Welcome to Chaos !!

Well.....here is my basal cell carcinoma story that I have been sitting on for a while. This kind of cancer is the most common type of skin cancer and according to the dermatologist that cut mine out it was caused by childhood or early exposure to sun and/or tanning beds.
When I was 14/15 I wanted a tan and went to tanning beds a lot and I also did burn several times from the sun. The last time I went to a tanning bed was over ten years ago now, I remember....I was in Denver working at a club called Shotgun Willies. I wanted a tan because I am one of those fair skinned people. And thought (like many others) that I looked better with a tan. Plus in a strip club you look better with a tan in general, that is just how it is. Pale skin lit up on stage by all the lights is more unforgiving than tanned skin or darker complexions, that is why so many girls that dance either tan, use self tanner or cover up with corsets, pantyhose and other articles of clothing.....I don't cover up with that stuff. Anyhow, I burned badly from that tanning session in Denver and I had to stay home from work because I felt feverish, my skin was red, hot and hurt to touch, that is when I decided no more tanning beds. But like I said, this BCC (basal cell carcinoma) is from from early sun exposure.
Anyhow, a few years ago I noticed what I thought was a mole on my back that felt weird and I have MANY moles and skin tags, probably over 100. Blergh.
Some people point them out and think they are cute and I've had a few Chinese people really like them and told me my moles means I am lucky. Well, I personally do NOT think most of my moles are cute in any kind of way and I want about 15 of them removed like TODAY. I have even entertained the thought of cutting them off myself with a razor blade. I had four (if I recall it right) removed as a teenager in Sweden, I should had removed more that time. Because it was FREE.
And it wasn't free a few months ago when I had the BCC cut out. My first surgery by the way......
So this mole on my back felt weird, like scaly and rough and it would bleed sometimes. So back in May I FINALLY went to a dermatologist, she actually would frequent the cafe I worked at and I would make her soy lattes, we started talking and she told me she was a dermatologist at a doctor's office nearby, so I made an appointment. And yes indeed, my suspicion was right.....this was not what I thought a weird mole, it was BCC.
Jordan (the dermatologist) scraped about a quarter size off and had it sent into a lab for a biopsy.



I got a call back a few days later and Jordan told me that I should have the whole basal cell carcinoma cut out. Which I did. I was awake the whole time, I got a few injections for the pain and then she started cutting and digging. It took a while, longer than I had anticipated and then she sutured the wound shut. I got nothing for the pain. When I drove home I felt sad, lonely and I really missed my Mom.
I have not told my Mom about this because I do not want to worry her, I am OK.
I felt somewhat uncomfortable from the surgery the first two days, I felt a burning sensation like that area was on fire and sleeping on my back was not an option.
I took an over the counter pain pill twice, that's it. I think it was Advil.



I had the stitches in for about two and a half weeks, they were kind of itchy. It felt good to have them removed. Like.....ahhhhhh.....finally!



And here is my scar. It is kind of red. I have Mederma and something called ScarAway but I am too lazy to apply that on a regular basis.



It is EXPENSIVE to have a procedure like this done in the US. Just made me think even more about how messed up and unfair healthcare is in this country.
I of course think that healthcare should be free, or at least low cost, for everybody and available to everyone that needs it. NOBODY wants to be sick, at least nobody sane. I don't think it is OK that some people get healthcare for free and others have to pay. You don't have a job, you don't pay taxes and you get your healthcare for free, others that work and pay taxes have to pay out of pocket or pay for expensive health insurance and worry about confusing and costly deductibles and the wealthy don't have to worry because they can afford their medical care anyways. And why do some get their methadone for free but others that have cancer for example have to pay? I do not agree with this at all. Healthcare and all that surrounds it, like insurance costs, the insurance companies and the doctors......it's all a profit making industry. I feel it is morally wrong to profit of sick people. Has anybody heard of the Hippocratic Oath? Seems to me that the Hippocratic Oath and making profit of people when they are sick does not go hand in hand.
So....what can I tell you? I survived. It wasn't my most exciting and fun moment but it is over, I hope. They cut out all the basal cell carcinoma, at least that is what I was told. I want about 15 more moles removed, just regular moles not cancer. So if you are a physician that wants to do some pro bono work and cut away some of my moles - let me know.
And one more thing - DO NOT USE tanning beds (just DON'T ) and try not to burn your skin in the sun.

Well.....the great solar eclipse came and went. It's over now and was kind of overhyped or should I say, people were getting way too worked up over this I think. Freaking out that there would be a shortage of water, gasoline, food.....you name it.
No shortages here, well I don't know what happened in your neck of the woods but I did not lack anything.
I drove to Terrebonne which was in totality but not in the direct path of the eclipse. I put on my protective eclipse glasses and watched, it was like looking at a new moon. With a reddish golden tint. Then the moon covered the sun for about a minute which looked pretty cool and then it was over.
It did not get completely dark where I was at, it looked like evening, perhaps it got completely dark in the areas that were in the direct path of the eclipse. I don't know. What I did notice though was stillness and quiet coming on as the totality drew closer....there is something special about these events for sure.



