Tag Archives: sunscreen

The Road to Diamond, Day 125: Carcinoma-free

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, impediments, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving

April 2, 2025- Three of us walked into the Dermatology clinic, at the same time this morning. One went straight for the freshly-brewed coffee. The second wanted only water, which she got from the small refrigerator. I was the third, and took nothing-as I’d drunk water at home and find that drinking coffee before a surgical procedure makes the medical staff’s work harder-as it often increases bleeding.

The procedure, to remove a basal cell carcinoma, went smoothly. The surgeon, grim-faced and all business, did not take long to remove the infected tissue. The longest part of this process is the analysis of the tissue, to make sure all the cancer has been removed. That usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. It took the latter, for my case this morning. The four Licensed Practical Nurses, who helped the surgeon and the plastic surgeon who sewed me back up, were fairly congenial and methodical in their work. All the staff explained each step, as they went along.

I am again carcinoma free. The process of staying that way involves continuing to apply sunblock, of 40-50 SPF and wearing a broad-brimmed bush hat, even when I am not in the desert or in the tropics. The sunblock I use is either Alba or Badger Balm. These are zinc-based, rather than loaded with toxic chemicals. I can get Alba at Sprouts, but have to order Badger Balm online. Of course, in the warmer months, it’s necessary to re-apply the cream in mid-day.

This is all part and parcel of remaining active and largely outdoors. I will continue to have a full-body scan, twice a year and take these precautions even more diligently going forward than I have even up to now. As one ages, and there are fewer layers of dermis, the care taken of the skin, our body’s largest organ, needs constant upgrades. I aim to stay steady.

Takeaways from Last Watch, 22-23

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 9, 2023- The call came fairly early, yesterday, as I was en route to Sedona, in caravan with Yunhee and her mother following close behind. The need was for someone to cover three or four classes, for an hour or so in each. Much of the work would be transitional, getting the children from one class to another-and some light monitoring of work in between. With today being unscheduled for anything else, I said yes.

There were no “bait and switch” elements involved. I have a reputation for not taking kindly to such tactics, though being reasonably flexible is part of any substituting activity. So, when asked to help the playground staff for part of the three hours I would have otherwise been idle, I put on sunscreen and went down to the field and the fun zone. A little girl showed me her rather well-executed cartwheel, which generated others to do the same. A mixed group of 5th and 6th graders played kickball, with rules that were quite a bit looser than I remember, but it was all peaceful and I saw some strong displays of athletics. All in all, the kids did what was expected of them, and most of the staff were appreciative.

I will be off on other pursuits, during what remains of the academic year. Autumn will see me back, for as many days as I can be available-working around Mom’s birthday milestone (September) and a visit to a teenager whom I am sponsoring, in the Philippines (October). The latter was approved by the agency, this afternoon. One must not depend on investment income and retirement funds alone. Besides, it’s mostly enjoyable to be with the children.

Tomorrow evening, the train will depart Flagstaff, for Los Angeles, then point north. Life continues on a most even keel.

The Bandage

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Posted by on in collaborating, Family, impediments, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

April 26, 2023- The dermatologist and his plastic surgeon partner pronounced the basal cell “tiny”, and took a short few minutes, for each of their actions in removing it and sewing the suture. The PA who bandaged the site was far more ostentatious, applying a long dressing, almost like the person who builds a wheelchair ramp at the entrance to a building. The bandage has to keep an area well to the sides of the wound free from dirt, and I am to keep it free from water, for about 48 hours.

These sorts of events are not as common in my life as they might have been, ten years ago. With three brands of sunscreen, each free of harmful chemicals, it is de rigueur to shelter the face, neck, ears and hands-and with the coming season of wearing shorts, the legs, before going out. I will once again purchase a full bush hat tomorrow-and this time be more careful not to leave it behind, in a room, the train or rental car.

Summer will introduce itself to us here, on Sunday, with 85 F the predicted high in Prescott, and Phoenix likely to see its first 100 F day of the year. I’ll not be shy about being outside, within the bounds of prudence, the rest of this year. May, alone, will find this one in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Reno, Carson City, and points north, at least as far as Vancouver Island. There are a lot of places closer to Home Base as well-with Yunhee and her mother stopping by for a visit, in the second week of next month, some Red Cross shelter inspections coming up next week and visits to the South Rim of Grand Canyon and Mt. Humphreys towards the end of the month, unless Disaster Responses intervene.

So, the bandage is doing its preparatory work, and will generate whatever comments it does, between now and tomorrow morning. I am greatly relieved to have such a team looking out for me.

The Long Run

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Education, Family, impediments, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

April 13, 2022- It almost seems, some days, like I spend the day on Zoom. It sometimes seems that I pull the face mask out of my pocket, at random, unexpected moments, getting appreciative nods from the fearful and glares from those who see their own freedom under assault. As the pandemic waxes and wanes, sometimes within the same week, its short-and long-term legacies show how they are with us, ready to do their jobs at a moment’s notice.

Health is a funny thing. I have managed, with the skillful help of my dermatology team, to beat back basal cells that had accumulated over a few years of spotty sunscreen applications-or perhaps, as a gadfly told me in Miami Beach, a few weeks ago, from applying the wrong type of sunscreen. Before these, there was my almost total disregard for my own health, both physical and mental, whilst taking care of my beloved wife in her final years.

Now I am mostly back on an even keel. There is much to be done, here during the next two months and in mid-summer; on the road at other points during the year. A period of nine years, 2022-2031, starts in a week, during which the world will hear and see a lot more about the Baha’i Faith and the Teachings of its Founder, Baha’u’llah, than many have heard up to now. I will have apart in that effort, both here in Prescott and in many other places. On my last journey, to the Southeast, most discussion of Baha’i teachings took place in a family setting, and in short conversations with a sharp-minded person from the Netherlands.

The long run, however, will see more than new wine in this old bottle. As we keep seeing, a lot of things to which we are accustomed, both big and small, have fallen away. This will long continue-in areas from statecraft to roles within the family; from modes of transportation to the design and organization of dwellings. All of this re-organization, however disconcerting it may be at times, will result in a far more peaceful world.

“This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests. Happy are those whom the all-glorious Pen was moved to remember, and blessed are those men whose names, by virtue of Our inscrutable decree, We have preferred to conceal.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfil that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.”- Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, page 346.

A Mixed Bag

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Personal Values, Social, Striving

January 10, 2022- The day started with a dream about a winsome young lady telling those present that she was not “up for grabs”. I woke thinking, “Good for her!” No one is ever “up for grabs”.

Today brought the first dental check-up of the year, and all is well on that front. I am tending the oral equipment that helps me eat, speak and exhale, with far more diligence than I might have fifteen or twenty years ago. That will continue until I no longer need to eat, speak and exhale.

A call from the dermatology group brings a few agenda items for the end of this month and into February. They are all smaller issues than the big kahuna that was removed from my left facial cheek, some eight months ago. Yes, I am more diligent about sunscreen than I once was, so there’s that at least.

Hiking Buddy and I walked several blocks in downtown Prescott, and she’s doing much better. Actual trail walks are not too far off. Of course the walk was from some shops to a dinner spot, but that’s okay. We’re always walking towards places that bring us satisfaction, after all.

It’s feeling around here the way April feels in New England, only without the rain. Rain, of course, will come along a day here and a day there. Life is ever a mixed bag.