OT I had a scare today

[kopoloff]

I went to my doctor on Wednesday because i was worried about a mole on my arm. She took a sample (nifty little gadget takes a core sample with no drama, just 1 stitch required)

Anyway, I got the call today. I've got a bloody melanoma. Not sure yet what this all means; I'm seeing the dermatologist next week.

I think it's spoiled my weekend

Wish me luck

K

[LinkC]

Sorry to hear that. ANY sign of cancer is a frightening thing.

I certainly don't mean to trivialize, but there are far worse types than skin cancer. Let's hope this gets taken care of with no hitches.

With thoughts and prayers.

[JayC]

Glad you were vigilant and got it checked.....hoping it is an easy and complete removal.

Healing energies and prayers coming your way....


Regular skin checks are so important....wait and see is really not the best course. If in doubt, take it out!!

J

[kteague]

That would scare anyone (and mess up their weekend). Seems like once we know something like this, all we want is to get rid of it and NOW. Waiting for answers is hard. Hopefully they'll take care of it right away so you can get the reports back soon, and they will say you have no reason for further concern (or messed up weekends).

Glad you took care of this. Had a couple near misses myself and was told to remain viliglant for any suspicious lesions. Now if I just had eyes in the back of my head. But a good mirror will have to suffice.

I know it's hard in this internet age, but try not to read too much. I worked in Pathology for 10 years, and the vast majority of the reports I saw showed them to have been removed in the early stages. Awareness is high these days so most do not get ignored when in a visible location.

Let us know when they tell you to relax.

Kathy

[ozij]

Wishing you all the best, Koppy.
O.

[Marietjie]

Hi Koppy !

[kebsa]

thinking of you and hoping that the test result prove that it has been dealt with- and will soon be a past memory- it is a good reminder for us all to remain vigilant

[SeaPappy]

Good thing you got it diagnosed in early stages, and rest assured that complications in malignant moles are 'tapiring' off in recent years. Stay strong....you are in my prayers.

James

[roster]

Koppy,

Good luck with that. For now I would like to assume that you took care of it at the appropriate time and followup treatment will be easy and conclusive.

The dermatologist told me in February of this year, that I was going to have to start using sunscreen or he would in the coming years have to start cutting things off my face. I have a lot of sun damage over the decades. I was a beach bum and owned and raced sailboats for about 20 years and there was all those years fishing and swimming and working on the farm as a kid. Never used sunscreen or wore hats.

I can't stand the idea of using sunscreens on my face, so I bought a nice wide-brimmed hat. There was a warning for those wearing hats; the shade of the brim will allow your pupils to open excessively in bright sun. So now I wear the hat and sunglasses when out on forays. I thought I would have the side advantage of a little incognito time, but the community quickly picked up on who the idiot in the hat and dark glasses was - now I am more known than before.

Give us a followup in this thread.

Regards,

[Babette]

Well, I for one intend to trivialize the heck out of this. My mother grew up in the age before everyone wore sunscreen, in sunny Oklahoma. She's had a ZILLION of these removed from all over her body. She's an INCREDIBLY HALE AND HEARTY 70 and it hasn't slowed her down a bit. No chemo, no hair loss, no sickness, nada. Simple little operation, sometimes she gets a bandaid.

I wish you her good luck, Koppy!!!!!!

Huggers,
B.

[kopoloff]

Thanks for all your thoughts.

With the year I've had so far, this is just another of those little bumps (no pun intended) that seem to keep coming my way. I'll try and forget about it till I see the dermo on Thursday.

Thanks again

K

[Kiralynx]

I've been the cancer route... and I wish that your situation will go as smoothly as mine has so far.

[OldLincoln]

I can't stand the idea of using sunscreens on my face, so I bought a nice wide-brimmed hat. There was a warning for those wearing hats; the shade of the brim will allow your pupils to open excessively in bright sun. So now I wear the hat and sunglasses when out on forays.

OMG Rooster!!!! Haven't you read the warnings on wearing sunglasses????!!!!

[TheDreamer]

I had doctor take a mole away from me...it needed 3 stitches. it was negative. But, it got infected and that was scary....the mole was on the back of my right hand.

Actually, I didn't have the doctor take it away from....he just took it against my protests, that I didn't think there was anything wrong and its been there and that way for as long as I had remembered.

The Dreamer.

[Ganesha]

Kopoloff -

Sounds like you have a sharp doc who got right after it.
Melanoma has a good prognosis and is one of the easiest cancers to treat.
But, it is cancer and is scary none the less.
My thoughts are with you.

Mark