Guys, wear your sunscreen!!!

[Tvflguy]

I’m a guy who admittedly does not care for my skin properly. In that I mean, living in the Sunshine State and not putting sunscreen on religiously.

I like the sun and play golf and outdoor stuff wearing a baseball cap. Sometimes on the terrace catching rays. And seldom using SPF 30 stuff. I admit it.

It caught up with me. For about 2 months I’ve had itchy, scaly, red, bumpy nose. Oh oh. Finally went to a Derm PA today and have pre cancerous stuff in my nose. She sprayed heavy doses of freezing spray until she was satisfied. The next couple weeks the skin will peel off and new fresh, hopefully clean, will grow in its place. She will check in 2 months to confirm. Fingers crossed.

I’m writing this for you guys out there who, like me, may be too much in a hurry or don’t care to put on skin care SPF sunscreen. I hope to be better now after this scare.

Big FYI!

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I’m a guy who admittedly does not care for my skin properly. In that I mean, living in the Sunshine State and not putting sunscreen on religiously.

I like the sun and play golf and outdoor stuff wearing a baseball cap. Sometimes on the terrace catching rays. And seldom using SPF 30 stuff. I admit it.

It caught up with me. For about 2 months I’ve had itchy, scaly, red, bumpy nose. Oh oh. Finally went to a Derm PA today and have pre cancerous stuff in my nose. She sprayed heavy doses of freezing spray until she was satisfied. The next couple weeks the skin will peel off and new fresh, hopefully clean, will grow in its place. She will check in 2 months to confirm. Fingers crossed.

I’m writing this for you guys out there who, like me, may be too much in a hurry or don’t care to put on skin care SPF sunscreen. I hope to be better now after this scare.

Big FYI!

Enjoy having skin checks every 3-6 months for the next year. Once you get one, the risk of getting more increases. Melanoma is even worse - you get surgery, you have to have someone change your bandages if you can't reach them yourself for 10 days, you go back to get the stitches out, and another 4-6 months waiting for it to completely heal. Meanwhile you're going back to the Dermatologist every 3 months, for the next two years. If no more melanomas, you only have to go once a year.

I've had two melanomas, one basal cell carcinoma, and three severe aplastic nevums (pre-cancerous skin that will become a melanoma if I don't do anything about it now). All this in the past three years.

And all because I was raised on baby oil and iodine at the beach, over 50 years ago.

[tophcfa]

Another melanoma survivor here. Lotion up big time. I swim laps every day for an hour and a half and golf every other day on average. Blue Lizzard mineral sunscreen is the best. Blue Lizzard sheer mineral SPF 50 face sunscreen is the best, no chemicals or fragrances added so it won’t sting your eyes when it inevitably gets in the swim goggles. Swimming backstroke in the intense Florida sun is absolutely brutal. Unfortunately, the only thing worse is NOT swimming.

[Bay Kid]

I coat with 50 every morning.

[manaboutown]

I experienced a melanoma several years ago probably due to spending a lot of time at swimming pools while growing up and lifeguarding during the summers of my college years, all a mile above sea level in the Southwest desert. Had a couple squamous cell carcinomas, too.

[ElDiabloJoe]

I have been a SoCal, work and play outdoors guy my entire life. My dad (genetics) had some melanoma. I go every 6 months religiously for the last decade or two. Almost every time I get 1-4 things frozen off with the carbon dioxide oil can.

Over my lifetime, I've had them cut off, cut out, burnt, frozen, electricity-removed, and every other which way. I even had a basal cell MOHS'd off from the crease of my eye socket along my nose back in 2000.

I still don't apply sunscreen on the daily, but if I'm going to be out working or playing in the sun all day, or boating, jet skiing, or lake floating, I will apply it to my face and hands, but I wear a big floppy jungle hat, good quality sunglasses (Oakley), and an SPF water shirt (long-sleeved).

[Tvflguy]

From the OP.
About a year ago I went for my first-ever skin check by a Derm Doctor. Right away he said “well I’m not gonna man’s any money off you!”, joking. He was right. I’m a lucky guy with no moles, marks etc. Perhaps why I might have been cocky thinking… I’m safe. Nope.
So my post is meant to be a caution to guys like me. Better safe than sorry. And now, hopefully after my nose skin rebounds it will be more sensitive to recurring.

