Not my story

Hi Friend,

I'm sorry you've had to find us like this, but this website is a good place to be.  I've found cherished friends and companions here. 

First of all, take a deep, deep breath.   You're in one of the scariest places to be right now: this is all hitting you new and you don't know anything for sure.  Don't scare yourself witless by reading stuff on the internet about melanoma.  Yes, it's a beast of a cancer and yes it changes lives, but where you're at right now (not yet diagnosed) it's hard to read stuff and keep perspective.  In addition the stuff on the internet is often old and new and exciting, potentially game changing treatments are being put into play.  So at this point in your diagnoses, resist the temptation to read ahead.  Also folks on this board tend to have advanced melanoma, or be an exception. So one day at a time, as they say.

Second, take another deep breath and don't get ahead of yourself.  No doctor can diagnose melanoma just by looking at a suspicious thing on your skin (or wherever). It might not be a melanoma.   A dermatologist may think something may be  suspicious, but he or she doesn't know what it is until the pathology report comes back.  This is true for all doctors, not just your doctor.

Third, get the biopsy and wait for the pathology report to decide on what to do next.   If it is a melanoma and it is caught early you will have a much better chance of getting through melanoma with only a small surgery.  If you'd like help reading your pathology report, post it here.  Folks here are helpful.

Finally, Lean into friends, family, and faith and don't let melanoma rent out any room in your head!  Have a great wedding!  Enjoy your husband, kids, the summer…. your life.  

Shalom,

Julie

Stage 3C, 3 WLE, 2 SNB, CLND, HD-INF, GM-CSF, INF = NED!

Hi Friend,

I'm sorry you've had to find us like this, but this website is a good place to be.  I've found cherished friends and companions here. 

First of all, take a deep, deep breath.   You're in one of the scariest places to be right now: this is all hitting you new and you don't know anything for sure.  Don't scare yourself witless by reading stuff on the internet about melanoma.  Yes, it's a beast of a cancer and yes it changes lives, but where you're at right now (not yet diagnosed) it's hard to read stuff and keep perspective.  In addition the stuff on the internet is often old and new and exciting, potentially game changing treatments are being put into play.  So at this point in your diagnoses, resist the temptation to read ahead.  Also folks on this board tend to have advanced melanoma, or be an exception. So one day at a time, as they say.

Second, take another deep breath and don't get ahead of yourself.  No doctor can diagnose melanoma just by looking at a suspicious thing on your skin (or wherever). It might not be a melanoma.   A dermatologist may think something may be  suspicious, but he or she doesn't know what it is until the pathology report comes back.  This is true for all doctors, not just your doctor.

Third, get the biopsy and wait for the pathology report to decide on what to do next.   If it is a melanoma and it is caught early you will have a much better chance of getting through melanoma with only a small surgery.  If you'd like help reading your pathology report, post it here.  Folks here are helpful.

Finally, Lean into friends, family, and faith and don't let melanoma rent out any room in your head!  Have a great wedding!  Enjoy your husband, kids, the summer…. your life.  

Shalom,

Julie

Stage 3C, 3 WLE, 2 SNB, CLND, HD-INF, GM-CSF, INF = NED!

Hi Friend,

I'm sorry you've had to find us like this, but this website is a good place to be.  I've found cherished friends and companions here. 

First of all, take a deep, deep breath.   You're in one of the scariest places to be right now: this is all hitting you new and you don't know anything for sure.  Don't scare yourself witless by reading stuff on the internet about melanoma.  Yes, it's a beast of a cancer and yes it changes lives, but where you're at right now (not yet diagnosed) it's hard to read stuff and keep perspective.  In addition the stuff on the internet is often old and new and exciting, potentially game changing treatments are being put into play.  So at this point in your diagnoses, resist the temptation to read ahead.  Also folks on this board tend to have advanced melanoma, or be an exception. So one day at a time, as they say.

Second, take another deep breath and don't get ahead of yourself.  No doctor can diagnose melanoma just by looking at a suspicious thing on your skin (or wherever). It might not be a melanoma.   A dermatologist may think something may be  suspicious, but he or she doesn't know what it is until the pathology report comes back.  This is true for all doctors, not just your doctor.

Third, get the biopsy and wait for the pathology report to decide on what to do next.   If it is a melanoma and it is caught early you will have a much better chance of getting through melanoma with only a small surgery.  If you'd like help reading your pathology report, post it here.  Folks here are helpful.

Finally, Lean into friends, family, and faith and don't let melanoma rent out any room in your head!  Have a great wedding!  Enjoy your husband, kids, the summer…. your life.  

Shalom,

Julie

Stage 3C, 3 WLE, 2 SNB, CLND, HD-INF, GM-CSF, INF = NED!

Hi.  Sorry thi is happening.  I know how stressful it is. From what I read, it doesn't sound like the pathology report was done.  If that is the case, not sure how he can make such a definitive statement,  I would wait for the path report before determining next steps.  There are many people on this site with far more knowledge, but I haven't heard of such a definitive statement by a doctor without the path report to back it up.

hang in there and take it A step at a time

rwgards,

SA

Hi.  Sorry thi is happening.  I know how stressful it is. From what I read, it doesn't sound like the pathology report was done.  If that is the case, not sure how he can make such a definitive statement,  I would wait for the path report before determining next steps.  There are many people on this site with far more knowledge, but I haven't heard of such a definitive statement by a doctor without the path report to back it up.

hang in there and take it A step at a time

rwgards,

SA

Hi.  Sorry thi is happening.  I know how stressful it is. From what I read, it doesn't sound like the pathology report was done.  If that is the case, not sure how he can make such a definitive statement,  I would wait for the path report before determining next steps.  There are many people on this site with far more knowledge, but I haven't heard of such a definitive statement by a doctor without the path report to back it up.

hang in there and take it A step at a time

rwgards,

SA

They absolutely cannot diagnose anything from just looking.  That is why they do a biopsy.  As a matter of fact, my daughter was told that her mole was "nothing" but they would biopsy it anyway just to be sure.  Well, she did have melanoma.  This seems to be a common story.  So, Dr.'s are not always accurate in their initial assessment.  Try not to worry until you know for sure there is something to worry about.  Hard I know but sounds like you have a lot to keep your mind busy.

