Mother diagnosed with Melanoma

[kirbykia]

So my mother was diagnosed two weeks ago with Melanoma via a skin biopsy.

The results state a Clark level of IV and she was lucky enough to get an immediate appointment with a surgeon. The surgeon recommend to to excise and to perform a lymph node biopsy as soon as possible and a surgery slot was requested with priority A which i have been told in a max 30 day wait (Public health).

So we wait a few days and get more and more anxious so decide to check and on if a time range can be shorted or a better indication of time can be given among other things... only to be told that it may not happen for up to 3 months because the surgeon is going on holidays.

To say the least the family is now in a spin and not sure what to do. The surgeon was throwing around the high probability that this is stage 4 Melanoma and the seriousness of it.. yet we are now expected to wait and let it spread more.

The information we are being given is seemingly contradictory, "serious but sorry going to have to wait for my holiday"... It just does not make sense.

Any help or advice on what we can do, is this normal.. ????

[Katekat]

Hi @kirbykia,

Sorry to hear of your mother's diagnosis 

If the surgeon cannot do it before he goes or has not referred your mother's case to a colleague or locum (I'd assume someone would be taking on his cases if he's going away for that long??), then please do go back to your GP immediately and ask for a different referral.

You can ring the surgeon's office or best contact and ask this, it is your right to do so.

Please ring 13 11 20 if you need any advice, our team of health professionals would be more than happy to chat with you about it 🙂

Cheers,

Kate

Online Community Manager