[Freeda]

The best way to avoid skin (and other) cancer and damage is to have sufficient high quality antioxidants in your body. Antioxidants neutralize free radical damage, whether from the sun, or any other cause. It's why we have taken USANA - bravo.usana.com - for over 22 years, like many Olympic, elite, and professional athletes, and informed healthcare professionals. We always wear hats while in the sun, as an added source of protection and for comfort, but USANA's antioxidants and science-based skincare with sun protection, rather than applying 'who knows what' chemicals (which are absorbed into the body) in sunscreen products to our skin has kept us skin lesion-free, sunburn free, and healthy. We do not sunburn. I also follow Dr. Steven Gundry's lectin-free dietary advice.
Your skin is just part of your body. Take care of your whole body, and your skin will also be okay.
I forget who the famous person was who said it, but my needs are simple -- I simply want the best.
And, I believe in science.

[Foxmd]

The safest sun screens use zinc and titanium dioxide. Banana boat sells them

[ndf888]

I use Coppertone Pure & Simple Baby SPF50 sunscreen on my face and exposed parts of my body every morning. It’s 100% mineral (Zinc Oxide). If I stay indoors all day, I put on Australian Gold Botanical SPF30 with or without a beige tint. It has both Zinc and Titanium Oxide, so it leaves less of a white cast. They have no benzene and/or benzophenone, according to ConsumerLab.

Blue Lizard and Pipette are also good brands. For special occasions, I wear chemical sunscreen, which leaves no visible cast.

Are sunscreens dangerous? Yes - if you inhale or eat a whole tube in one day. The doze makes the poison - Too much oxygen will kill you. More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the US every hour. I have not heard of a single death from using sunscreen.

But what do I know… I only worked in cancer research for decades :) There’s no excuse for not wearing sunscreen in Florida. Just do it. It pains me to see so many of my friends and neighbors getting diagnosed with melanoma and other skin cancers every year.

[Topspinmo]

I’m a guy who admittedly does not care for my skin properly. In that I mean, living in the Sunshine State and not putting sunscreen on religiously.

I like the sun and play golf and outdoor stuff wearing a baseball cap. Sometimes on the terrace catching rays. And seldom using SPF 30 stuff. I admit it.

It caught up with me. For about 2 months I’ve had itchy, scaly, red, bumpy nose. Oh oh. Finally went to a Derm PA today and have pre cancerous stuff in my nose. She sprayed heavy doses of freezing spray until she was satisfied. The next couple weeks the skin will peel off and new fresh, hopefully clean, will grow in its place. She will check in 2 months to confirm. Fingers crossed.

I’m writing this for you guys out there who, like me, may be too much in a hurry or don’t care to put on skin care SPF sunscreen. I hope to be better now after this scare.

Big FYI!

I am convenience the sun rays are at different angle down here and makes it worse?

[Topspinmo]

I use Coppertone Pure & Simple Baby SPF50 sunscreen on my face and exposed parts of my body every morning. It’s 100% mineral (Zinc Oxide). If I stay indoors all day, I put on Australian Gold Botanical SPF30 with or without a tint. It has both Zinc and Titanium Oxide, so it leaves less of a white cast. Blue Lizard and Pipette are also good brands. Well reviewed by ConsumerLab. For special occasions, I wear chemical sunscreen, which leaves no visible cast.

Are sunscreens dangerous? Yes - if you eat a whole tube in one day. The doze makes the poison - Too much oxygen will kill you. More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the US every hour. I have not heard of a single death from using sunscreen.

But what do I know… I only worked in cancer research for decades :) There’s no excuse for not wearing sunscreen in Florida. Just do it. It pains me to see so many of my friends and neighbors getting diagnosed with melanoma and other skin cancers every year.

I also think Lots of those people diagnosed damage was done over years. Like me that had to work out in sun for 40 plus years mainly in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska. I use sun screen and can only stand to be out in sun when it’s high in sky for about hour. I feel my skin baking that exposed. Mainly on neck, sides of face and nose.

[nn0wheremann]

I’m a guy who admittedly does not care for my skin properly. In that I mean, living in the Sunshine State and not putting sunscreen on religiously.

I like the sun and play golf and outdoor stuff wearing a baseball cap. Sometimes on the terrace catching rays. And seldom using SPF 30 stuff. I admit it.

