New Melanoma

[cheekydonna]

Hi, I was diagnosed with melanoma in september 2007.I have a rare form commonly referred to as a hidden melanoma due to the fact that they attach to mucous membranes.These are not sun related and so far i have no idea why i got one. But i did. I always say about myself that i never do anything in half measures and always have been the individual.Not like everyone else.Well typically i get a melanoma which is not like everybody else.Yes i still ask myself the question, WHY did this happen to me?But still no answers. I just look at it as oh well, SHIT happens and i just have to deal with it.I was operated on last year melbourne cup day. what a bummer!But i did win one good bet that day, The tumour was removed and the sentinal lymph nodes which were removed were also clear.Now almost a year later my hitchiker(as i call it) has jumped back on board for a ride.Well, his free ride is almost over and i go for surgery on 28th october to remove the new tumour. It has attached itself to the old scar tissue from the previous operation.Pretty scary stuff at times especially when you have two children and you are a single mother.Luckily for me i have been blessed with fantastic children,They are both good kids my son is  17 and my daughter is 14.I have had the added bonus of having a heart attack on septemer 11 which kinda complicates things a bit more now, but i am sure i will be in the best of hands with Professor John Thompson and his team at R.P.A..Like i have told them all along. Dying is not an opton.. I have far too much to do yet, so i am not planning on leaving this world for quite a while. All i can say to anyone is to keep positive and never give in.I refuse to let this incidious disease take my life away from me and my children to live without their mother.

[admin_one]

Hi Cheekydonna, Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to the community. Raul

[Wilmo]

Hi, um have melanoma Since the start of april i have had a large stage 4/5 melanoma removed from the back of my lower leg. Positive pet scan and biopsy. Am about to undergo another operation on 13 may to remove the nods in the right leg groin area. Dont know anyone else with this - am going to a support group in a week or so but no one there has this. Have a partner and 3 childern ages 5yrs, 4yrs and 5month and am at a bit of a loss... i think.

[red1]

Hi, I was diagnosed with Clarke stage 4 melanoma last October, I am 35 with 2 kids ages 11 & 9 and a fab husband. I had a large area removed from my back and also had sentinel lymph node biopsy which showed lymph nodes under my arm to be the ones at risk, they removed these and also 3 other suspect moles. At the time I saw a young doc who gave me a horrible prognosis of 9-16% chance of survival. My world ended. Had the op, and it seems that they removed all the melanoma, the lymph node was clear and 2 of 3 moles were ok, 1 was "pre" melanoma. So results were all good, I get checked every 3 months but still have this big cloud hanging over my head, the docs all tell me that recurrance is very high in the stage that I had but dont really tell me much more than that. Every time I get a headache or ache or pain my mind is thinking all sorts of horrible things. My husand tells me that I need to try and think positive and I know I should but it really is easier said than done. What makes it harder is that we moved here from the UK nearly 3 yrs ago and it is tough being away from friends and family when something like this happens. I need the secret to positive thoughts!!! I wish there was an absolute cure to this awful disease - somany lives are ruined by it. Try and keep smiling everyone!!

[#5]

Hi there, Sorry I only just saw your post from a week ago. Hope you are doing okay. Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I dont know much about melanoma but just thought I would let you know that we are here to offer support for each other if you want to chat. I also have 2 children and I know it can be really hard being concerned for them.  Anyway hope to chat soon.

[howells]

Hi there, my wonderful partner was diagnosed with a melanoma cancer in Feb this year. It was located under his left arm with no primary. We have been through 4 major operations since then and he is having  radiation and chemo. I cant imagine what its like to go through this having a family to think of also. I dont know if I can help or not but my thoughts went to you when I read your post.  We are both only 31. I do find reading this website helps even just to realise that so many . many people are affected by this creul illness.

[Nic37]

Well, in May last year after having an enlarged inguinal node and headaches for a while which culminated in a small seizure, I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma- unknown primary, after biopsy of the enlarged node. The CT showed two 3.5cm brain mets so we got up close and personal straight off. I'm a 38 year old single mother to an adorbale girl who's now 4, so it was all a bit surreal. It's a lot more real now, especially after a double craniotomy, another craniotomy, chemo (unsuccessful) and 3 bouts of SRS thanks to the grand total of another 11 brain mets popping up since the original diagnosis :) BUT, I'm still here, I'm still me, I'm still caring for my girl and I'm still enjoying my life immensely. And the here and now is all that matters. Yes, I may have melanoma... but it will never have me. :)Keep sticking it to melanoma, I say.