I’M OFFICIALLY MY MOTHER

When I was a kid you couldn’t tear me away from video games.

In fact, I could probably still whoop some ass in a Super Mario or Yoshi’s Island competition.

I typed that just to make myself feel better because the reality is that I legitimately have NO CLUE what the hell is going on when I attempt any game created over the last decade.

I try… my brain simply can’t comprehend the fast movements and coordination that’s required.

As I’m sitting here watching these guys play a new game they got today I’m understanding EXACTLY how my mom felt wherever we tried to get her to game with us as kids.

Her answer was the same that I now say… “I’m good. You play. I’ll watch.”

And I thought she was SO LAME.

She wasn’t lame.

She was accustomed to what SHE grew up on and she was fucking EXHAUSTED.

Too exhausted at the end of her hectic day for her brain to take on ONE MORE thing.

To the parents who WANT to be “cool” in their kid’s eyes – sitting this one out and watching is absolutely ok and sometimes it’s the only answer.

xo- Deena

Face OFF

Last year a dermatologist found pre-cancerous cells on my nose and promptly froze those suckers. As a Florida native and child of the 90’s I suppose it was only a matter of time. Truth be told, I never religiously applied sunblock or even used the right kind. Had no clue there were different types and didn’t bother to do the research. So I guess you could say I’m paying the price for my decades of skin neglect now, much like so many people end up doing later on in life. It’s just weird when you feel like you’re 20 and “later on in life” is now (insert vomit emoji).

So, it was recommended by my derm that I undergo a round of Efudex treatment. Chemo cream. I have to apply it to my face twice a day for three weeks or until my face bleeds. No sun exposure, obviously.

My mom underwent this treatment about a year and a half ago and it was pretty brutal, so I’m not particularly looking forward to it, but it’s what I need to do. I’m mostly spooked by the idea of how I’ll navigate everyday life without coming into contact with the sun, but what really surprised me when I picked this stuff up from the pharmacy was that the pharmacist mentioned how many people use Efudex (Fluorouracil) for vanity purposes… To remove unwanted freckles or light wrinkle lines. The idea of coating your face in chemo for that… I just… I try not to judge, but COME ON.

Whelp, I’ll begin the treatment next Friday once I bang out errands and other necessary appointments and I’ll document it here. Should be a wild ride. I’ve Googled a bit too much and seen the different stages. The cream in essence brings all of the precancer to the surface and eradicates it… then I’ve gotta wait for fresh skin to grow in. It’s like the old Travolta/Cage classic “Face Off”.

So here’s what I’m asking of you. PLEASE recommend must-read books, stand-up specials (though I’ve probably seen them all) and recent movies and shows for me to binge.

xoxo