As vital as self-care is, so many moms neglect it because they are afraid the home would fall apart if they took some time for themselves.
And although that may be true, it would only be temporary.
Giving yourself time to take your health and wellness seriously could save your life – it did for this woman.
Sarah Lee, a journalist at the BBC, thought she was being careful with her skin care.
She did more than most of us by staying away from those cancer boxes they call tanning beds and always wearing sunscreen.
So, when she found a suspicious spot on her scalp, she had no idea what it could be.
Sarah was taking a picture of her scalp to see if she needed new highlights, and the photo revealed more than dark roots, BBC reports.
A pea-sized black mole caught her attention and she quickly made a doctor’s appointment to investigate.
According to Insider, Sarah was referred to a dermatologist by her family doctor who told her the spot was likely not malignant and sent her on her way.
In a short amount of time, the mole grew and became more concerning, so a second family doctor was sought out who told her it was a fungus and to leave it alone.
This did not sit well with Sarah, so she called a third family doctor who referred her to a second dermatologist.
The second dermatologist removed the moles and sent them for a biopsy.
The biopsy had terrifying results.
Sarah learned she had “stage three malignant modular melanoma,” meaning it had spread to her lymph nodes, reports Insider.
This revelation led to an 8-hour surgery where 24 lymph nodes, including those from the neck, had to be removed.
Sarah tweeted on her thoughts upon hearing she would have to undergo this lengthy procedure:
“When I heard the word ‘dissection,’ I instantly thought about the sad-looking fish I had to cut up in Year 11 biology. On 11 March, it was my turn to be the fish.”
The surgery was successful but Sarah will have to continue taking two harsh pharmaceuticals to block the cancer from growing- dabrafenib and trametinib- which can cause side-effects like vomiting.
Sarah urges readers in her heartfelt tweet to take the effects of the sun seriously:
“PLEASE don’t underestimate the damage the sun can do. Wear SPF, a hat, stay in the shade and get your moles checked.”
If you have a new mole or one that is changing shape or color, get it checked out.
The British Association of Dermatologists says:
“Essentially, you are looking for changes in the size, shape or color of any moles, a new mole, or a mole that looks different to the others”
The type of skin cancer Sarah had – melanoma – is rare and more dangerous because it is likely to invade other parts of the body.
According to the National Institute of Health, there have been 99,780 new cases of melanoma this year.
You are not paranoid to want to have a suspicious mole checked, and early detection can save your life.
If you don’t feel confident in the diagnosis, get a second opinion.
Sarah’s case is not the first where a wrong diagnosis almost cost her life.
The sun is more powerful than we give it credit for. Be sure to cover up with clothing or non-toxic sunscreen when spending long periods of time outdoors, especially if you are pregnant.
But don’t let this stop you from getting a little sunshine – just all things in moderation.