Carrie Foster shares: My name is Carrie and I was diagnosed with stage 2A melanoma 5/23/12 at 29 years old. I have always had a lot of moles and grew up a swimmer so I spent the majority of my life outside. I was never much for using tanning beds and have never gotten a sunburn so without much education about melanoma I never thought about getting it.
My story starts with a mole that I always remember having on my forehead. Nothing about it was every really strange or abnormal it was just another one of my moles. Then I started noticing the color getting darker but the size wasn't changing. Having it on my forehead you would think I would have noticed just how much it had changed in color because it is a spot that I look at multiple times a day. It came to my attention that it was really getting bad when I friend of mine saw a picture of me and asked if I had always had that mole. When I really took a look at the mole I realized it looked like someone had taken a black marker and drew it on my face. So thats when I decided to get it looked at.
I am a military spouse living overseas so there is only one dermatologist I could see and in order to get an appointment I had to get a referral from my general care doctor. I went in and saw two different doctors who told me it didn't look like anything to worry about because it wasn't very big and was a nice perfect circle. But I knew better and finally saw a doctor who referred me to the dermatologist just be sure. The second the dermatologist saw it he said he wanted to remove it and get it biopsied so it was removed that day. A few weeks later he said the results came back as negative for melanoma but they were going to send it for a second oppinion. Two weeks late while I was eating lunch the dermatologist called me and told me I had stage 2A and would need to be flown back to the states to get a sentnal lymph node biopsy.
The results came back negative and after a year and 5 more moles removed it seems I am still in the clear. It is a daily struggle and not a day does by that I am not reminded that I have melanoma. I look into the mirror everyday and see the scar and with the side effects from the surgery half my scalp and part of my jaw line is tingly to the touch. I am trying to do what they said and "live my life normally" but there is nothing normal about melanoma. All I can do now is be vigilant about my healthcare, try to spread the word about sun safety and live my life to the fullest.
Ashley Perry shares: Ashley Perry DOB: 8-17-84 Diagnosed: 12-23-04
Desmoplastic Neurotrophic Melanoma
I was diagnosed just a few days before Christmas when I was 20 years old. I had a small red bump below my eyelid that would come and go. Eventually sharp pains started shooting through my face and I was diagnosed after the results of a minor biopsy. My first surgery was the day after Christmas which removed my eyelid and replaced it with a skin graft. A couple weeks went by and it was discovered that the Melanoma was spreading through my infra orbital nerve. They surgically removed the whole lower orbit of my eye to get rid of the tumor. 2 1/2 months of radiation followed. I have had 18 surgeries to remove and reconstruct the area that was affected by the Melanoma. I may have many scars on my face, but I am here to tell my tale. Young girls and boys would not be using tanning salons if they saw what we all have been through...the physical and emotional scars we have incurred and the people we have lost due to this disease.
Lorie Posey shares: Age 40 Diagnosed stage 3 on November 3, 2010 Diagnosed stage 4 on November 10, 2011
Beginning at the age of 13, I had “weird” moles. I had one removed from my back that was benign. When I was around 25, I had a mole on my lower leg that I would cut every time I shaved so I went to the doctor and had it removed, again, it was benign. Years later, I noticed one on my face that was suspicious so I was sent to a plastic surgeon to have it removed – benign, but he told me I needed to watch some of the other moles I had and that he saw a few that to him looked suspicious. I had approximately 12 moles removed over the course of a year and a half..all of which were benign. The plastic surgeon told me that I just had weird moles but to keep watching them and if I had any questions or concerns to call his office. Being a person who has had LOTS of moles all my life, when a new one came up they weren’t easy to identify, I mean, who can keep up will hundreds of moles? I had one come up in the center of my lower back that I began watching. It grew a little but I thought “well, another weird mole, I’ll call the doctor later”. Later came in September 2010 when I scratched the mole and there was a scab on it. It was biopsied and confirmed Melanoma! My world shattered! I went in a week later for re-excision and sentinel node biopsy. I was told that margins were clear but that one node out of 5 had microscopic amounts of disease in it. In my mind, microscopic was good. There’s no way “microscopic” amounts can be bad. They got it all..Right? Wrong!! One year and 7 days later, after scans and tests every 6 months, I had the upper lobe of my right lung removed – confirmed Melanoma! I still fight today as I have just last week been diagnosed with tumors on my gall bladder and omentum. I am starting a clinical trial in approximately 2 weeks. Running from this disease is exhausting! It’s a monster that never leaves your mind..it’s worse than horrible!