It caught up with me. For about 2 months I’ve had itchy, scaly, red, bumpy nose. Oh oh. Finally went to a Derm PA today and have pre cancerous stuff in my nose. She sprayed heavy doses of freezing spray until she was satisfied. The next couple weeks the skin will peel off and new fresh, hopefully clean, will grow in its place. She will check in 2 months to confirm. Fingers crossed.

I’m writing this for you guys out there who, like me, may be too much in a hurry or don’t care to put on skin care SPF sunscreen. I hope to be better now after this scare.

Big FYI!
Ditch the ball cap and get something that shades your ears. Actinic Keratosis on the top of an ear is really annoying.

[coconutmama]

Ditch the ball cap and get something that shades your ears. Actinic Keratosis on the top of an ear is really annoying.

So, so true! And a ball cap does not shade your nose enough either.

Ladies & men, ditch the sun visors too. The top of your head doesn’t have enough hair to protect your scalp from the FL sun

[coconutmama]

I am convenience the sun rays are at different angle down here and makes it worse?

Closer to the equator

[coconutmama]

Don’t forget sunscreen on your lower legs & feet, especially between your toes.

[merrymini]

It doesn't matter what you eat. Exposing yourself to a great deal of sun will result in skin damage. The chemical sunscreen is very effective, with little absorption for an adult. If you are concerned about that, use mineral sunscreen. I started using it every day for the last fifty years and it has protected me from sun damage and wrinkling. I wish I had thus stuff when I was a kid.

[Vicxyz]

Be careful which sunscreen you choose. Approximately 70 percent of them have been proven to have cancer causing ingredients. And it absolutely matters what you eat. Those who eat processed foods are much more likely to burn.

[blueash]

Be careful which sunscreen you choose. Approximately 70 percent of them have been proven to have cancer causing ingredients. And it absolutely matters what you eat. Those who eat processed foods are much more likely to burn.

I do hope you will tell me what chemical is in them that is "cancer causing" MD Anderson does not know about it.
Myth 3: Sunscreen causes cancer.
False. There is no medical evidence that sunscreen causes cancer.

Years ago there was contaminated product with benzene which the FDA ordered removed.

As to "Those who eat processed foods are much more likely to burn" ... perhaps you have a reference to offer. The Google says

While some individuals believe that eating processed foods makes you more susceptible to sunburns, there's no scientific evidence to support this claim.

[CybrSage]

No, I will continue to use tanning oil.

[Josiedog]

I’m a guy who admittedly does not care for my skin properly. In that I mean, living in the Sunshine State and not putting sunscreen on religiously.

I like the sun and play golf and outdoor stuff wearing a baseball cap. Sometimes on the terrace catching rays. And seldom using SPF 30 stuff. I admit it.

It caught up with me. For about 2 months I’ve had itchy, scaly, red, bumpy nose. Oh oh. Finally went to a Derm PA today and have pre cancerous stuff in my nose. She sprayed heavy doses of freezing spray until she was satisfied. The next couple weeks the skin will peel off and new fresh, hopefully clean, will grow in its place. She will check in 2 months to confirm. Fingers crossed.

I’m writing this for you guys out there who, like me, may be too much in a hurry or don’t care to put on skin care SPF sunscreen. I hope to be better now after this scare.

Big FYI!

I can tell.

[jimjamuser]

A baseball cap does NOT cover the tops of the ears which is a good location for skin cancer. Better to wear a hat with a brim all the way around.

[JMintzer]

A baseball cap does NOT cover the tops of the ears which is a good location for skin cancer. Better to wear a hat with a brim all the way around.

See posts #13 & #14...

[ElDiabloJoe]

I only eat beet root and blueberries. No other food at all. I had stage 5 cancer and was in a coma. I was even dead once, but being fed intravenous oxidants via beet root and blueberries not only brought me back from the dead, revived me from coma, and completely eliminated all my cancers. My diet even reached out of my body and cured the cancer of the person in the hospital bed next to me.

Oh, and I only drink (and of course sell on the side) POM pomegranate juice. The vitamins, minerals, special age-defying and even life-restoring natural chemicals and anti-oxidants combined with the other insert-buzzword-homeopathic-organic-made-up-ingredients-here have taken years off my age, removed all my age spots, straightened out my spine, removed all my wrinkles, regrew my hair, and reduced all my belly flat, and returned me to my teen-aged years.

