EYE of all places. So please, everyone, take sun protection very seriously.
How freaky that I ended up back here nearly a year later, and read this again. Wow.
At that stage I might have said be careful, but I was guilty of the “I would never get melanoma” hypocrisy, and had never been checked out myself.
A few months ago, I finally was, and had a mole removed – turned out to be melanoma. Had other events not conspired to lead to me getting a skin check, I would never have known until it was too late and died from the same thing I lost my dad to.
Skin cancer is so scary! Good thing you are aware of it, I really need to remember to have a screening!
That is great that you did a skin cancer screening! I don’t think I’ve done one in a long time. I should probably do that. It’s always better to be safe.
Those grapes look SO crunchy and now I want some…but only if they look like yours haha!! I want vacation eats =( I have a week off school starting in pretty much 2 hours and I’m not going anywhere. Darn husbands and having to work…sheesh!!
I need to get checked up soon as well. I have other priorities right now though with my body (somethings wrong with my bladder/kidneys). So after I find out what’s wrong “down there” then derma here I come!
An environmentalist PSA: Please use mineral sunscreen (zinc or titanium dioxide) vs. chemical sunscreen (oxybenz….etc. etc.). The minerals naturally degrade in the environment, while chemicals stick to marine plants and shield them from UV rays, preventing them from making food, so they die (especially algae in coral reefs).
Even scarier, those chemical sunscreens mess with your hormones and endocrine system. YIKES. Rant over 🙂
Julie, I read your blog everyday—it’s becoming a part of my morning breakfast/coffee/email routine—I love it! Thanks for always providing such uplifting, informative, and humorous content. You have such great voice, and your love of writing shines through it. Thanks for sharing!
Sister workouts are the best!!! Always help it go by so fast! 🙂
great awareness, julie! my sis was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in 2010 at age 36. she has dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a deeper skin tone. it’s not always the fair-skinned, light-eyed ones. she underwent intenese treatment and is now doing well, but will stil need pet scans every six months for 3.5 years more. thanks for brining this topic up!
I actually just made my first appointment with a dermatologist to get a skin cancer check! Good for you for taking advantage of that free service on the island! Sanibel truly is one of the greatest places ever 🙂
Way to go on the cancer screening! Both of my parents were diagnosed with non-malignant precancer cells, so I get nervous too. And I totally agree that vacations end up being snack-fests! I guess it’s a vacation from usual habits, right? 🙂
Yay on getting the screening done! That must be such a piece of mind! I made an appointment a few months back but its been so booked up I have to wait until the third week of march. 🙁 I had two different doctors look at moles I had questions about and they said they were fine but they weren’t dermatologists so of course I’m still worrying. One of my best friends has actually survived skin cancer already, she’s only 19. She had to have chemo and treatment for over a year but now she is finally in the clear. She was telling me how doctors believe she was at an increased risk for it because every woman in her family has had breast cancer, and there’s a link between breast cancer and skin cancer. I’m so so glad she’s okay! Its also made me so so anxious for the third week in March so I can finally be checked!
CORN POPS?! Oh my yum! It’s been forever since I’ve had those. THey were a favorite!
My mom has had several bouts with skin cancer. It’s scary and I definitely learned from a VERY young age to be careful in the sun!
I was diagnosed with melanoma last summer and it definitely was scary. I had them [both on my legs] removed and 6 months later I still have two scars to show for it, but I couldn’t be more blessed knowing they found them sooner rather than later… But boy oh boy, those scars have attracted much [unwanted] attention!
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