Tag Archives: sunburn

Paper hats for everyone!

As, post-transplant, a single sunburn poses a small risk of actually killing me, I’ve been spending a lot of time gathering data about ultraviolet light. Indeed, I just sent away for UVA and UVB meters so I can get some hard data about just how much ultraviolet is around, and how well my expensive uv-screening shirts work–stay tuned.hat comparison whoo hooThe one item that is a clear fashion win is a hat. Below are my favorites.

I haven’t got my meters yet so I don’t know the relative sun-busting merits of different hats, but I have tested these babies for how well they stick on my head. The results? Though the straw hat (brown one in lower left) looks classy, it blows off in the slightest breeze–the sunscreen effect is not so useful if you have to constantly put your hand on top of your head, as my hands (like so many people’s these days) happen to be covered with skin.

The ones that stick on best are, according to the labels, made of paper–I would not have guessed this as they look like they’re made of some kind of slightly-wigglier-than-usual straw. They are certainly not like the paper hats I folded for myself as a kid. However, now I know, so I cordially invite you to go buy yourself a paper hat. Great for sunscreen, staying cool, and having the Target checkout lady tell you you look “wicked.” (“You know that was a compliment, right?” she asked. “Yes,” I lied like a cheap rug.)

The three extra big stripey ones are all by the same maker, winning hatPapillon, and I got them from a street vendor at the Ballston metro stop ($12, bargained down to $20 for two). Saw the same thing in Union Station for $20. Really, I think it’d be worth it even at the higher price. One size fits my slightly-larger-than-average head nicely, so it might flop off the smaller-headed if they have a sleek hairstyle.

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Home at Last! Also, I’m a Vampire.

Many thanks to my fantabulous boyfriend, my sister, and my friend Sue for moving me out of the patient hotel near Hopkins lickety split Saturday morning! I’m really enjoying being back in my place in D.C. and experiencing catheter-free showers. It does turn out that just because I’m in the same place doesn’t mean I have the same level of energy I did when I was last here, but all things in time. I went to my own church on Sunday, St. Stephen & the Incarnation–they’d been bringing me the Eucharist each week, but being there with people (even though I have to sit over to the side and wear a face mask).

And, of course, most thanks of all to God, for bringing me through the transplant process so far!

My sun-deflection gear so far...

My sun-deflection gear so far…

In other news, it’s come to my attention that I’m sort of a vampire–fortunately, not in the soulless-being-who-goes-forth-at-night-to-feed-on-the-living sense. Not even in the living-on-other-people’s-blood sense, though I guess basically all my blood derives from my sister’s marrow (and will, Lord willing, for the rest of my life).

No, I’m thinking about sunlight. For most of my life I’ve avoided getting sunburns, pretty well. As a fair-skinned person I know I’m susceptible to melanoma, not to mention short-term burning, pain, and peeling. However, now that I’m a chimera it is the case, and I quote directly from the hospital discharge packet, “even mild sunburn can trigger severe, life-threatening GVHD”–graft vs. host disease.

That’s right–a single mild sunburn could KILL me. Probably won’t, but could.

If all goes well, I will have decades and decades to be vigilant about this. I made a start today by ordering some wicking long-sleeved shirts for hot weather. Tomorrow I research sunscreens and order some more hats to supplement my current vampire gear.

All blog content copyright © 2012-2014 E. Palmberg. Guaranteed 100% brave and freaking noble.