Next time there is a total eclipse here in the US is in 2024.....then it is expected that there will be peaks of totality for about four minutes, which will be longer totality than today's eclipse. I don't have any knowledge on this subject whatsoever.....the sun, the moon, the stars.

EDIT
This was the frontage of yesterday's Bulletin (a paper).

When looking at a map of the Oregon Coast I saw several lighthouses along the coast, I decided I wanted to see a lighthouse and went to Haceda Head Lighthouse and here are the pictures.
From the parking lot and the beach you take a trail up to the lighthouse.



And there it was! How pretty!



Somebody told me to make sure I would continue the path up behind the lighthouse and look at the view from up there, which I did.



There is a couple that lives in a house adjacent to the lighthouse, here is some information about caring for a lighthouse. Could this be a job for you?



It was windy up there.....my hair was all over the place as you can see.



But here I am.....HELLO! 🙂



After the lighthouse I went down to the car, took Chhaya out and we went to the beach.



Chhaya's ears were flopping in the wind. ❤



The sun came down.



And the moon came up.



It got dark and chilly after a while. We hopped in the car and drove off. I stopped a bit down the road to look back at the lighthouse and yes.....the light was on. The light makes a circle so when it's facing your direction you can really see it.





I would like to see one more lighthouse, Yaquina Head Lighthouse. A future trip is being planned in my head......

I took a drive (together with Chhaya of course) along the Oregon Coast Highway, which is the famous US 101 and stopped at a few places on the Oregon Coast.
I definitely have to go back and see more because it is absolutely beautiful.
Here are some pics from the trip....
I found a pic of me on a wall.




Pretty Chhaya enjoying the view.



Cape Foulweather.









We went down to the beach and dug our toes into the sand.







Hopefully I get to go back and explore this beautiful part of the country soon!

Today was a good day for another trip so me and Chhaya picked up Desi at 3 and we took off.
So we were going to go to Clear Lake because I read that there are some more than 3000 year old trees under the water in the lake and that this lake is considered one of the best places for diving in the US.
On the way there I had to stop at the sign for the Pacific Crest Trail that Cheryl Strayed hiked (1100 miles of it - impressive!) and then penned about that adventure in her book Wild that I just love.



It was a windy and gloomy day today which was nice after many days of relentless sun and heat but it didn't make Clear Lake any justice. The water IS very clear, we went out on the boat deck and as the water got deeper it still remained clear and you can see the bottom of the lake. To view the underwater forest you need to probably either dive or take a boat out to the location of it. Maybe have to come back here another time because Chhaya tried to get in the row boats several times, basically telling me she wants to go boating.









Fed the ducks, Chhaya that normally would not eat plain bread wants to scarf down all the bread that the ducks get because she does not want to share HER bread with them.



And then we continued driving and got to Sahalie Falls.....



I hiked down to Koosah Falls when I was there last month and today we scrambled down to Sahalie Falls, well as close as we could get. It was muddy and the water from the falls sprayed us down, we basically got a shower. Chhaya was not too excited at all over her shower. Here I am showing her the falls from up at the viewpoint and she got kind of stiff.....like what is THAT?



But we got a picture with the waterfalls behind us. Mission accomplished!
Took some pics, or attempted to at the bottom of the hill behind us but the water spraying everywhere made it difficult. I do suggest a hike down to Koosah Falls for an up close experience for those that can handle a rather steep climb.



Then I realized we were close to Belknap so we went there too. A visit to the amazing Secret Garden can never be a bad idea.....it is so beautiful at Belknap.
If you happen to be in the area you have to go there!



When the plants are taller than you....









Then it started getting dark and we drove home. What a nice day!

So during my stay at Belknap I went on a hike to Tamolitch Pool, also known as the Blue Pool. It's a 2 mile hike each way from the Blue Pool trailhead and fairly easy and very scenic, in other words - a great hike. The whole area here is spectacular.
The Blue Pool itself is quite a view when you first see it, crystal clear water and a gorgeous intense color.





There were plenty of visitors at the Blue Pool enjoying themselves, some were jumping into the water from far up but the water was way too cold for me.
I dipped my foot in and that was enough. No swimming for me.





I see a face in the roots.



A short drive or hiking distance away (your choice) there are some waterfalls.
Had to go there of course. Sahalie Falls first.





Thunder of the sky; thunder of the drums; thunder of the falls. A timeless song cycle.....





And then Koosah Falls.









I am so grateful I got to see this. I love the outdoors.