Shake That Booty!

The keywords that bring people to my blog have taken an interesting turn. But I'm not complaining because they do bring new visitors to the blog, even if by accident, and hopefully they actually learn something while they are here.

My last blog was about the keywords Sweety Mama for Sex in Pretoria that another visitor used to reach my blog. In that blog we learned that Pretoria is the capital of South Africa. I went on to explain that there is nothing sexy about melanoma, which as a melanoma advocate is the main reason for my blogging. But that blog brought an unsuspecting visitor to my page from South Africa using the keywords Pretoria Mama with Big Booty. And so it goes ...

So while we are speaking of booty (aka tushy, buttocks, bottom, posterior, bum, etc), did you know that melanoma, the type of skin cancer that can be and often is deadly, can develop anywhere it wants? That's right. It even likes your booty ... and anywhere else you have skin, which is, by the way, your largest organ (your skin, not your booty).

This is the reason why you need to carefully check your entire body every month with a mirror to see those areas (including your booty) that are difficult to view or have a partner assist you. You can find step-by-step instructions for doing a self skin check at AIM at Melanoma.

You are looking for any new or changing or unusual looking mole. Use the ABCDEs, as shown in the photo, as a guideline. If you find something that concerns you, make an appointment to see your doctor (preferably a medical [not cosmetic] dermatologist who specializes in melanoma) ASAP. The best chance of beating melanoma is catching it early.

In addition to your monthly skin self-examinations, the American Cancer Society recommends that you see a physician for a complete skin check every 3 years if you are 20-40 years old or every year if you are older than 40. Melanoma needs to be taken very seriously. It is estimated that 76,100 invasive melanoma cases will be diagnosed this year in the US, making it the fastest growing cancer, and 9,710 people will die from it.

Let's take this discussion of booty and melanoma a little further. Were you aware that melanoma most commonly develops on the skin but can also start in the eye (ocular melanoma) or in areas where the sun don't shine ... like, yes, the genital and anal areas?

Mucosal melanoma is very rare (1-2% of melanomas) but also very aggressive. Common symptoms of melanoma in the anus-rectal area are rectal bleeding, pain or discomfort, and weight loss. In this area of the body, melanoma is often misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids. For melanoma in the uro-genital area (most commonly the female genital tract), bleeding, lump, itching, pain or irritation, and discharge might be present.

Treatment options for mucosal melanoma are the same as for cutaneous; however, the prognosis for mucosal melanoma is poor because it is usually not identified until it has advanced. Be sure to see your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms.

And now that you have read the educational portion of my blog, I'll share my booty story with you. My daughter Jaime, as many of you know, was diagnosed with melanoma when she was 20, thanks to her tanning bed use during her teens, and fought it with everything she had for 9 years. When she was hospitalized in the weeks before her death, she was very weak, heavily sedated, and barely able to get to her bedside commode even with assistance. One time when she was sitting on that commode, I noticed that she was making rhythmic motions. I asked her if she was okay. Her answer, along with the huge smile she gave me, was classic Jaime: "I'm doing my Booty Boogie!" Weak as she was, she was moving to the music on the TV, dancing while seated. Death was in the doorway, but Jaime was still shaking her booty.
 
So keep shaking your booty ... but check it out monthly, along with the rest of your body, for signs of moles that have gone astray! The best booty call you could ever make is the one to your dermatologist for a full body check. It could save your life!!

It is estimated that there will be 76,100 invasive melanomas diagnosed in the United States in 2014, and there will be 9,710 deaths - See more at: http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-answers/about-melanoma-and-other-lesions.html#sthash.7ujdX777.dpuf

Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

Twitter: @melanoma_mama
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)

http://www.facebook.com/BanTheBeds (Pull the Plug on Tanning Beds)
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
Ebay: http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

The American Cancer Society recommends regular cancer-related checkups, including a skin exam every 3 years if you're 20 to 40 years of age and every year for people 40 and older. - See more at: http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-answers/early-detection/regular-skin-examinations-by-your-doctor.html#sthash.jFuZn6wi.dpuf

The American Cancer Society recommends regular cancer-related checkups, including a skin exam every 3 years if you're 20 to 40 years of age and every year for people 40 and older. - See more at: http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-answers/early-detection/regular-skin-examinations-by-your-doctor.html#sthash.jFuZn6wi.dpuf

The American Cancer Society recommends regular cancer-related checkups, including a skin exam every 3 years if you're 20 to 40 years of age and every year for people 40 and older. - See more at: http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-answers/early-detection/regular-skin-examinations-by-your-doctor.html#sthash.jFuZn6wi.dpuf