Elise

...and it "ain't no joke", my Dad was in having his 12 hour Melanoma tumor removing surgery. My Mom and I sat in the waiting room for all those hours. Crying, laughing, silent. It was a very strange and uncertain day.
Fort Collins, CO. has many attributes. CSU, Rocky Mountains, Poudre Canyon, and many very incredible Doctor's to whom I give all respect.
On this day, April 1st, 2005, Dr. Gill removed over half of my Dad's neck & face to remove a huge tumor that had spread out in an almost tentacle-like fashion and tangled itself into his Corrodid (sp) atery and into ligaments up the left side of his face. SICK. This Melanoma Monster had also spread into lymph nodes all over his body. (There was a plastic surgeon there to recreate his face and it's fine.)

I don't know how to articulate my feelings about melanoma. I abhore it, but that's not even a strong enough word. It tried to kill my Dad. ******* ******* isn't strong enough either.

I am a very intelligent and strong business person. Everyone I know was shocked when I told them I was giving up banking and finance to open a tanning salon. But, we don't own "just a tanning salon". We OWN a UV University where people can come in to get a full education from us on how great and how scary UV can be.

Nothing has EVER brought me to humble knees like the night my Dad came out of surgery and was in ICU. As I stepped in front of the solid glass wall which seperated him from my Mom and I, I cried silently. There was my big, tough, intimidating, 6'4", outdoor sportsman Dad... his face bundled up tight in surgical dressings, one eye exposed - but closed. He was still asleep. I had never felt so vulnerable in my life. Here my Dad was trying so hard to live and there was nothing I could do. Here my Mom is standing next to me not even able to touch the hand of her Husband for 36 years. The look of utter horror on her face was enough to make my stomach turn.

Those sights, smells, sounds... I will never forget that day.

So what did I do? You bet your *** I opened a couple tanning salons. In the heart of skin cancer central - Colorado.

I have the RESPONSIBILITY to educate people about UV. I am not about to take it for granted. I have NO CHOICE but to succeed. My Dad and our family did not go through **** including biochemotherapy for 4 months and subsequent surgeries to squander his experiences and say "thank God that's over".

As much as I am committed to this cause, everyone reading this is too. We KNOW the truth. We live it every day.

Please help me get this message accross. My Dad is alive! I MAKE him tan twice a week for 5 minutes. Thank you Harvard Medical for your research! Thank you Eileen for posting it!!!

~Elise.

__________________


www.enlightan.biz

eileen

Thanks so MUCH for sharing this with us Elise. Your article in Tanning Trends was very touching and informative. The industry as a whole is very fortunate to have your knowledge and experience to bring this information to the general public and salon owners alike. :)

__________________
under-exposure to uv rays is as dangerous as over-exposure...This is "D" life! (eileen)

engfant

is there anyway we can ball this one up and shove it up XFN's asspipe for the rest of the world to read and enjoy????

__________________


Nothing is more dangerous than stupid.

The #1 cause of death is natural causes...but where's the ribbon?

http://mercola.fileburst.com/Flash/A...wsubscribe.swf

Elise

Thanks for reading what I have to put out there... and, thanks for letting me vent - as always. Your friend, Elise.

__________________


www.enlightan.biz