Technology

I read an article in the NY Times this morning about a device that helps find/diagnose melanomas. It's an interesting idea, but I worry about too much emphasis being placed on technology. I like the fact that my dermatologist is as thorough as he is, and I wouldn't want him to miss something because he was focused only on what this machine said. I suppose if he did his normal review and then used the machine to double check moles he was concerned about, that might be good, but I don't think technology can replace a well trained doctor. At least, not yet.

Aspirin

I'm 27 years old and I'm on an aspirin regimen.

Say what? Isn't an aspirin regimen only for older folks who are at risk for a heart attack? Nope, not anymore.

An observation study of older women found that those who took aspirin lowered their risk of melanoma by up to 30%. That's huge. The problem is that this was just an observational study, not a cause-effect study. Still, the numbers are so high that women who are at high risk for melanoma, i.e. people who have already had skin cancer like me, are being told to go ahead and start taking aspirin daily.

My dermatologist first recommended this to me at my late April biopsy/check-up. So why did I wait to start until this past Monday? Because aspirin is a medicine and it can affect people in unexpected ways. I knew I was due for a physical, which entails blood work, so I wanted to talk to my regular doctor and see if there was any reason why I shouldn't take it. I had that physical in June, and now here we are.

So. I'm 27 and I'm on an aspirin regimen that I will probably be on for the rest of my life. It's a bit of a pain, but if it gives me more years, then I'm all for it.

More research needs to be done to help solve and cure cancer, but for now I'll follow the doctor's orders and embrace this new, possibly extended, lease on life.

Stop Asking Me Why I'm Still Single

I just saw this on Thought Catalog and had to post. It's perfect timing, really. Especially after my last post.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/stop-asking-me-why-im-still-single/

California Love

I was in California last week, and beyond the craziness of travel, which I'll get to in another post, I will say it was an amazing trip. I got to spend some time with mom, though not as much as I would have liked, and I got to see my grandparents as well. Grandpa was a bit of pain, but I still love the guy, and I'm happy I got to see him.

After spending time with mom, I flew up to Sacramento and drove into Fairfield to spend some time with one of my college roomies to celebrate her wedding. It's crazy that even though I haven't seen her since Jan 2011, it was super easy to just hang out just like old times. It was also great to meet new people and see some folks I also hadn't seen in awhile. The wedding was beautiful and fun (pictures to come later) and I hope we see each other more often in the future than just once every 2-3 years.

The only negative part of the wedding festivities was the inevitable question: Are you seeing someone? Sigh. Nope, I'm not, and yes, I feel a bit like a loser saying so. But you know what, I've been busy. With grad school and work and cancer and running and friends, I just don't have the time to date. Well, to be fair, I could make the time, but I'd have to give something up, and I'm not willing to do so yet. After this weekend though, attending Mo's wedding, seeing Lisa with her longtime boyfriend, and having 2 of my college friends get engaged, I may be leaning more towards making that effort to put myself out there more.

I've said that before though, so we'll see if I actually do anything to make a change. :)