Tag: melanoma

Melanoma Monday is Here Again

Posted on by Sarah Marshall

Today is Melanoma Monday.

Melanoma Monday was founded by the American Academy of Dermatology in the early 1980s to encourage sun safety leading up to the summer months.

I’m thankful that there is not much to share when it comes to my experience with melanoma.

If you’re new to my melanoma story, here’s a quick recap:

Melano-not me

Post Procedure Update

All Clear

And an embarrassingly crappy, old YouTube video:

I am now 12 years post-diagnosis and I’ve very happy to report that I’ve had no reoccurrence. I’ve maintained 6-month checkups for most of that time and recently my dermatologist and I decided we could knock those back to every 8 months.

I’ve had a few biopsies here and there – some in more painful spots than others – but my philosophy is that I’d rather have an uncomfortable biopsy that comes back negative than miss something that becomes a bigger problem.

As always, I encourage you to do what you can to prevent skin cancer, learn to do self-exams, and see your dermatologist regularly.

Early detection made a HUGE difference in the outcome of my melanoma. So I will be a broken record the rest of my life shouting that message from the rooftops!!!!

When was your last visit to the dermatologist for a skin cancer screening?

All Clear

Posted on by Sarah Marshall

Love/hate
Excision Scar

I recently had my latest skin cancer check. I’m on a six-month schedule since having found stage zero melanoma on my hand last year and had an excision to make sure it hadn’t spread any further than that little spot. Thankfully, it hadn’t.

My original doctor is unfortunately battling bone cancer so I saw a new dermatologist, Dr. Parry. Being female certainly helped with some of my anxiety. As mature as I tried to be about it in the past, there were definitely times it was awkward to have male doctor scanning literally every inch of skin on your body. But its so important you can’t let that discourage you from doing it!

I did have a little spot on my tummy that was somewhat worrisome to me and although she didn’t think it was a problem, she removed it to have it biopsied.

I’m happy to say the results came back earlier this week and the biopsy showed no signs of cancer!!

Do you have an annual skin cancer screening?  Do you keep an eye on your moles to watch for irregularities or changes?  Do you try to limit your sun exposure?  Tell me how you’re keeping yourself protected from skin cancer!!

Scarred

Posted on by Sarah Marshall

I have scars.  I have a scar on my nose from when I went face first into a glass top coffee table as a toddler.  I have a scar on my arm from a silly fight on the school bus in elementary school.  There are probably more that I’m not even thinking of.  They are all either in spots that are easily concealed or that I can’t physically see.

But there’s one scar that I can’t avoid.  Its the scar on the back of my hand from my melanoma excision.  Its been almost 8 months since the surgery and the scar is still red and quite visible.  I’ve browsed the drugstore and looked up natural, alternative remedies to minimize it but ultimately walk away with an “eh, I’ll worry about it later”.

Just writing about this scar is somewhat awkward for me.  In terms of cancer, mine barely counts.  It was classified as stage 0, caught before it spread any further than that one little mole.   So who am I to talk like I survived some battle with cancer?

But that’s not what this scar represents.

When I look at my hand, I see the possibility of a completely different outcome.  I feel lucky, grateful, relieved.  Had I not seen my dermatologist that day, that melanoma most likely would have continued to spread and the nightmare might not have been over with a simple, outpatient procedure.

My scar speaks to the value of early detection and the importance of taking care of yourself.  Do self-exams, see your doctor regularly, know your risk factors, be aware of your body so you know when something’s not right.

What do your scars say?  Do they tell a story?  Teach a lesson?  Make you laugh or cry?

This post is linked up to Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.
Mama's Losin' It