All medically approved by doctors, of course. I can provide their names and credentials. Some medical school in Roatan or the Ivory Coast, I forget where exactly.

[USNA87]

Skin cancer survivor here. I see the dermatologist every year for a full body check Wear your sunscreen!! I don't believe teaching sailing after college helped.

[golfing eagles]

I use Coppertone Pure & Simple Baby SPF50 sunscreen on my face and exposed parts of my body every morning. It’s 100% mineral (Zinc Oxide). If I stay indoors all day, I put on Australian Gold Botanical SPF30 with or without a beige tint. It has both Zinc and Titanium Oxide, so it leaves less of a white cast. They have no benzene and/or benzophenone, according to ConsumerLab.

Blue Lizard and Pipette are also good brands. For special occasions, I wear chemical sunscreen, which leaves no visible cast.

Are sunscreens dangerous? Yes - if you inhale or eat a whole tube in one day. The doze makes the poison - Too much oxygen will kill you. More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the US every hour. I have not heard of a single death from using sunscreen.

But what do I know… I only worked in cancer research for decades :) There’s no excuse for not wearing sunscreen in Florida. Just do it. It pains me to see so many of my friends and neighbors getting diagnosed with melanoma and other skin cancers every year.

Or, as another poster stated, you can just take "antioxidants" like "well informed healthcare professionals" while "believing in science" :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl: It avoids the temptation to eat your tube of sunscreen.

Thank you for your cancer research, I hope it added to factual scientific and medical knowledge rather the populist Voo-doo that tends to get spouted out on social media.

[golfing eagles]

And just so everyone knows, "Dr." Stephen Gundry is a complete wacko. Here's a representative snippet:

"Gundry sells supplements that he claims protect against the damaging effect of lectins.[9][7][27][6] T. Colin Campbell, a biochemist and advocate for plant-based diets, states that The Plant Paradox contains numerous unsupported claims, and refutes that it makes a "convincing argument that lectins as a class are hazardous."[7] Robert H. Eckel, an endocrinologist and past president of the American Heart Association, argues that Gundry's diet advice contradicts "every dietary recommendation represented by the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and so on" and that it is not possible to draw any conclusions from Gundry's own research due to the absence of control patients in his studies. Writing in New Scientist, food writer and chef Anthony Warner notes that Gundry's theories "are not supported by mainstream nutritional science" and that evidence of the benefits of high-lectin-containing diets "is so overwhelming as to render Gundry’s arguments laughable".[27]"

Yep---that's the guy whose advice we should all follow :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl: He must also "believe in science" :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Tvflguy]

From the OP. Came in today.

Ready for use…. Although the nose is red/yucky after the cryo treatment. Doc said it will be a couple weeks for the yuck to disengage and have fresh new skin show up. But will take a month or so to appear “normal”. Going for follow up in 60 days. And I WILL use spf50. Now.

[Tvflguy]

From the OP. Came in today.

Ready for use…. Although the nose is red/yucky after the cryo treatment. Doc said it will be a couple weeks for the yuck to disengage and have fresh new skin show up. But will take a month or so to appear “normal”. Going for follow up in 60 days. And I WILL use spf50. Now.


Update from OP.

Had a reaction to this Coppertone Sport sunscreen. Dr told me to go with a sunscreen specific to the FACE. Got this on Amazon, and 50 SPF. Nose is almost back to (good) normal skin. Followup appt with Derm Dr in a month or so - hopefully all clear. I will use this sunscreen on face and ears etc. Have a good spray SPF50 for arms legs etc al.

Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen Lotion for Acne-Prone Skin, Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Facial Sunscreen for Oily Skin, Oil-, Fragrance- & Oxybenzone-Free Water Resistant Sunscreen, 3 fl. oz

[JRcorvette]

Too much sun is not good. You need the vitamin D but sun will damage your skin.

[retiredguy123]

Skin cancer survivor here. I see the dermatologist every year for a full body check Wear your sunscreen!! I don't believe teaching sailing after college helped.
I'm surprised that you only get checked annually. I have never had skin cancer, but I get checked every 6 months.

[Tvflguy]

I'm surprised that you only get checked annually. I have never had skin cancer, but I get checked every 6 months.

Had a full-body check 6 months ago by Derm doctor - totally clear. But the nose thing cropped up on me. Will be more careful with sunscreen etc now... FYI to all you guys...

