Scary Moles and Not-so-scary Scoliosis

As the writer of this blog, my intentions are to document the activities of my family.  I want my family to come back years from now and read my blog.  I want them to remember the big and little moments our family experienced.  I like focusing on the happy times, but I think it's important to occasionally write about some of the unpleasant experiences since all of the moments in our life shape us to be who we are.   I also want them to look back and remember me as a loving, godly, yet imperfect mom that has struggles and fears just like them.

I need this shirt!

Halle has been blessed with excellent health since she was born.  She never had an ear infection as a baby, rarely runs a fever, and overall is in great physical condition.  Being the hypochondriac that I am, I have been extremely thankful that all of my children are relatively healthy.

Brian and I have been concerned over the number of moles Halle has gotten in the past couple of years, though.  She wears sunscreen religiously, but still has gotten quite a few moles.  A few years ago I had a dysplastic mole removed.  My doctor told me that it's hereditary and to keep careful watch of my kids' moles. 

I noticed a couple of Halle's looked abnormal and took her to the dermatologist.  When I took her in I really thought the doctor would just say to keep watching them for any change and to schedule a follow up.  Not the case.  The doctor was also concerned about a specific mole on Halle's arm.  She recommended a biopsy, so we did it immediately.  This put my hypochondriac-ism into high gear. 

Even though there was a big chance that it was ok, I immediately started thinking the worst-case scenario....that she would have metastatic melanoma.  Working in a hospital has done that to me.  So many times I've seen people come in for what they think is a minor headache or stomach ache only to find out they have a terminal illness.  With the help of God, though, I was able to be calmer than usual.  I kept reciting Bible verses in my head.  Phil 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." 

Whether the results were good or bad, I knew this is God's child, too, whom He loves dearly, not just my child.  Halle is also a believer, and I knew that maybe this was a situation that God was using to grow Halle.  I prayed hard for my baby.  My prayer warrior friends prayed hard, too.  Halle wasn't worried about it, so I tried hard not relay my fears to Halle. 

The next five days were hard as I waited for the results.  There was a big spiritual vs. flesh war going on within me.  The spirit wanted to trust God wholeheartedly and know that even if Halle got the worst news possible, there are far greater things beyond our current lives.  The flesh was imagining the worst possible circumstances and letting it overrun me at times.  Losing a child is absolutely my biggest fear.  I have a few family members that have experienced that agony and I cannot fathom the pain that it entails or think I would be strong enough to personally endure it.  I kept referring to Matthew 6, for comfort.  "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"  Such a true passage.  Although difficult, we shouldn't worry about our life here on earth.  Our life here is transient.  Focusing on the eternal things is what's important... not the things that pass away such as wealth and health.   

When the results came in, the doctor said the skin cells were a little abnormal, but still benign!  I was so thankful that she was in the clear.  And so all of that worrying that the flesh part of me did.... all for what?  All it did was inhibit me for a whole week from being useful to myself, God, or my family.  Even if it was bad news the worrying wouldn't have done her any good.  I seriously need to take advice from myself. 
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The following week Halle came home with a paper from the school nurse.  They did the routine scoliosis test on her, and it came back abnormal.  Because of the growth spurt she's gone through this year, it's made her spine susceptible to curving.  The curvature of her spine is slight, and shouldn't worsen after she hits puberty.  We still have to take her to the pediatrician to get it evaluated, though.  Typically there is little or no treatment as long as the curving isn't too severe; it shouldn't interfere with any physical activities. 

Halle has a friend, Jadyn, that learned she has scoliosis, too.  Her mom and my good friend, Alicia, explained a lot of it to me when she was taking Jadyn to the doctor.  The fact that they went through it earlier this year made me not freak out when Halle brought home the letter from the nurse.  It's comforting to know that I have a friend in a similar situation and it's not as scary as it sounds.  As long as her spine is monitored for any changed over the next year, it's a pretty minor thing.  In the meantime Halle and Jadyn can bond over their funky backbones.  And I think I'll collectively call them the crooks.  Kidding, of course.  :)