Too Much Sun

These pictures were taken late last year when the dermatologist gave me some nasty cream to apply to my face to take care of any pre-cancerous skin damage. I had to put it on twice a day for about 3 weeks. Legend has it, the cream only attacks damaged skin and doesn't do anything to healthy skin. I think that's a bunch of bologna and you'll see why in a moment. The doctor warned me it would look bad but it would be worth it in the end.





1 week in and I'm feeling pretty confident. Just a little redness on myforehead but nothing too bad. No way am I going to look as bad as she warned me. "Piece of cake," I said.





About a week later. "Ow. Ow. Ow." Felt like a bad sunburn. Not shaving on this particular day didn't help my appearance but I can live with that. By this time I was getting a lot of weird looks but not many people said anything because they were trying to be polite. It was rather refreshing when my NASA boss returned from vacation in the middle of this and asked, point blank, "What happened to you?" I think this was also about the time that Larry told me when he was going through this a coworker told him he looked like he'd been bobbing for french fries. That's funny, but don't make me laugh. It hurts to move my skin.





Ewwww! It's starting to peel!!! By far the worst part. I'll save you the details and just leave it at that. A couple of other people very carefully asked about my skin by this point. People suspected rosacia, poison ivy and road rash from crashing on the dirt bike.

So, about the time I finished applying that stuff to my forehead and left cheek, I had a follow-up appt. with my dermatologist. I stupidly made the comment that with the amount of damage I had on those parts of my face, I should probably have done the other cheek as well (and two spots on my lower lip). She agreed and told me to get on it. Doh!


Fortunately, I think, Halloween came during the middle of my treatment. Who needs a costume with a face like that? Actually, I had the perfect costume in mind. Phantom of the Opera! Unfortunately, the mask I found covered the wrong cheek.



Now you can see my nose and my other cheek starting to light up like a Christmas tree. Cameron, wanting to be just like me, went face first off the swings at school and came home with this look. When he whined that people were calling him Rudolph, I asked him how he thought I felt!





One side is fading as the other starts to get to the yucky, peeling stage. I really don't need any help highlighting my nose.

Now, a few months later, my face is STILL a little red. I'm not sure it will ever go away.

So let this be a lesson to you all. Wear plenty of sunscreen and a hat!!!