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Spent years on the ocean working aboard ships, spent days outside all day no shirt in the tropics, followed with racing sailboats all day on the salt water, staring into the sun looking for changes in the wind patterns. .

I get annual skin checks AND have watch for growing CATARACTS, which I first noticed while on my first ship coming back from Chile. . . UV light and very short wavelength light are known damagers of corneas. .

My twilight night vision is noticably worse, and so driving at night takes a lot more concentration. Just found the drive on the Garden State on the way down here much more difficult between background lights, oncoming lights, and worn lane markings.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

I only eat beet root and blueberries. No other food at all. I had stage 5 cancer and was in a coma. I was even dead once, but being fed intravenous oxidants via beet root and blueberries not only brought me back from the dead, revived me from coma, and completely eliminated all my cancers. My diet even reached out of my body and cured the cancer of the person in the hospital bed next to me.

Oh, and I only drink (and of course sell on the side) POM pomegranate juice. The vitamins, minerals, special age-defying and even life-restoring natural chemicals and anti-oxidants combined with the other insert-buzzword-homeopathic-organic-made-up-ingredients-here have taken years off my age, removed all my age spots, straightened out my spine, removed all my wrinkles, regrew my hair, and reduced all my belly flat, and returned me to my teen-aged years.

All medically approved by doctors, of course. I can provide their names and credentials. Some medical school in Roatan or the Ivory Coast, I forget where exactly.


Wow! I think that you are proof enough! no need for any scientific evidence at all! Congratulations. .

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The best way to avoid skin (and other) cancer and damage is to have sufficient high quality antioxidants in your body. Antioxidants neutralize free radical damage, whether from the sun, or any other cause. It's why we have taken USANA - bravo.usana.com - for over 22 years, like many Olympic, elite, and professional athletes, and informed healthcare professionals. We always wear hats while in the sun, as an added source of protection and for comfort, but USANA's antioxidants and science-based skincare with sun protection, rather than applying 'who knows what' chemicals (which are absorbed into the body) in sunscreen products to our skin has kept us skin lesion-free, sunburn free, and healthy. We do not sunburn. I also follow Dr. Steven Gundry's lectin-free dietary advice.
Your skin is just part of your body. Take care of your whole body, and your skin will also be okay.
I forget who the famous person was who said it, but my needs are simple -- I simply want the best.
And, I believe in science.

I can't express in only a few words how profoundly incorrect this advice is.

There is nothing you can INGEST that will protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays. Nothing, zilch, nada. And in fact, if you were to make a paste of those anti-oxidants, and rub them into your skin, they STILL won't protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays.

The only way to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays, is to keep your skin away from the sun's damaging rays. Whether that's long-sleeve shirts and long pants with socks and gloves and a face-covering and a hat, or slathering sunscreen on all exposed skin, or never leaving your house and never sitting near the window when the sun is shining through it - then that's what it means.

Your skin is not part of your digestive system, and it is the only organ that exists exclusively on the outside of your body. A sun TAN is sun damage. That is what happens, when you get a tan. You have basically baked your skin, damaging it. Damaged skin increases the risk of skin cancer. You don't have to EVER burn, to get skin cancer.

Furthermore, USANA is a MLM with a dubious history and multiple lawsuits. The average "associate" (someone who sells product for an MLM as an independent contractor) earns less than $1000/year - even though they are shown misleading statements and documentation implying that they can become wealthy by quitting their day-jobs and peddling these pills instead.

[Arctic Fox]

Ditch the ball cap and get something that shades your ears. Actinic Keratosis on the top of an ear is really annoying.

That was my first experience of skin cancer. Foolishly ignored it for almost a year and ended up losing the top 10% of my ear. Now auditioning for the next Hobbit movie.

I now always wear a peaked white hat that covers ears and back of neck, with sunscreen on the nose and other exposed facial areas.

Be aware, though, that a lot of the damage is already done (from earlier "ignorance") so, whatever precautions you take now, you may still suffer from skin cancer making an appearance as you age.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

That was my first experience of skin cancer. Foolishly ignored it for almost a year and ended up losing the top 10% of my ear. Now auditioning for the next Hobbit movie.

I now always wear a peaked white hat that covers ears and back of neck, with sunscreen on the nose and other exposed facial areas.

