› Forums › General Melanoma Community › 39 year old cousin just diagnosed with metatastic melanoma. I live 12 hours away i feel helpless…What can I do to help?
- This topic has 12 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 9 months ago by
Gene_S.
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- March 6, 2012 at 5:02 pm
My cousin was just diagnosed this week with metatastic melanoma, it traveled to her liver. We are devastated by this. She lives in NC and and I am twelve hours away in NY. I am hoping that someone can tell me what I can do to help her. As sad as I am I cannot imagine the pain she must be in and I want to do all that I can emotionally and educationally to support her.My cousin was just diagnosed this week with metatastic melanoma, it traveled to her liver. We are devastated by this. She lives in NC and and I am twelve hours away in NY. I am hoping that someone can tell me what I can do to help her. As sad as I am I cannot imagine the pain she must be in and I want to do all that I can emotionally and educationally to support her.
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- March 6, 2012 at 5:45 pm
You will read a lot that is so negative.This disease is terrible but progress is being made to at least treat it as a chronic disease.I am stage 4 myself and was really scared after .Now I am Zelboraf and feel hope for me and so many more.Live as normal and positive as you can.There wi life with cancer.My prayers to your cousin.Just be there for her. Al
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- March 6, 2012 at 6:39 pm
so sorry to have to hear this. We all know how scary it can be. Is your cousin being seen by a melanoma specialist? When I was first diagnosed (in oct 2010) I was living in NC. I had my first 2 sets of surgery at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr Amos (as surgical oncologist) was absolutely amazing! I know there are lots of folks on this board who are in NC area and treated either at Duke, UNC, or in Charlotte and can offer lots of advice.
If you start doing research – you'll read horrible news and stats. But as Al said above lots of progress is being made. In just the last year 2 (actually I think there was a 3rd) drugs were approved by the FDA for the treatment of Melanoma. That's huge given there hadn't been any new drugs approved in 13 years!
I went to stage 4 last March. Have only had surgery (and no drug treatments yet) but right now have no evidence of the diease. I have tons of anxiety over it 🙂 but I keep living a fairly normal life! I just make sure to enjoy it a little more!
Thoughts and prayers to you and your cousin! Make sure your cousin is seeing a Melanoma specialist! As I mentioned – there are plenty in NC.
Cheers,
Erin
PS – I now live in NJ
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- March 6, 2012 at 6:39 pm
so sorry to have to hear this. We all know how scary it can be. Is your cousin being seen by a melanoma specialist? When I was first diagnosed (in oct 2010) I was living in NC. I had my first 2 sets of surgery at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr Amos (as surgical oncologist) was absolutely amazing! I know there are lots of folks on this board who are in NC area and treated either at Duke, UNC, or in Charlotte and can offer lots of advice.
If you start doing research – you'll read horrible news and stats. But as Al said above lots of progress is being made. In just the last year 2 (actually I think there was a 3rd) drugs were approved by the FDA for the treatment of Melanoma. That's huge given there hadn't been any new drugs approved in 13 years!
I went to stage 4 last March. Have only had surgery (and no drug treatments yet) but right now have no evidence of the diease. I have tons of anxiety over it 🙂 but I keep living a fairly normal life! I just make sure to enjoy it a little more!
Thoughts and prayers to you and your cousin! Make sure your cousin is seeing a Melanoma specialist! As I mentioned – there are plenty in NC.
Cheers,
Erin
PS – I now live in NJ
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- March 6, 2012 at 6:39 pm
so sorry to have to hear this. We all know how scary it can be. Is your cousin being seen by a melanoma specialist? When I was first diagnosed (in oct 2010) I was living in NC. I had my first 2 sets of surgery at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr Amos (as surgical oncologist) was absolutely amazing! I know there are lots of folks on this board who are in NC area and treated either at Duke, UNC, or in Charlotte and can offer lots of advice.
If you start doing research – you'll read horrible news and stats. But as Al said above lots of progress is being made. In just the last year 2 (actually I think there was a 3rd) drugs were approved by the FDA for the treatment of Melanoma. That's huge given there hadn't been any new drugs approved in 13 years!
I went to stage 4 last March. Have only had surgery (and no drug treatments yet) but right now have no evidence of the diease. I have tons of anxiety over it 🙂 but I keep living a fairly normal life! I just make sure to enjoy it a little more!
Thoughts and prayers to you and your cousin! Make sure your cousin is seeing a Melanoma specialist! As I mentioned – there are plenty in NC.
Cheers,
Erin
PS – I now live in NJ
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- March 6, 2012 at 5:45 pm
You will read a lot that is so negative.This disease is terrible but progress is being made to at least treat it as a chronic disease.I am stage 4 myself and was really scared after .Now I am Zelboraf and feel hope for me and so many more.Live as normal and positive as you can.There wi life with cancer.My prayers to your cousin.Just be there for her. Al
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- March 6, 2012 at 5:45 pm
You will read a lot that is so negative.This disease is terrible but progress is being made to at least treat it as a chronic disease.I am stage 4 myself and was really scared after .Now I am Zelboraf and feel hope for me and so many more.Live as normal and positive as you can.There wi life with cancer.My prayers to your cousin.Just be there for her. Al
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- March 6, 2012 at 6:41 pm
well, you can encourage her to seek treatment with a melanoma specialist. Fortunately, she's close enough to a few of those, and not stranded out in Wyoming or North Dakota.
And you can find out if she'd like you to come for a visit.
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- March 6, 2012 at 6:41 pm
well, you can encourage her to seek treatment with a melanoma specialist. Fortunately, she's close enough to a few of those, and not stranded out in Wyoming or North Dakota.
And you can find out if she'd like you to come for a visit.
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- March 6, 2012 at 6:41 pm
well, you can encourage her to seek treatment with a melanoma specialist. Fortunately, she's close enough to a few of those, and not stranded out in Wyoming or North Dakota.
And you can find out if she'd like you to come for a visit.
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- March 6, 2012 at 8:11 pm
My husband also has metastic melanoma in the liver and lungs. He is on a clinical study and doing quite well. You might suggest to her to check out this website as there are many supportive people here and many are quite knowledgeable. There are many clinical trials. As mentioned previously, suggest she see a melanoma specialist if she is not already seeing one.
You can read my husbands profile and see where are journey has gone. Prayers have helped us a lot.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
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- March 6, 2012 at 8:11 pm
My husband also has metastic melanoma in the liver and lungs. He is on a clinical study and doing quite well. You might suggest to her to check out this website as there are many supportive people here and many are quite knowledgeable. There are many clinical trials. As mentioned previously, suggest she see a melanoma specialist if she is not already seeing one.
You can read my husbands profile and see where are journey has gone. Prayers have helped us a lot.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
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- March 6, 2012 at 8:11 pm
My husband also has metastic melanoma in the liver and lungs. He is on a clinical study and doing quite well. You might suggest to her to check out this website as there are many supportive people here and many are quite knowledgeable. There are many clinical trials. As mentioned previously, suggest she see a melanoma specialist if she is not already seeing one.
You can read my husbands profile and see where are journey has gone. Prayers have helped us a lot.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
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