Hi all,
I used to browse this page constantly for information and support after my husband was diagnosed at stage 3a – a week after we returned from our honeymoon in January 2002. We will celebrate 17 years of marriage this weekend and celebrate 17 years NED in March, which is the anniversary of the surgery removing all his lymph nodes.
I came back tonight because I was triggered by the recent death of a woman in our community who was diagnosed at stage 3 and had a recurrence diagnosed at stage 4, 16 years later. It's so close to my heart to think of her and her family's suffering, knowing that my family and husband could endure the same fate.
For 17 years, we've gone from worrying about a recurrence to barely giving my husband's diagnosis a thought. We've been busy raising 2 beautiful girls, traveling, enjoying our land and recreation and suffering the losses (some very deep) that come with living. But melanoma has taken a back seat – like hardly even in the same vehicle back seat. It gives me such pain to come back to the boards and witness the devastation that melanoma brings, knowing that it strikes so randomly and without warning. However, after reading many posts, it seems like my husband went through melanoma in the dark ages compared with some of the therapies that are being used today.
May 2018 bring you all peace and health.
Wendy
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