Amy Abbott

Stage:Stage I

My name is Amy. I am a 58 yr old wife/innkeeper/naturist. I live in Vermont with my husband Lindy.We own & operate a nudist Inn called Abbott’s Glen, Clothing Optional, Inn & Campground.

So here’s my story, I have been a sun worshiper all my life. I am part Irish & part Czech. I was part of the sunners that use to put mecuricome in baby oil & sit out with a reflector. I loved being tan. Pictures from childhood I looked like an Italian kid after a summer at the beach.

In my 30’s I was into working out, swimming, going to the gym & sunning at suntan parlors I loved a bronze glow even in winter.

When I got into my forties, I started enjoying a naturist lifestyle & sun bathing nude when ever I could. So more exposure to all areas of my body.At this point I was using sun screen , but still thought nothing of spending an entire day at the beach or outside gardening.Vacations were in nudist locations from common to exotic.

In 2009 I started to see a tiny black spot on the inside of my right leg over my ankle bone. I would draw my drs attention to it for the next 2 1/2/ years & he kept saying it was nothing to worry about. But I was. It had gotten bigger & darker.

I was out in Santa Fe hiking with a cousin who saw my ankle & said you must get that checked out . When I told her I had recently had it looked at by another dr & she said it was nothing, my cousin said, go back & insist it be removed.

So, to the dr, had the procedure in her office & before leaving that day I said to her, do I have anything to worry about & she said go home & have a nice weekend. On Monday afternoon, she called to tell me I had stage 1 melanoma.

A month later, I had surgery to remove a wide margin, along with 2 lymph nodes in my upper thigh. They came back negative, great! But, the surgery left me with lymphadema. Oh well, at least it wasn’t more cancer.

I have been cancer free for 2 1/2 years now but it has been such a difficult transition. Given that we run a clothing optional resort & have just inherited a home in Fla. I am constantly challenged to do the right thing. Don’t get me wrong. I am happy to be alive, but I always considered the sun my friend.

I guess my story is still unfolding. I will continue to see my dermatologist. I never go out in the sun between 10 & 2. Sunscreen has become my ritual. I have several fun hats & at my age, I have adapted to longer sleeve items & Capri pants rather than shorts. I still miss that glow on my face from a day at the beach, but have found a nice product that creates a rosy cheek glow so I am doing the best I can.

As a result of my diagnosis, my nieces have stopped going to tanning salons & they are more careful by using sunscreen.As a business owner of a nudist resort, I also try to imaprt how important it is to use sunscreen & moderation. We even sell some nice sun products to help protect those first time sun worshipers.

Last Name : Abbott