Time to Come Clean with a Warning to Everyone

[Mackerelman]

Several of You Here & Others on Facebook have messaged Me on why I have not been Fishing or not Reporting on My Catch.
Have You ever seen people fishing with Big Hats or Long Sleeve Shirts on or Under an Umbrella Fishing ?

This past early June I got Squamous Cell Carcinoma Skin Cancer. It started out as spots like a Mole & then it got bigger & Infected. When I would take My shirt off the Infected Areas began to bleed.
So I went to the Doctor & He told Me what I had. One on My shoulder had to be Surgically Removed & Sewed up with 6 stitches. 2 months later I had to have one large one cut out of the center of My back. I had 4 of them on My head. I had about 20 more small ones including others that are known as skin tags around My Neck, Shoulders, Arms & Chest removed. I had to go about 2 months without being able to wear a shirt in order for the skin to heal. I even had to have My Hair cut short. Now since My Treatment I am 95% better with one more spot to go away on My Head. My Doctor says that I can go back Fishing maybe in February depending on My next appointment with Him.

No One is Immune form catching Skin Cancer living in Florida. Living in Florida & being in the Sun is how You catch Skin Cancer. For Added Information, look them up.
Cover up with a Large Hat & a Long Sleeve Shirt to protect Your Skin from the Sun & its Rays.  

There are 3 Types of Skin Cancer:
1) BASAL CELL CARCINOMA - Basal-Cell Carcinoma, is the most common type of skin cancer. It often appears as a painless raised area of skin, which may be shiny with small blood vessels running over it; or it may present as a raised area with ulceration. Basal-cell cancer grows slowly and can damage the tissue around it but is unlikely to spread to distant areas or to result in death.
2) SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA - All types of cancer are serious, but fortunately, squamous cell carcinoma is very treatable and is rarely fatal. If it's found early, squamous cell carcinoma is almost always successfully treated. However, if it's left untreated, the cancer can spread throughout the body and may be more difficult to treat.
3) MALIGNANT MELANOMA - Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Melanoma frequently develops in a mole or suddenly appears as a new dark spot on the skin. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Knowing the ABCDE warning signs of melanoma can help you find an early melanoma.
 
 

[biggulp]

Great post regarding skin cancer awareness. I always cover up head to toe when I know i’m going to be under the sun for long periods of time. The sun ain’t no joke.

Hang in there Mackerelman.

[havetofish]

Yep.
Had large Squamous Cell on my arm last year. Comes from growing up in Miami diving and fishing and back then no one heard of sun block. Can take many years of sun damage to show up. Funning thing is, I was checked 3 weeks before and had nothing, then I noticed a bump turn into something weird really fast.
Anyone with the slightest hint of abnormal spots should get checked and don't just go by pictures, sometimes only a biopsy can really tell.
Now I get checked every 6 months.

[tristan]

Glad to hear you're still kickin', soon to be fishin'!!

Hope to see you on the pier again soon.

[flbandit]

Sorry you have to go through that and sending positive vibes for healing.

[Mackerelman]

Just a Few Pics

         
                          When it started                                                                    After it was removed                                           When it started                        After Treated

You can see what I had to go through.   These were only the worst ones.  

Everyone needs to cover up when they go Fishing out in the sun.

[carlf]

Glad your prognosis is good!
I lather you with 50, wear a hat and fishing pants.
Had a pre- cancer spot taken off my face about 12 years ago and get checked by dermatologist every year.
My late uncle fought skin cancer for over 20 years before it got him.
Don’t take Chances!

[seabird]

I feel for you and what you have gone through during the past several months. I hope you can get back out fishing soon.

I have stayed away from the sun more this year...avoided long trips to the Skyway especially. Also fish more in early am or evening and shorter trips. And the SPF 50 is used more!
My wife and I send you our hopes and prayers that you are healed completely.

[shadowxmas]

Mackerelman. Glad you are getting better and will be out fishing as soon as your Dr. gives you the ok. Wishing you a continued and speedy recovery. I have seen several people out on the Piers really covered up. They were so covered up you could only see their eyes. They should have had sunglasses on to protect their eyes. I used to walk the beach a lot when I first came down here back in 1986. I do not do that any more. I will walk out on the on John's Pass Jetty on the Madeira Beach side once in a while to see what is going on when I go down to the Pass to see the catch from Hubbard's morning 1/2 day.

[phishead]

I wish you a speedy recovery.  Night fishing is sounding better.  My wife had a couple removed from her back.  The doc/butcher put 6 stitches, did a horrid job.  After 2 years you still can see stitch marks.

Looks like a typical cartoon stitch.  People think she got stabbed in her back.   I don't even bother with sunscreen.  100% covered.  Crazy thing is, after 6 hours on the yak, I still get a tan through the clothing.  I have a few friends that still bust my balls because I cover.  Whatever, I want to be fishing when I retire above the ground. 

Hope you get to fish soon.   No better mental medicine.

[Mackerelman]

Dec 7, 2019 13:45:09 GMT -5 phishead said:

I wish you a speedy recovery.  Night fishing is sounding better.  My wife had a couple removed from her back.  The doc/butcher put 6 stitches, did a horrid job.  After 2 years you still can see stitch marks.

Looks like a typical cartoon stitch.  People think she got stabbed in her back.   I don't even bother with sunscreen.  100% covered.  Crazy thing is, after 6 hours on the yak, I still get a tan through the clothing.  I have a few friends that still bust my balls because I cover.  Whatever, I want to be fishing when I retire above the ground. 

Hope you get to fish soon.   No better mental medicine.

My stitch marks did go away but I still have the scar where the lesion was.
I wish that I would have got pictures of the one that was on My shoulder.
It was about 3/4" wide & was about 3/8" high when it was taken off.
That is why I got 6 stiches.
Many people does not realize what the Sun can do to their bodies.
If a person gets 1 of these 3 cancers, they can die if they do not get treated. 
I was told that a Tanning Bed can do the same thing.
It even says it in the 1st paragraph of the Brochure that I posted.

Here is a Good Article:
www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer_overview/article.htm

The one in the Picture is what the one that was on My shoulder looked like.