I was an avid tanner! Inside, Outside, it didn’t matter! I loved the sun! I would spend entire Saturdays by the pool! And every day from February to September I spend my lunch break in the tanning bed! My primary site, lower back, was not in a place that the natural sun ever saw…it was the tanning bed! I have no doubt and I beat myself up every day for doing this to myself and my family just because I had to have that glow! It’s not worth it and I would give anything to go back! I know that I am a permanent resident of Hotel Melanoma now, they may be able to stop the growth, but it will always be there, whether it comes back or not..It will always be in my mind! I will never escape it’s grasp completely, but I know that through faith in God and with the love of my family and friends, I can endure this battle! I can win this battle! I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Bill's "downfall" was the fact that he was fair-haired, fair-skinned, almost bald, and had a lot of moles. So to be "sure," my husband had a specific genetic test (Melaris) done by his dermatologist - it was to see if he had a gene mutation related to hereditary melanoma and/or pancreatic cancer. This was important to him because: 1) my mother-in-law had breast cancer but died from pancreatic cancer; 2) his parents divorced when he was two and had no contact with his father so we were missing a boatload of knowledge there; 3) my husband had an in-situ/grade 0 removed from his temple 8 years previously. So what little family history we did have was not good and we wanted to be extra assured he was okay. The results came back negative for pancreatic cancer (yes! we dodged that bullet and the melanoma once again) so we felt pretty good and went on about our lives. Bill still went to the dermatologist every 6-12 months (as he had for the previous 8 years) and had nevi or moles removed on almost every visit; they always came back normal or dysplastic. We were told once again everything was okay and to go on about our lives, use SPF (he hated the sun anyway), and see his dermatologist on a regular basis. How silly of us. Until Bill had a horrendous headache after seeing a college basketball game in February 2011 and almost drove himself and a friend into oncoming traffic. He couldn't talk and had an altered mental status. Later that night in the ER, I kept thinking it was pancreatic cancer after all (not that this would have been a better diagnosis). Imagine my shock when it was stage IV malignant melanoma - 4 brain tumors, a lung mass, and a liver mass. We had done everything every doctor had ever suggested - how could this be? Once diagnosed, Bill went through 2 rounds of whole brain radiation, had Temodar, Yervoy, and Zelboraf (the best of the three) treatments and took numerous medications to combat all of the side effects. He was able to continue working for 6 months and even got a "certificate of completion" from the college for the courses he had already taken for his MBA; he was only 2 courses shy of the degree. Spending 6 weeks in a nursing home for rehab therapy had Bill become the nurses' favorite patient amongst the residents. After returning home, Bill had a fantastic surprise 50th birthday party with friends driving and flying in from around the country. We spent Christmas Day at the movies and even went to a new Japanese restaurant for dinner - his appetite was finally coming back. More yea! We drove up to Milwaukee to see Bill's alma mater play basketball versus the 9th best college team in the country (we only lost by 4 points). I kept telling doctors and home visiting nurses for two weeks that Bill had pneumonia; no one listened to me. That is until he was admitted to the hospital on a Saturday at 3am for pneumonia. Five days and a blood clot later, Bill's body (formerly 285 pounds, now about 150 at 6'2") was so depleted, he could no longer fight. And at the 11th month anniversary of his diagnosis, he was gone. Only the night before, his nurse wanted to know what our hospice plans were.
