In Melanoma Awareness/Education Month

Celebrating the 5th day of Melanoma Awareness/Education Month...a day, last year that I didn't think I'd be seeing quite frankly but I'm glad I am. If I could be pacing on my soapbox right now, I'b be on a roll! I got stuff to say. Most people are going to ignore this post when they see it pop up on the Facebook and see the title of the post. That's OK. Because maybe a few willl feel guilty and read it and hear me.

First: would it kill my familt and frieens that are NOT melahomies, read my posts and acknowledge melanoma! Seriously? Seriously! I've invited folks to Donna Helms Melanoma Event and posted the page on my page and not a one have joined. All you have to is is "join." It cots you nothing but a click. That's it. I have a May Is Melanoma Awareness Month page. WE have melanoma! WE know all about it! We share so, maybe, you'll pay attention to us, learn about this disease, and MAYBR TOU won't get it yourself! We don't want you singing with our choir. We know the songs. We'd just as soon you sing along with Chris Tomlin or Meatloaf or Bruce Springsteen...or you favorite. We do what we do so MAYBE you won't join us in Melaland. None of us do what we do for US or for the fun of it. We post, share, and nag to HELP you and prayerfully spare YOU. YOU!

And, how about wearing BLACK? THAT's our color. Mela, melas, melan...Greek for BLACK, oma is Greek meaning tumor. People like black. It's a classy, fashionable color that goes with everything. Year round. A little support means a lot. There are many colors and diseases out there that have their own colors, days, or months. If you have, or know someone who does, show them some support and when you see their posts, show a little support...know persoannly and not these posts that circulate and are passed around necause someone copy/pastes and tells you to share. Make your posts personal. We all deal with something. If you are connected to me, it won't kill you to like some of my melanoma stuff. Promise. And truly, if you like or even share some of my melanoma stuff, you kight just save a life...maybe your OWN or someone you love,

This will probably be a my last MAEM. I wasn't suppsed to still be here for this one. Yet. Here I am. Maybe to light your fire a little. maybe to provoke my ire. Maybe to save your life and spare you what I'm going through.

See, it's probably NOT going to be melanoma that I actually will die from. I took some mighty potent meds and lived throough, barely, and have been enduring some life threatening side effects. It's a couple of those side effects that shoulld have killed me my now. All things considered, I'm doing good for where I am, but I know that can...will...change...at any time.

If it wasn't for the meds, I wouln'd be in this situation.

And I wouldn't need the meds if I didn't have advanced stage 4 melanoma.

And I wouldn't have advanced stage 4 melanoma if I had just listened to my parents and later to Mitch and had that mole removed decades ago and if I hadn't got some sunburns on that mole.

Thiis is the house that Jack built.

We just want to help YOU build YOUR house with melanoma NOT in the floorboards.

That's why I'm grateful to share another May, the month of Melanoma Awarenness/Education with you. It probabyl will be my last.

I want to make it count.

Will YOU help me?

Please?

Blessings.

charis