- Joined
- Apr 5, 2012
- Location
- Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
I wanted to start this thread because I was reading a list of 100 notable people who died this year. The vast majority, died of cancer. I almost lost my father to Stage 4 Lymphoma, and I have cancerous precursors that I am monitoring closely. It effects everyone on this board, and with our hobby being one that leaves us standing exposed on to the sun both directly and reflected off the water, it behooves us all to take precautions. Skin Cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, is absolutely deadly, and is one of the easiest to prevent. I don't know about you, but I want to be there for my kids and grand kids.
First of all, most cancers CAN be beaten if you catch them early enough. Some fairly easily. But you have to do something we all dread; go to the doctor. I don't mean talk to your buddy who is a doctor next time your fishing. You need to go to someone who will push you for answers, and leave your man-card at home when you answer them. Tell them where you feel pain. Tell them about issues, regardless whether it's embarrassing or you feel like a wuss. If the doctor is rushing, slow him down, and if he doesn't slow down, go to another one. I almost missed knowing about my situation until my doctor pried the info out of me. Now I tell him everything, and ask lots of questions.
Get the tests, even the ones we hate, and get them often. Remember, only your skin and eyes are visible, and everything else is on the inside. I take the recommended schedule, and cut it in half. If it says 5 years, I'll go every 2 or 3. I get a physical every 6 to 7 months, and have blood samples pulled and tested. It costs me about $250 to $300 a year to take this initiative which sounds like a lot, until you realize we can spend that much on a single rod and reel without a second thought. Moreover, if you catch the problem early, you will save thousands if not hundreds of thousands. A lot of insurance companies have wellness programs that encourage this! Check with yours.
The second thing is that we need to do is practice good prevention techniques. Believe me when I say, I've made the mistake of getting lazy and have paid the price. Recently, I went deep sea fishing on a cloudy day thinking I would be fine. Well, 25 miles out the sun burned through the clouds, and then burned me to a crisp. I tried hiding under the T-top to no avail. It took two weeks to recover from it, and all it takes is one burn like that to significantly increase your risk of cancer. Just one! None of us would send our kids into the sun to get burned. Why would you let yourself do it if you wouldn't let him or her?!? A sunburn is not a badge of honor. It's a badge of stupidity.
When I go out fishing, I'm using SPF 50 or more, and I apply a base coat an hour before I leave, followed by a second layer 30 minutes later. I reapply during the day as needed. I also have switched to long sleeve SPF 50 rated shirts, sun protective style hats, and bought a neck buff. I just picked up some SPF 50 fishing pants, and always wear a closed toe water shoe, with sunscreen on my feet as well. Tomorrow, I will buy the hand and wrist covers, and I just picked up SPF 50 lib balm as I burned my lips badly last time. Of course, sunglasses go without saying.
SPF rated clothing always works better than sunscreen, and quality stuff isn't that expensive. Bass Pro Shops has pants and shirts starting at $15. A buff is $20, as is a quality hat. The gloves go for about $15, and I picked up my water shoes for $40. Quality sunscreen costs about $10 a bottle, but make sure you check the expiration date! Old Sunscreen breaks down and looses its protection.
Here is a the third thing we often forget that is key to winning the war of cancer: STAY IN SHAPE! The human body looses about 10% of its exercise potential for every decade after 20, but only if you let it. Maintaining an healthy lifestyle of eating right, and getting solid exercise every day, can be the deciding factor if you live or die when you get cancer.
...oh yeah.. One horrifying fact is that between 50 to 60 percent of all people WILL get cancer. Ignoring it is like playing Russian Roulette with a semi-automatic gun.
My father, at 57, was in amazing shape. He did P90X 4 times, and trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He rollerbladed and ran up to 5 miles. When he got his cancer, the only reason he survived is that he was so strong at the start of treatment. The doctor said that often patients don't have the strength to complete the procedures and that drastically effects the outcome. By the time the radiation and chemo had down it's job, he couldn't walk 10 feet. But he's alive, and two years later, back rollerblading 5 miles.
