License for Sun!

It's been about a year since I had a small amount of basal cell carcinoma removed from my cheek.  Not a happy day for me. Just about every time I go to the dermatologist I have something removed and tested.  Because of that I'm a nervous wreck before I go! It is my least favorite outing every 6 months.  My friend, "Bro. Smith", and I call the dermatologist "Dr. Whack-a-mole" because we both go through the same thing. Guess it's just one of the downsides to having fair skin.

Since then I have been very careful with sun exposure.  The plastic surgeon that I saw (for stitches on another spot!) gave me a lecture on sun exposure. He told me to get some wide brim hats, wear clothing with SPF in it if I could, not to go out in the sun between 11-3pm and to always wear sunscreen.  I told him how much I love the sun and how good it makes me feel.  He replied, "Well, we all do.  But you and the sun are not friends anymore."  That was a sad day for me.  But I went out and got some hats and a daily SPF 70 sunscreen for my face and since then I have been very careful not to sit out in the sun.

I just recently had a physical and went in because I was feeling overly fatigued.  I just felt sluggish and tired all. day. long.  I woke up feeling tired and looked forward everyday to bedtime.  I thought there must be something wrong with me.  I started to wonder if I was depressed.  It got to the point where I didn't know how I would have the strength to make it to the store! How pathetic is that?  So, the doctor ordered blood work to see what was up.

I found out that I'm Vitamin D deficient.  My levels were extremely low.  So low that I have to take a 50,000 unit tablet of Vitamin D once a week for 12 weeks. My doctor told me that she's seeing this happen to a lot of people, particularly women and children.  She told me that I need to get 15-30 minutes of unprotected sun daily.  (Yay!) The important thing is not to allow yourself to burn. 

I just started taking it, so it's too soon to see results but I sure am looking forward to having more energy!

Go get some sun!