In terms of treatment that will vary depending on what stage the melanoma is – if you even have it.  For sure they will do a wide local excision which means they will cut tissue out around the area where the mole was.  If the mole was particularly deep (or other things) they might suggest taking a lymph node nearby.  This is called a sentinel lymph node biopsy.  If there is melanoma found in that lymph node then they may want to do further surgery to remove more lymph nodes and maybe some type of systemic treatment – again depends on what stage the melanoma is.

I agree that when you get the pathology report, and always get a complete copy of it for yourself, post it here and people can help you decipher it.  It is just as likely that this is not melanoma after all.

By the way your doctor and the nurse don't sound like they have very good people skills.  Yeesh!  If you do have melanoma you will want to be referred to a dermatologist who specializes in melanoma and if you don't you may want to pick a new dermatologist anyway.  

They absolutely cannot diagnose anything from just looking.  That is why they do a biopsy.  As a matter of fact, my daughter was told that her mole was "nothing" but they would biopsy it anyway just to be sure.  Well, she did have melanoma.  This seems to be a common story.  So, Dr.'s are not always accurate in their initial assessment.  Try not to worry until you know for sure there is something to worry about.  Hard I know but sounds like you have a lot to keep your mind busy.

In terms of treatment that will vary depending on what stage the melanoma is – if you even have it.  For sure they will do a wide local excision which means they will cut tissue out around the area where the mole was.  If the mole was particularly deep (or other things) they might suggest taking a lymph node nearby.  This is called a sentinel lymph node biopsy.  If there is melanoma found in that lymph node then they may want to do further surgery to remove more lymph nodes and maybe some type of systemic treatment – again depends on what stage the melanoma is.

I agree that when you get the pathology report, and always get a complete copy of it for yourself, post it here and people can help you decipher it.  It is just as likely that this is not melanoma after all.

By the way your doctor and the nurse don't sound like they have very good people skills.  Yeesh!  If you do have melanoma you will want to be referred to a dermatologist who specializes in melanoma and if you don't you may want to pick a new dermatologist anyway.  

They absolutely cannot diagnose anything from just looking.  That is why they do a biopsy.  As a matter of fact, my daughter was told that her mole was "nothing" but they would biopsy it anyway just to be sure.  Well, she did have melanoma.  This seems to be a common story.  So, Dr.'s are not always accurate in their initial assessment.  Try not to worry until you know for sure there is something to worry about.  Hard I know but sounds like you have a lot to keep your mind busy.

In terms of treatment that will vary depending on what stage the melanoma is – if you even have it.  For sure they will do a wide local excision which means they will cut tissue out around the area where the mole was.  If the mole was particularly deep (or other things) they might suggest taking a lymph node nearby.  This is called a sentinel lymph node biopsy.  If there is melanoma found in that lymph node then they may want to do further surgery to remove more lymph nodes and maybe some type of systemic treatment – again depends on what stage the melanoma is.

I agree that when you get the pathology report, and always get a complete copy of it for yourself, post it here and people can help you decipher it.  It is just as likely that this is not melanoma after all.

By the way your doctor and the nurse don't sound like they have very good people skills.  Yeesh!  If you do have melanoma you will want to be referred to a dermatologist who specializes in melanoma and if you don't you may want to pick a new dermatologist anyway.  

Visual signs may be CUES to melanoma, but no one can diagnose from looking.  Period.  Wait for the pathology report and get your own copy.  Make sure it is read by a dermatopathologist.  Then find another derm who knows how to talk and work WITH you instead of scaring you like crap.  It may very well be melanoma, but that is NOT the way to handle things.  It might also be an atypical lesion which are still considered benign.  Only the pathology report can tell you for sure.  I despise anyone who goes out of their way to frighten someone without CONCRETE information — and visual diagnosis is not CONCRETE.

Visual signs may be CUES to melanoma, but no one can diagnose from looking.  Period.  Wait for the pathology report and get your own copy.  Make sure it is read by a dermatopathologist.  Then find another derm who knows how to talk and work WITH you instead of scaring you like crap.  It may very well be melanoma, but that is NOT the way to handle things.  It might also be an atypical lesion which are still considered benign.  Only the pathology report can tell you for sure.  I despise anyone who goes out of their way to frighten someone without CONCRETE information — and visual diagnosis is not CONCRETE.

Visual signs may be CUES to melanoma, but no one can diagnose from looking.  Period.  Wait for the pathology report and get your own copy.  Make sure it is read by a dermatopathologist.  Then find another derm who knows how to talk and work WITH you instead of scaring you like crap.  It may very well be melanoma, but that is NOT the way to handle things.  It might also be an atypical lesion which are still considered benign.  Only the pathology report can tell you for sure.  I despise anyone who goes out of their way to frighten someone without CONCRETE information — and visual diagnosis is not CONCRETE.