Miss you and love you forever - always in my heart, Bill. ♥ You have the bravery of a Wildcat and the heart of a Champion. ♥
Amanda McNamee shares: My name is Amanda McNamee and at the age of 30 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma. I had noticed a spot/mole on the left side of my cheek in the middle of 2007. I was putting make up on one day and was able to pick it off. It then grew back and some friends at work told me to go have it looked at. My doctor said it needed to be removed and checked. When they got the results back they were still unsure so I had to go to a plastic surgeon and get more of it cut out deeper. On Dec 21st 2007 I was diagnosed with Melanoma. In January I had a sentinel Lymph Node biopsy done and found out the cancer had spread and it was stage 4. In Feb I had all the lymph nodes removed on the left side of my neck and on March 17th 2008 I began the grueling year of Interferon. I was sick the entire year with a few Sundays feeling ok. Depression took over me along with every single flu symptom you can think of basically keeping me bed ridden but I was not gonna give up and I was gonna fight through this treatment and beat this beast with all I had!! On March 27th 2009 my oncologist told me I was cancer free!!! He was amazed I made it through the entire year of treatment and told me many people can not finish and he even said he didn't think he would be able to do the entire year. I had so much support during my treatment from family and friends. Without them I wouldn't have made it through that horrible changing experience in my life. I am at my 3 year mark of being cancer free and enjoying life to the fullest. My moto is "DONT GIVE UP, DONT EVER GIVE UP" and I lived with that through my cancer and every day of my life!------THANK YOU for letting me share my story.
Jay Allen stage 3a melanoma February 2008 Mole on left ankle was 1.95mm. It spread to 1 lymph node in left groin. Mitotic rate of up to 11. Been clear for almost 4 half years now. Looking forward to achieving the biggest milestone so far - 5 years cancer free next February 14 2013 Valentines Day. Although I've got to remain positive there is always the fear that never leaves you that melanoma could return at any time. Please get your skin checked couple of times a year and do not do any form of tanning, because no tan is worth dying for!
Carrie Foster shares:
ReplyDeleteMy name is Carrie and I was diagnosed with stage 2A melanoma 5/23/12 at 29 years old. I have always had a lot of moles and grew up a swimmer so I spent the majority of my life outside. I was never much for using tanning beds and have never gotten a sunburn so without much education about melanoma I never thought about getting it.
My story starts with a mole that I always remember having on my forehead. Nothing about it was every really strange or abnormal it was just another one of my moles. Then I started noticing the color getting darker but the size wasn't changing. Having it on my forehead you would think I would have noticed just how much it had changed in color because it is a spot that I look at multiple times a day. It came to my attention that it was really getting bad when I friend of mine saw a picture of me and asked if I had always had that mole. When I really took a look at the mole I realized it looked like someone had taken a black marker and drew it on my face. So thats when I decided to get it looked at.
I am a military spouse living overseas so there is only one dermatologist I could see and in order to get an appointment I had to get a referral from my general care doctor. I went in and saw two different doctors who told me it didn't look like anything to worry about because it wasn't very big and was a nice perfect circle. But I knew better and finally saw a doctor who referred me to the dermatologist just be sure. The second the dermatologist saw it he said he wanted to remove it and get it biopsied so it was removed that day. A few weeks later he said the results came back as negative for melanoma but they were going to send it for a second oppinion. Two weeks late while I was eating lunch the dermatologist called me and told me I had stage 2A and would need to be flown back to the states to get a sentnal lymph node biopsy.
The results came back negative and after a year and 5 more moles removed it seems I am still in the clear. It is a daily struggle and not a day does by that I am not reminded that I have melanoma. I look into the mirror everyday and see the scar and with the side effects from the surgery half my scalp and part of my jaw line is tingly to the touch. I am trying to do what they said and "live my life normally" but there is nothing normal about melanoma. All I can do now is be vigilant about my healthcare, try to spread the word about sun safety and live my life to the fullest.
