It’s been nearly 18 months since my leg was sliced open to chop out a potentially very aggressive melanoma.
I say potentially, because I really don’t know.
Despite me noticing that freckle changing from something that had always been there to something that looked very different.
Despite my surgeon wanting to cut it out within 24 hours of my first appointment with him.
And despite my surgeon telling me he didn’t want to wait until he returned from holiday three weeks later – “let’s just not risk it”.
Luckily for my sanity he told me on my second appointment (about three weeks after the op) that he didn’t want to risk it because my melanoma could have morphed from stage 2 to stage 4 over that three week period.
Stage 4 is terminal.
Terminal means death. And usually fairly quickly. Probably within a year.
Holy crap!
That still freaks me out, nearly 18 months later.
Why am I writing this I hear you ask.
Well today I had my three-monthly check up with my surgeon (it was two-monthly for the first year). And, thankfully, all was clear. No nasty surprises. Thank God.
While he was feeling around my scar he (again) commented on how good it looked (it does), and how the dent in my leg was still obvious (it is – he cut out quite a chunk!), and how it might always been obvious.
He sounded quite apologetic.
However I told him that I don’t care about the scar. And I really don’t care about the dent. I look at them many times a day (top of my left thigh, 10cm scar, it’s hard to miss!), and I am so grateful for both that dent and that scar as they just remind me how bloody lucky I was that it was only a stage 2 melanoma and that I am alive and healthy.
I hope that scar never fades, because it is such a constant reminder to be grateful for the gift of life and the chance I have been given to do so much more with it.
So please do me a favour and check your skin. Know your body. Keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t seem right. Go with your gut feeling if it’s saying something is wrong. See your GP. Don’t muck around.
Melanoma kills a lot of people every year – 1,500 Australians a year to be precise.
I have no moles, I have no history of skin cancer – or any cancer – in my immediate family. And you don’t have to for melanoma to strike.
See your GP regularly and ask her/him to do a regular skin check. Yeah it might be embarrassing to strip down to your knickers, but seriously, it could save your life.
You can read my original post here.
When was the last time you saw your GP? If it’s been more than a year, make an appointment and just go.
Thank you. xx
mimi says
Great advice! Good luck to you.
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama says
And I would add – if you have a spot that concerns you, INSIST on a biopsy! Hubster went to 2 doctors and was told a spot on his ear was “nothing”, when he expressed concerns. Doctor No 1 was a molescan dr so you would assume had a lot of experience and knew what he was talking about. Doctor No 2 said it was nothing and “burned” it off. I pressured hubster to see Doctor No 3 as his ear had a sore that kept scabbing over, healing and then promptly became an open wound again. Yup. It was a BCC; she was horrified that another dr burned it off. The cancer is now in his cartilage so when he has surgery to remove on 5 January, he will need a skin graft from his neck to repair it AND there will be no cartilage to support the top of his ear so he will have a floppy ear. Needless to say he is NOT HAPPY JAN!!!!
Mel Kettle says
That’s a TERRIBLE story Janet! YES, definitely insist on a biopsy.
Belinda says
I get so angry because I’ve been fobbed off about spots that concern me. I’ve had 15 removed and two were pre cancerous and one had ‘just turned’ it was on my me land the doctors told me another 6 months it would have spread through my lymph nodes. That mole was only tested because my go sent me to a plastic surgeon to remove another spot that was fine. He found two more that biopsied fine as well he asked if I had any concerns so I mentioned the one on my neck cause it would get a scab then clear up. The fifth one was because at the time Medicare did the fifth one for free lol. There was a mole in my cheek I always hated so I asked him to take it. That one was pre cancerous. I had a great trusted Doctor I saw in Darwin for years but since moving to the Lockyer Valley I haven’t found anyone I trust so it worries me. Any recommendations from Toowoimba to Brisbane would be great.
Belinda says
Also, check out scar stories by jasmine Gailer this woman raises money for canteen by telling scar stories from young people who have battled cancer.