[chinacat]

A few weeks back I had my annual check-up with my Dr. It was more like my 5 year annual as I was overdue.
I had a funky growth on my leg that I've known about for awhile but kept putting off. He sent me to a Dermatologist. She said it's ugly but wasn't too worried. She was more concerned about a mole like growth on my arm. 2 biopsies were taken. I just found out the 1 on my leg turned out to be nothing but ugly. Unfortunately the 1 on my arm is a Melanoma.

I'm now scheduled to have it fully removed 9/11, of all days.

After that she wants to give me a full look see to see what else is up. It seems to me that should be done BEFORE the 1st surgery.

Obviously I've got a million questions.

Is it sun related or did it occur on it's own?
If it occurred on it's own how do I know I don't have others externally or internally that I can't see?

For those of you who have gone through this, what additional testing should I be getting and what more should I do?

I'm usually too passive about these kinds of things and tend to go with the flow but I want to take a pro-active approach so any first hand advice would be appreciated.

 

[CHEVY1]

Glad to see your following through

I too like you tend to put this type of thing off. I wish the best for you and hope everything turns out fine for you. I guess I should make a call to make sure im A-O.K..
Please let us know how everything goes. Im sure you will be fine.

 

[wader]

I would tend to rely more on your doctor's answers to those quetions then anything you're going to get in here......

 

[Scott1280]

I agree with Wader. Check with your Doctor & get additional opinions from other doctors if you are not comfortable with the answers.

For all of us, I think prevention & early detection of all sorts of issues are in our best interests. Don't put anything off, and just because you don't go to a doctor they don't tell you it's something doesn't mean it's nothing. The sooner they start on anything the better chances you have of it all being fine.

The fact that she found it by accident, as opposed to "what is this thing anyway" is a good sign. I'm sure all will work out ok! We'll certainly keep you in our thoughts and prayers.!

Noreasters aren't very good doctors, but we run one **** of a support group!

 

[billy262]

Good Luck china cat.I hope they don't find any more.

 

[chinacat]

Thanks All!!

I appreciate the support!!

I'm hoping to maybe get some 1st hand info from somebody that's been through it

 

[Blazetoy]

We all have cancer in our bodies...its a matter of eating well, excercise and always being in a good frame of mind, eventually we all will make our peace with the good man upstairs...Just Enjoy the Ride...

Peace Brother...

 

[Musella]

The first question to ask the doctor is how many melanomas she removes a year. If it is a small number, like less than 50, it may pay to go to a major medical center and get someone who specializes in melanoma. like HERE. They treat over 1,000 a year, and experiance counts with these things.
Hopefully it is small and was detected early and will turn out ok.. and it might be overkill to go there, but this is your health - nothing is more important.

 

[qlty]

I sent you a PM message.Follow you doctors advice

 

[mvsusaf]

Chinacat:
I had one removed 6 years ago and the surgeon was very pleased that it was only 3 centimeters deep. That could be millimeters as I am not that familiar with measuring that way. It was on my temple and the dermatologist who found it said go to a surgeon NOW! I wanted a 5 week postponement and he just said absolutely not.

The dermatologist was also a Vietnam vet and I said what chance for some VA money since that is where it happened. He replied that you got cooked when you were a kid. When I was 9 and again when I was 11 I got severe sunburns. The dermatologist said that was where it came from amd emphasized my Celtic (100%) ancestry.

Since then I have been examined twice a year by two different dermatologists. One here in NJ and one at the Rota Spain Naval Hospital. The Navy "blue lights" me annually but the civilian guy says it is not necessary. I would ask your own. They say it takes 5 years to see if it comes back. I got lucky I assume, as a daughter kept bugging me to go and that is why I am walking around. A good friend who is a retired physician refers to her as the daughter who saved my life.

If it is a little deeper than what they like they may give you one shot of chemo.

I use a minimum of 30 sunscreen, a Tilley hat and try to avoid the sun between 10 and 3 EDT.

Hope you do as well as I did.