Ashley Perry shares:
ReplyDeleteAshley Perry
DOB: 8-17-84
Diagnosed: 12-23-04
Desmoplastic Neurotrophic Melanoma
I was diagnosed just a few days before Christmas when I was 20 years old. I had a small red bump below my eyelid that would come and go. Eventually sharp pains started shooting through my face and I was diagnosed after the results of a minor biopsy. My first surgery was the day after Christmas which removed my eyelid and replaced it with a skin graft. A couple weeks went by and it was discovered that the Melanoma was spreading through my infra orbital nerve. They surgically removed the whole lower orbit of my eye to get rid of the tumor. 2 1/2 months of radiation followed. I have had 18 surgeries to remove and reconstruct the area that was affected by the Melanoma. I may have many scars on my face, but I am here to tell my tale. Young girls and boys would not be using tanning salons if they saw what we all have been through...the physical and emotional scars we have incurred and the people we have lost due to this disease.
Lorie Posey shares:
ReplyDeleteAge 40
Diagnosed stage 3 on November 3, 2010
Diagnosed stage 4 on November 10, 2011
Beginning at the age of 13, I had “weird” moles. I had one removed from my back that was benign. When I was around 25, I had a mole on my lower leg that I would cut every time I shaved so I went to the doctor and had it removed, again, it was benign. Years later, I noticed one on my face that was suspicious so I was sent to a plastic surgeon to have it removed – benign, but he told me I needed to watch some of the other moles I had and that he saw a few that to him looked suspicious. I had approximately 12 moles removed over the course of a year and a half..all of which were benign. The plastic surgeon told me that I just had weird moles but to keep watching them and if I had any questions or concerns to call his office. Being a person who has had LOTS of moles all my life, when a new one came up they weren’t easy to identify, I mean, who can keep up will hundreds of moles? I had one come up in the center of my lower back that I began watching. It grew a little but I thought “well, another weird mole, I’ll call the doctor later”. Later came in September 2010 when I scratched the mole and there was a scab on it. It was biopsied and confirmed Melanoma! My world shattered! I went in a week later for re-excision and sentinel node biopsy. I was told that margins were clear but that one node out of 5 had microscopic amounts of disease in it. In my mind, microscopic was good. There’s no way “microscopic” amounts can be bad. They got it all..Right? Wrong!! One year and 7 days later, after scans and tests every 6 months, I had the upper lobe of my right lung removed – confirmed Melanoma! I still fight today as I have just last week been diagnosed with tumors on my gall bladder and omentum. I am starting a clinical trial in approximately 2 weeks. Running from this disease is exhausting! It’s a monster that never leaves your mind..it’s worse than horrible!
I was an avid tanner! Inside, Outside, it didn’t matter! I loved the sun! I would spend entire Saturdays by the pool! And every day from February to September I spend my lunch break in the tanning bed! My primary site, lower back, was not in a place that the natural sun ever saw…it was the tanning bed! I have no doubt and I beat myself up every day for doing this to myself and my family just because I had to have that glow! It’s not worth it and I would give anything to go back! I know that I am a permanent resident of Hotel Melanoma now, they may be able to stop the growth, but it will always be there, whether it comes back or not..It will always be in my mind! I will never escape it’s grasp completely, but I know that through faith in God and with the love of my family and friends, I can endure this battle! I can win this battle! I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Maureen Hickey shares her husband Bill's story:
ReplyDeleteBill's "downfall" was the fact that he was fair-haired, fair-skinned, almost bald, and had a lot of moles. So to be "sure," my husband had a specific genetic test (Melaris) done by his dermatologist - it was to see if he had a gene mutation related to hereditary melanoma and/or pancreatic cancer. This was important to him because: 1) my mother-in-law had breast cancer but died from pancreatic cancer; 2) his parents divorced when he was two and had no contact with his father so we were missing a boatload of knowledge there; 3) my husband had an in-situ/grade 0 removed from his temple 8 years previously. So what little family history we did have was not good and we wanted to be extra assured he was okay. The results came back negative for pancreatic cancer (yes! we dodged that bullet and the melanoma