July
2006
Chest Results
Huge sigh of relief, it’s all good. I just had a letter from the hospital to say that my recent chest xray was normal. This seemed to be out of routine and on the day itself I was quite worried because of the events of the day, the last one was in December 2004 and I had to ask for that several times before it happened. This latest xray seemed to come out from some kind of concern and not from me, so when I saw the letter this morning I didn’t feel great about it.
As you do, your mind starts racing ahead, because when things happen you don’t get time to digest what is happening, for good or for bad your mind starts playing out various possibilities in preparation. The reason for the scan is that I had a small Melanoma on my arm and if it were to be on the move the chest wall and the lungs are one of the likely destinations. I also had the one on my leg, my last abdominal CT scan was ok, not had one since December 2004, and the last chest xray showed only a small feature on my spleen, which on the face of it can’t have grown, but will clarify this in September.
They say it’s only skin cancer, but it’s not, it should be seen as something far more serious, melanoma isn’t a very nice one, well no cancer is very nice but this one is really evil, at times I wonder given my prognosis and looking around at the literature, why I’m here. It’s the not knowing which is the hardest part, so the results are always something of a lifeline, something to cling onto, which is why today I’m going out today and enjoying the day, because things are good.
It’s gonna be the hotest July on record, with the Midlands likely to see records falling today. As you can imagine I’ve spent a lot of my life hating the summer, hiding from it, getting ratty because of the heat and ultimatly being threatend by it, slowly I’m learning to like it and enjoy the summer like all those people who don’t feel ill effects of the sun, it takes time. In many respects knowing I have skin cancer means I don’t have to worry about getting it, which in turns makes summer more enjoyable, because that question of will I get it, has been answered, the other questions are less clear cut, but I’ll get there.
July
2006
Hi Lee, fantastic news about the chest x-ray results!! I am really happy for you. I know the feeling of dreading to hear the results, the waiting part and the not-knowing-what-is-going-on is the worst of it. But right you are, enjoy the day!
Greetings from Holland,
Katrin
July
2006
Lee,
Great news about the chest Xray - I had the results back and my 3 most recent removals were benign and 2 compound nevi. So far no re-occurence since the removal of my MIS last year - Will keep my fingers crossed for you and the rest of the people out there!
October
2006
Hello Lee
I just wanted to let you know I hope your results are good. Our daughter Nicola died in April 2002 at the age of 24 from Malignant Melanoma. She was able to enjoy 3 years between the removal of a mole and skin graft in 1998 until the cancer returned in her lymph glands in 2001. However, treatments have improved and I really hope your prognosis is good. Please let me know if I can help you in any way.
Best wishes
Sue Higginbottom
November
2006
Hi
I have recently been diagnosed as having malignant melnoma the melanoma was removed in full and then they preformed a wider excision. After me having to harrass the dermatoligist I got the results yesterday that the second biopsy was clear, now apparently I go to dermatoligst every 4 months for check ups. I am so confused as I have recieved no support or information which really frustrates me I have had to like yourself trawl the internet for advice and was so pleased to find your website as all I have wanted to do is talk about this with someone who knows how I feel. Everything I read about this cancer is so negative, I am 33 years old with three young children so any advice you could give me would be great. I showed my mole to 3 doctors over a period of about a year, they all told me it was normal, before I decided again to go to the dr at the surgery who worked in dermatology who took it off but again though it did not look suspicious, I have about another 10 moles I need taken off which they havent even asked about at the hospital, I keep putting it off but I know it needs to be done. We definetly need to highlight the dangers of this disease . Sorry for going on a bit, I have found your website really interesting so thanks and I hope you are doing well