Martin V

 

[bluefish69]

CAT

what you might get is what I had done. It is called MOSE you can Google it. What it is they numb the area and take a piece of you then sit and wait while it's put under a scope. If they got it all they stitch you up but if not they take more. This happens til your clean of it. I was in the Dr. office for 3 1/2 hrs. I now have a 1" scar in back of my left ear. It did not hurt but the stitches were tight and a PITA. I went on Ocean Pkwy Brooklyn. I have had a few pieces taken out of me for the same reason

 

[Musella]

that is spelled Moh's. Basically it lets them remove as little normal skin as possible and still be sure that they get the entire thing out. (assuming it didn't spread)

And that is mm not cm

 

[rpsurf5]

I hope all goes well with this , good luck.

We only get one life and one body , we all tend to put these kinds of things off , but early detection of health issues is best thing to do. I have been guilty of putting off phyicals, etc, but this year I got in the groove of going to have all the right check-ups. Not that something cant happen to me tomorrow, but at least I have done what I can do. Everyone out there should try to be pro-active, sometimes reactive is too late.

Also, make sure you go to the dermatologist to have your whole body checked for skin cancer, should be doing this every year or so.

 

[Koz54]

Good luck, and listen to your doctor

 

[PaddleOn]

You don't mess with this cancer and you can NEVER put off getting things that are growing on you checked out ASAP.
I watched a great friend die from Melanoma.42 when he left us.From Long Beach.
It was a cruel death that dragged his body thru **** and then some.
A bag of bones by the end.A sunken face with eyeballs pleading for the end to come sooner rather than later.
A skeleton consumed by cancer all from a 'mole" on his chest he kept putting off getting checked.
By the time time he went the Melanoma had attached itself deep within.
It would travel for 2 more years consuming his organs and eating away at him.Like rust eating metal.

If something is on your skin that aint supposed to be on that skin...
get it looked at and get it loked at as quickly as possible.
Time is of the essence with this type of cancer.

 

[chinacat]

PaddleOn wrote:
You don't mess with this cancer and you can NEVER put off getting things that are growing on you checked out ASAP.
I watched a great friend die from Melanoma.42 when he left us.From Long Beach.
It was a cruel death that dragged his body thru **** and then some.
A bag of bones by the end.A sunken face with eyeballs pleading for the end to come sooner rather than later.
A skeleton consumed by cancer all from a 'mole" on his chest he kept putting off getting checked.
By the time time he went the Melanoma had attached itself deep within.
It would travel for 2 more years consuming his organs and eating away at him.Like rust eating metal.

If something is on your skin that aint supposed to be on that skin...
get it looked at and get it loked at as quickly as possible.
Time is of the essence with this type of cancer.

I AM VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS!!

THANK YOU for the painfully vivid image of how serious this really is and the importance that I follow up properly.

 

[chinacat]

SURGERY

So yesterday was the day of the surgery.
First thing they did was give me more details of what I actually had.
They classified it as an insight 2. Apparently, Melanomas are measured in thickness. Anything over 1 millimeter thick is bad. I was only at .33mm. Still Cancer though....
Based on that, I did not the MOHS procedure which I guess is even more in-depth for larger ones.

The Dr. first made a drawing on my arm to approximate what they were going to do. The spot is located on the inside of my arm about 2 inches up from the crease of the bend at the elbow. It was about the e size of 3/4 of a dime in circumference. he drew a circle around it a bit bigger than a quarter and directly opposite from each other drew 2 triangles off the circle.

Then they numbed me up and started cutting. They dug out a good sized chunk and when they started stithing me up I realized what the triangles were all about. It was to make big enough "flaps" to close it up. I ended up with a stitched up incision about 3-4" long. It's in a very tender/sensitive spot and doesn't really hurt, it's just annoying. I can't put any pressure on it, no lifting, and no casting, reeling, etc for at least a week or 2. The stitches are in for 2 weeks.

I asked about what other tests I need. Today I had a full blood test and chest X-Rays but they were pretty certain I am OK but will need to follow-up with the dermatologist every 3-6months or so since I am now in a high risk sector. The 1st full screening is in 2 weeks when I get the stitches out. Lots of sunscreen and protection is now in order.

Thanks for the support and PM's!!!

 

[Scott1280]

Great News!!!!

In 2 weeks the bass should be running, so your timing is perfect!

 

[chinacat]

Scott1280 wrote:
Great News!!!!

In 2 weeks the bass should be running, so your timing is perfect!

Thanks!!!

Hopefully Pablo will go back to Moriches where he belongs and there will still be some fish left here in Shinne**** for me!!!

 

[fish4me]

Good news.

Frequent check ups and sunscreen.