once again) so we felt pretty good and went on about our lives. Bill still went to the dermatologist every 6-12 months (as he had for the previous 8 years) and had nevi or moles removed on almost every visit; they always came back normal or dysplastic. We were told once again everything was okay and to go on about our lives, use SPF (he hated the sun anyway), and see his dermatologist on a regular basis. How silly of us. Until Bill had a horrendous headache after seeing a college basketball game in February 2011 and almost drove himself and a friend into oncoming traffic. He couldn't talk and had an altered mental status. Later that night in the ER, I kept thinking it was pancreatic cancer after all (not that this would have been a better diagnosis). Imagine my shock when it was stage IV malignant melanoma - 4 brain tumors, a lung mass, and a liver mass. We had done everything every doctor had ever suggested - how could this be? Once diagnosed, Bill went through 2 rounds of whole brain radiation, had Temodar, Yervoy, and Zelboraf (the best of the three) treatments and took numerous medications to combat all of the side effects. He was able to continue working for 6 months and even got a "certificate of completion" from the college for the courses he had already taken for his MBA; he was only 2 courses shy of the degree. Spending 6 weeks in a nursing home for rehab therapy had Bill become the nurses' favorite patient amongst the residents. After returning home, Bill had a fantastic surprise 50th birthday party with friends driving and flying in from around the country. We spent Christmas Day at the movies and even went to a new Japanese restaurant for dinner - his appetite was finally coming back. More yea! We drove up to Milwaukee to see Bill's alma mater play basketball versus the 9th best college team in the country (we only lost by 4 points). I kept telling doctors and home visiting nurses for two weeks that Bill had pneumonia; no one listened to me. That is until he was admitted to the hospital on a Saturday at 3am for pneumonia. Five days and a blood clot later, Bill's body (formerly 285 pounds, now about 150 at 6'2") was so depleted, he could no longer fight. And at the 11th month anniversary of his diagnosis, he was gone. Only the night before, his nurse wanted to know what our hospice plans were.
Miss you and love you forever - always in my heart, Bill. ♥ You have the bravery of a Wildcat and the heart of a Champion. ♥
Amanda McNamee shares:
ReplyDeleteMy name is Amanda McNamee and at the age of 30 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma. I had noticed a spot/mole on the left side of my cheek in the middle of 2007. I was putting make up on one day and was able to pick it off. It then grew back and some friends at work told me to go have it looked at. My doctor said it needed to be removed and checked. When they got the results back they were still unsure so I had to go to a plastic surgeon and get more of it cut out deeper. On Dec 21st 2007 I was diagnosed with Melanoma. In January I had a sentinel Lymph Node biopsy done and found out the cancer had spread and it was stage 4. In Feb I had all the lymph nodes removed on the left side of my neck and on March 17th 2008 I began the grueling year of Interferon. I was sick the entire year with a few Sundays feeling ok. Depression took over me along with every single flu symptom you can think of basically keeping me bed ridden but I was not gonna give up and I was gonna fight through this treatment and beat this beast with all I had!! On March 27th 2009 my oncologist told me I was cancer free!!! He was amazed I made it through the entire year of treatment and told me many people can not finish and he even said he didn't think he would be able to do the entire year. I had so much support during my treatment from family and friends. Without them I wouldn't have made it through that horrible changing experience in my life. I am at my 3 year mark of being cancer free and enjoying life to the fullest. My moto is "DONT GIVE UP, DONT EVER GIVE UP" and I lived with that through my cancer and every day of my life!------THANK YOU for letting me share my story.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteMy story:)
Jay Allen stage 3a melanoma February 2008
Mole on left ankle was 1.95mm.
It spread to 1 lymph node in left groin.
Mitotic rate of up to 11.
Been clear for almost 4 half years now.
Looking forward to achieving the biggest milestone so far - 5 years cancer free next February 14 2013 Valentines Day.
Although I've got to remain positive there is always the fear that never leaves you that melanoma could return at any time.
Please get your skin checked couple of times a year and do not do any form of tanning, because no tan is worth dying for!