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rubytuesday
New User
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Ontario
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 Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 11:45 am Post subject: new diagnosis |
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Hi everyone,
hhmm not a great Christmas present this year...melanoma. Had a changing mole taken off before the holidays. I'm 44 yrs old, 4 kids (plus a golden puppy)and busy life like everyone else. I'm not yet ready to unload to family and friends-haven't had staging done so don't know the real prognosis. Have a roaring family history of melanoma (my father just died 2 yrs ago) with dysplastic nevus syndrome to boot so it comes as no surprise.
Knowing its coming and having it here are not the same...so, just want to jump aboard. Yikes!
p.s. I appreciate all forms of wit and humour
RT |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 4214
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: new diagnosis |
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RT, I am very sorry about your diagnosis. I hope that it is a low grade melanoma. When are you going to have the scans done? Have they even talked about treatment options with you yet or are they waiting for the staging first?
I am also sorry about your father's death of melanoma. It must feel surreal to face the same thing your father faced. In my case, it was the reverse... I had cancer first and then my parents. The surreal feeling was especially true with my mother since we both had primary brain cancers. Sitting with her in her doctor's office listening to him tell her about her cancer was word for word like hearing my doctor tell me about my cancer  .
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/ |
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rubytuesday
New User
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:15 am Post subject: new diagnosis |
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hi Jim,
thanks for the reply. I don't know much yet. I'm going for a wide resection and sentinel node biopsy this week. Yes, I'll hope its early stage too. No, we haven't discussed treatment options-though I know them well. I'll just have to be patient and let the process unfold. Hardest part will be talking to family who have just watched another family member die. ..will put that one off for a while.
I'll post after the procedure . Happy New Year to you (Haven't read your story but will shortly)
rt
_________________
Will be thinking about you.
RT |
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janie
Regular
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 11
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:23 am Post subject: re new diagnosis |
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| hi im new at this so aplogees if this is in the wrong place, i am too a 44 year old mother/wife/nurse who was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma at the end of october. since then i have had a biopsy which confirmed that my melanoma was 1.90mm breslow scale but with no ulceration, thankfully, on dec 17th i had a WLE and a SNB mole was on right thigh, still in considerable pain following direct closure. I have been told that i will receive my results on jan 7th and am very nervous. I hope that you will soon move forward with your treatment and my thoughts are with you. i dont have familial history of melanoma but carry a rare gene called HNPCC which can cause other cancers god bless all . janie |
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rubytuesday
New User
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:43 am Post subject: new dx |
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Hi Janie,
Let's keep in touch. I have a Breslow 1.02mm, no ulceration..
All we can do is try to stay positive. Sometimes the knowledge is helpful and sometimes it makes things worse.... I've been waiting for this melanoma since I was 26 (when I first read abt dysplastic nevus synd. The text I read gave me a 100% chance of getting a melanoma given my family history) so its almost a relief -as strange as that sounds. I can deal with my reality-its easier than the waiting was. I will remain positive and vigilant with the rest of my skin. I was the only person I knew that wanted a skin transplant.. I suspect there are others out there. How old are your kids-mine are 10,13,14 and 16. Haven't told them or anyone else in my family yet-just my husband.
I'm going to send a story from my family to soda pop- its one of the hopeful ones abt melanoma.
I also likely carry a heritable gene-my family is riddled with breast/bowel ca and melanoma. We never bothered with the genetic testing-seemed a moot point.
Let me know how your visit goes on the 7th. Will think positive thoughts for you.
rt |
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janie
Regular
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 11
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:38 pm Post subject: new melanoma sufferer |
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Hi RT
Thankyou so much for responding, it is such a comfort to speak to someone who is going through the same thing as myself. My kids are21 17.12 and 10 and i have told them it was the hardest thing iv ever had to do! I need to speak to everyone about it i prefer that people know, i dunno i feel that it will educate them about melanoma because generally people do not understand the seriousness of it.!?
I will deffo keep in touch with you, and i am doing my best to remain positive but that in itself is exhausting , as im sure you know.
My very best wishes to you and your family and all other melanoma sufferers for 2008 lets hope its a positive one.
Regards
Janie |
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janie
Regular
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 11
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:05 pm Post subject: got results at last not good |
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hello everyone,
got the results of my SNB today, melanoma cells found in 2 of the 3 lymph nodes removed.
Have been listed for groin node dissecttion 4.02.08.
Has anyone else had this? quite honestly i think im in denial, i dont know how to cope with the whole situation i wish i had more faith! |
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rubytuesday
New User
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 7
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:04 am Post subject: Hi Janie |
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Been thinking about you all week, Janie. I know that was unsettling news for you. It'd be nice to talk... We are only ever given one day at a time and we have to live each day with the volume up high. Keep me posted-whats up next for you and what treatment has been recommended? I am currently getting all of the screening tests done, seeing the surgeon tomorrow and having the SNB next week. I did tell my kids..and am learning to be a bit more up front about this.
I will send you my news when I have it. Its a time for lots of hugs and thankfulness that we have families who love us to help us through this time.
chris |
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sodapop
Senior User
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 178
Location: Orange County
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: new diagnosis |
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Janie and Rubytuesday, I am praying for both of you. I hope things go well with both your situations.
This disease is no joke and we need to fight like heck to win. Let's battle this together and take it one day at a time.
_________________
Can miracles happen?
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7254
Sodapop--aka "the survivor"! |
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janie
Regular
Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 11
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: thanks for support |
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Hi guys many thanks for all you good wishes and thoughts, especially Rubytuesday, Jim and Sodapop, day at a time is about all i can do at the moment, I am going to give fighting this damned disease my very best shot, because i have far to much work to do on this planet yet.
I have nursed my mother through 2 lots of bowel cancer and chemo her first at 40 she is now 68! so that gives me hope.
RT GOOD LUCK for all your tests you are constantly in my thoughts, as are all fellow sufferers.
My family and i are off to Florida and Disney next thurs on hol so im gonna make it a good one and enjoy ever single moment its been booked for soo long. Then day after i come back i face my groin dissection!!!!
cheers for now and stay well everyone.
janie |
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