In case anyone else wants my stage 3b melanoma story in a nutshell (a big nutshell): Mine began in a mole on my upper left arm. I cant remember not ever having that mole and my mama hated the looks of it when I was a teenager and wanted me to get it removed because she was scared it would give me trouble one day. I held on to it though (rebellious teen who hated medical procedures and never volunteered for any!) In March 2008, while I was still 48, it started changing. It got dark and began getting larger. Then in early May it developed what looked like a bubble at the top of it and in two weeks it was completely raised. I promised my husband that a dermatologist would remove it but no derm within an hour from us could see me before Sept 28. So, I had an appt for then. At the time I went to Duke U every July for classes, so I went to Duke that July, as usual, with a Sept appt to get my mole removed. My first Wednesday there, when I was drying off after my shower, my towel merely brushed that mole and it started bleeding. Thats when I was sure it had melanoma in it. Im third generation melanoma on my mamas side. And despite my family history, I still didnt have a clue what melanoma really is. I really did think they would cut it out, Id heal, and life would go on as usual. That afternoon, after classes, I went to a Duke Urgent Care and a PA cut it out. Thursday of the next week, I was listening to my voicemail after classes and there was a message from the doc at Urgent Care letting me know that I did have melanoma and he had made me an appt with a Duke oncologist to see what we were dealing with. So...I was handed to Duke on a silver platter. This UC doc had made me an appt with a top melanoma specialist at Duke and I had no idea I needed one! Make sure youre seeing a melanoma specialist. Thats crucial. Anyway, Long story short, I had all 27 lymph nodes under my left arm removed in two surgeries. Two had melanoma in them. In 2008 my only option was Interferon, which after researching, I opted not to do. Ive decided to control mine with surgery only for as long as I can if it returns. And, so far, so good. Im in great shape spiritually, physically, and emotionally. So if it comes back, Im ready. Right now Im enjoying never having had a recurrence. Back in 2008 I was told I had a 30-35% chance of it coming back in my lungs or brain in ten years. Im slightly a little over halfway through that. Im doing well with my melanoma. But I know the score and I know this disease. Ive chosen to look at my stat in the reverse: I have a 65-70% chance that it WONT return in ten years and Ill still be doing well com 2018. I chose to think positively. Since I chose not to do Interferon, I dont see an onc, but she has my records if I ever need her. I do see my mel spec surgical onc at Duke twice a year and my derm at Duke twice a year. I had the one initial PET/CT scan and havent had another. I have get a chest x-ray when I go to Duke and my LDH levels checked. I wont go nuclear again. That first PET/CT stopped my menopause. I was smack-dab in the middle of it and never had another symptom after that scan. I did develop lymphedema in my left arm and hand in Nov 2008, saw a PT trained in lymphedema. She got it under control so now Im in compression for the rest of my life. Small price to pay. I guess thats my story in a nutshell. I also blog and much of my story is scattered in it: letsgivethanks.blogspot/
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 21:02:08 +0000
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