› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Family history and 5 biopsies
- This topic has 9 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 3 months ago by
casagrayson.
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- November 18, 2014 at 8:59 am
Hi I would first like to say thank you for taking the time reading this and offering any advise.
Some back ground
I am 33 female married mother of three. I grew up in southwest arizona. I am Caucasian with dark hair and eyes always tanned easy ALWAYS in the sun. When I was 16 I had a horrible sunburn I was fire red blistered and sick for days again when I was 18 (young and stupid) well my father was diagnossed with melanoma on his back around when I was 16. He also was diagnossed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma when I was 18 and passed away when I was 19. My mother passes away when I was 21 from a heart issues and AIDS (which my father passed on to her) now I have a older brother who has had 3 basil cell and 1 melanoma removed. I don't have any other family besides my brother there are no grandparents aunts or uncles on either side alive so I have no clue on any of my family history. Fast forward to now a year ago I had a itchy raised mole I had since I could remember removed which the dermatologist said was "precancerous" and I need to be seen 6 months. I just had 5 spots removed with shave biopsy a week ago. I am trying to stay calm and wait for the phone call. But I am curios if having 2 close family members and a precancerous mole also all those years in the sun the bad burns and tanning beds should I always think the worse? I also have a high level of anxiety because of my lack of family history/ support.
Thank you for reading and I am sorry it's long I know I have not been diagnosed, but I just thought this place would be the best of some advise or information. Thank you again
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- November 18, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Never think the worse. Always hope for the best. When I get pains in my bones where I know I have tumors or even where I don't I can't think the worse. I just tell myself that is the pd1 taking care of it. Or the xgeva strengthing that bone. My last scan showed the tumors in my ribs shrank and I had a couple days of level 8 pain there a few weeks before the scan. So never think the worse or it will drive you crazy. But be prepared for it. Believe with the right knowledge and treatment and determination you can beat this if the worse happens. I don't know much about melanoma on the skin. They first found mine in my t10 vertebrae and other bones. So others would have to talk about that. Good luck and try to relax the best you can.
Artie
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- November 18, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Never think the worse. Always hope for the best. When I get pains in my bones where I know I have tumors or even where I don't I can't think the worse. I just tell myself that is the pd1 taking care of it. Or the xgeva strengthing that bone. My last scan showed the tumors in my ribs shrank and I had a couple days of level 8 pain there a few weeks before the scan. So never think the worse or it will drive you crazy. But be prepared for it. Believe with the right knowledge and treatment and determination you can beat this if the worse happens. I don't know much about melanoma on the skin. They first found mine in my t10 vertebrae and other bones. So others would have to talk about that. Good luck and try to relax the best you can.
Artie
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- November 18, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Never think the worse. Always hope for the best. When I get pains in my bones where I know I have tumors or even where I don't I can't think the worse. I just tell myself that is the pd1 taking care of it. Or the xgeva strengthing that bone. My last scan showed the tumors in my ribs shrank and I had a couple days of level 8 pain there a few weeks before the scan. So never think the worse or it will drive you crazy. But be prepared for it. Believe with the right knowledge and treatment and determination you can beat this if the worse happens. I don't know much about melanoma on the skin. They first found mine in my t10 vertebrae and other bones. So others would have to talk about that. Good luck and try to relax the best you can.
Artie
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- November 18, 2014 at 3:59 pm
I can't offer much advice as I was just diagnosed this month and am new to the world of melanoma, but I can offer support. The waiting is the worst. I know. Please try to stay positive and read the other posts in this forum – they offer a lot of good knowledge, support, and information. Wishing you the best, and a short wait time for results!
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- November 18, 2014 at 3:59 pm
I can't offer much advice as I was just diagnosed this month and am new to the world of melanoma, but I can offer support. The waiting is the worst. I know. Please try to stay positive and read the other posts in this forum – they offer a lot of good knowledge, support, and information. Wishing you the best, and a short wait time for results!
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- November 18, 2014 at 3:59 pm
I can't offer much advice as I was just diagnosed this month and am new to the world of melanoma, but I can offer support. The waiting is the worst. I know. Please try to stay positive and read the other posts in this forum – they offer a lot of good knowledge, support, and information. Wishing you the best, and a short wait time for results!
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- November 18, 2014 at 5:05 pm
I'm so sorry to hear about your parents' passing at such young ages. The good news is that you are being vigilant at a young age. Yes, you probably have a higher risk of developing melanoma than others given your family history. However, as long as you continue to have full-body skin checks regularly, I'm sure you will be fine. Always see your dermatologist if you have a new mole that appears different, or have a mole that changes, or starts to itch or bleed.
Worry is planning for something bad to happen, and you don't want to waste your life doing that!!
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- November 18, 2014 at 5:05 pm
I'm so sorry to hear about your parents' passing at such young ages. The good news is that you are being vigilant at a young age. Yes, you probably have a higher risk of developing melanoma than others given your family history. However, as long as you continue to have full-body skin checks regularly, I'm sure you will be fine. Always see your dermatologist if you have a new mole that appears different, or have a mole that changes, or starts to itch or bleed.
Worry is planning for something bad to happen, and you don't want to waste your life doing that!!
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- November 18, 2014 at 5:05 pm
I'm so sorry to hear about your parents' passing at such young ages. The good news is that you are being vigilant at a young age. Yes, you probably have a higher risk of developing melanoma than others given your family history. However, as long as you continue to have full-body skin checks regularly, I'm sure you will be fine. Always see your dermatologist if you have a new mole that appears different, or have a mole that changes, or starts to itch or bleed.
Worry is planning for something bad to happen, and you don't want to waste your life doing that!!
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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