Be aware, though, that a lot of the damage is already done (from earlier "ignorance") so, whatever precautions you take now, you may still suffer from skin cancer making an appearance as you age.

Also, because your skin is a SINGLE organ and not a bunch of organs on each limb, torso, etc -

You can get skin cancer ANYWHERE on your body, even in spots that haven't ever seen the sun. A sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer. It doesn't guarantee skin cancer. But - if you get a sunburn on your arm, you increase the risk of skin cancer on the instep of your foot. Because - it's all one organ.

[tophcfa]

Also, because your skin is a SINGLE organ and not a bunch of organs on each limb, torso, etc -

You can get skin cancer ANYWHERE on your body, even in spots that haven't ever seen the sun. A sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer. It doesn't guarantee skin cancer. But - if you get a sunburn on your arm, you increase the risk of skin cancer on the instep of your foot. Because - it's all one organ.

Correct, it can even show up under what used to be your thumbnail. Be careful out there. Had to take that picture by touching my nose to the iPad.

[Velvet]

I only eat beet root and blueberries. No other food at all. I had stage 5 cancer and was in a coma. I was even dead once, but being fed intravenous oxidants via beet root and blueberries not only brought me back from the dead, revived me from coma, and completely eliminated all my cancers. My diet even reached out of my body and cured the cancer of the person in the hospital bed next to me.

Oh, and I only drink (and of course sell on the side) POM pomegranate juice. The vitamins, minerals, special age-defying and even life-restoring natural chemicals and anti-oxidants combined with the other insert-buzzword-homeopathic-organic-made-up-ingredients-here have taken years off my age, removed all my age spots, straightened out my spine, removed all my wrinkles, regrew my hair, and reduced all my belly flat, and returned me to my teen-aged years.

All medically approved by doctors, of course. I can provide their names and credentials. Some medical school in Roatan or the Ivory Coast, I forget where exactly.

Amen, brother, amen!

[Velvet]

Also, because your skin is a SINGLE organ and not a bunch of organs on each limb, torso, etc -

You can get skin cancer ANYWHERE on your body, even in spots that haven't ever seen the sun. A sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer. It doesn't guarantee skin cancer. But - if you get a sunburn on your arm, you increase the risk of skin cancer on the instep of your foot. Because - it's all one organ.

Yes, Bob Marley, for example, under toe nail melanoma at age 36, killed him.

[tophcfa]

Yes, Bob Marley, for example, under toe nail melanoma at age 36, killed him.

Subungual melanoma killed the great Bob Marley, very nasty stuff. Same thing I had under my thumbnail. Would’ve eventually killed me if not totally removed with good margins. I didn’t screw around, went straight to a melanoma specialist at Massachusetts General. The clowns in western Massachusetts wanted to send me to an orthopedic surgeon to have my thumb amputated. Glad I went to the best, it took her two tries, but she got it all and confirmed it hadn’t spread with a sentinel lymph node biopsy. You can’t beat Mass General.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Subungual melanoma killed the great Bob Marley, very nasty stuff. Same thing I had under my thumbnail. Would’ve eventually killed me if not totally removed with good margins. I didn’t screw around, went straight to a melanoma specialist at Massachusetts General. The clowns in western Massachusetts wanted to send me to an orthopedic surgeon to have my thumb amputated. Glad I went to the best, it took her two tries, but she got it all and confirmed it hadn’t spread with a sentinel lymph node biopsy. You can’t beat Mass General.

Mass General is great for non-emergency stuff. Maybe their ER has improved since I had to go there. I lived a half dozen blocks away, on Charles Street, when I came down with a really scary fit of deep wet lung-coughing, congestion, sweats, clammy skin, and difficulty breathing. It was winter and I had to walk all the way down, they did the intake paperwork and stuck me in a partitioned area behind a curtain on an exam table. After a half hour of just sitting there, I opened the curtain and asked what was going on, and they said they'd forgotten I was there. Twenty minutes later a doctor finally showed up, heard my breathing, said I had bronchitis and to go home and rest and drink water. No x-rays, no throat culture, no nuttin.

Got to the school doctor two days later and was diagnosed with walking pneumonia and said I should've gone to the hospital. I was given home-quarantine for the rest of the week, some prescription meds for the symptoms, and then I was able to go back to classes.