Here are some links to articles on protecting yourself.
http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/sun-sense
http://www.bassmaster.com/blog/sun-enemy-protect-yourself
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_cancer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM77V_X-vUI
First of all, most cancers CAN be beaten if you catch them early enough. Some fairly easily. But you have to do something we all dread; go to the doctor. I don't mean talk to your buddy who is a doctor next time your fishing. You need to go to someone who will push you for answers, and leave your man-card at home when you answer them. Tell them where you feel pain. Tell them about issues, regardless whether it's embarrassing or you feel like a wuss. If the doctor is rushing, slow him down, and if he doesn't slow down, go to another one. I almost missed knowing about my situation until my doctor pried the info out of me. Now I tell him everything, and ask lots of questions.
Get the tests, even the ones we hate, and get them often. Remember, only your skin and eyes are visible, and everything else is on the inside. I take the recommended schedule, and cut it in half. If it says 5 years, I'll go every 2 or 3. I get a physical every 6 to 7 months, and have blood samples pulled and tested. It costs me about $250 to $300 a year to take this initiative which sounds like a lot, until you realize we can spend that much on a single rod and reel without a second thought. Moreover, if you catch the problem early, you will save thousands if not hundreds of thousands. A lot of insurance companies have wellness programs that encourage this! Check with yours.
The second thing is that we need to do is practice good prevention techniques. Believe me when I say, I've made the mistake of getting lazy and have paid the price. Recently, I went deep sea fishing on a cloudy day thinking I would be fine. Well, 25 miles out the sun burned through the clouds, and then burned me to a crisp. I tried hiding under the T-top to no avail. It took two weeks to recover from it, and all it takes is one burn like that to significantly increase your risk of cancer. Just one! None of us would send our kids into the sun to get burned. Why would you let yourself do it if you wouldn't let him or her?!? A sunburn is not a badge of honor. It's a badge of stupidity.
When I go out fishing, I'm using SPF 50 or more, and I apply a base coat an hour before I leave, followed by a second layer 30 minutes later. I reapply during the day as needed. I also have switched to long sleeve SPF 50 rated shirts, sun protective style hats, and bought a neck buff. I just picked up some SPF 50 fishing pants, and always wear a closed toe water shoe, with sunscreen on my feet as well. Tomorrow, I will buy the hand and wrist covers, and I just picked up SPF 50 lib balm as I burned my lips badly last time. Of course, sunglasses go without saying.
SPF rated clothing always works better than sunscreen, and quality stuff isn't that expensive. Bass Pro Shops has pants and shirts starting at $15. A buff is $20, as is a quality hat. The gloves go for about $15, and I picked up my water shoes for $40. Quality sunscreen costs about $10 a bottle, but make sure you check the expiration date! Old Sunscreen breaks down and looses its protection.
Here is a the third thing we often forget that is key to winning the war of cancer: STAY IN SHAPE! The human body looses about 10% of its exercise potential for every decade after 20, but only if you let it. Maintaining an healthy lifestyle of eating right, and getting solid exercise every day, can be the deciding factor if you live or die when you get cancer.
...oh yeah.. One horrifying fact is that between 50 to 60 percent of all people WILL get cancer. Ignoring it is like playing Russian Roulette with a semi-automatic gun.
My father, at 57, was in amazing shape. He did P90X 4 times, and trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He rollerbladed and ran up to 5 miles. When he got his cancer, the only reason he survived is that he was so strong at the start of treatment. The doctor said that often patients don't have the strength to complete the procedures and that drastically effects the outcome. By the time the radiation and chemo had down it's job, he couldn't walk 10 feet. But he's alive, and two years later, back rollerblading 5 miles.
Here are some links to articles on protecting yourself.
http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/sun-sense
http://www.bassmaster.com/blog/sun-enemy-protect-yourself
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_cancer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM77V_X-vUI