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And I’m back
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And I’m back

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › And I’m back

  • Post
    • May 23, 2014 at 12:45 am
    Socks
    Participant

      I've been away for awhile trying to get my life back on track and dealing with my mom being sick.

      I've been told I'm technically stage 3c but Dr. Lao (U of M Melanoma Clinic) said that my prognosis is better than that would normally indicate. I did have an 8+ mm nodular melanoma removed but it had no satellite lesions or anything; there was no ulceration; 4 lymph nodes came back positive in the SNB, but one was 10%  cancerous, two were 5%, and the last was ~2%. The 26 lymph nodes they pulled out during the dissection all came back negative.

      My tumor was tested but came back BRAF negative, so I didn't qualify for one of the local ipi trials. The other was ipi vs interferon double-blind, and I do not want interferon. After a great many scans, I seem to be NED; I go for my first follow-up exam July 11, and I'll alternate between driving out to Ann Arbor to see Dr. Lao (as I will in July) and seeing my local dermatologist. We're doing wait and watch, pretty much.

      I'm hoping for advice on where to go from here. I'm very diligent with my sunscreen (50 SPF even though I know that reapplying regularly is more important) and I have a UPF 50+ sun hat and skirt. Are there other things y'all recommend? Dr. Lao says the likelihood that I'm "cured" and the melanoma never comes back is ~40%, which is pretty good for stage 3c, yes? I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to stay NED.

      Thanks for your help. 🙂

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • May 24, 2014 at 2:12 am
        hbecker
        Participant

          Hi Socks,

             Sorry you've had to deal with your mom's illness too – I'm sure that added stress. But on the melanoma front it sounds like you've been doing what needs to be done. I hope you'll be able to relax a little and get back to some semblance of "normal" life.

             I'm hoping to find time to look at ways to boost the immune system – I think that would be important if there's a recurrence. Eat healthy, exercise, relax as much as you can.

          Best regards —

          Hazel

             

          • May 24, 2014 at 2:12 am
          hbecker
          Participant

            Hi Socks,

               Sorry you've had to deal with your mom's illness too – I'm sure that added stress. But on the melanoma front it sounds like you've been doing what needs to be done. I hope you'll be able to relax a little and get back to some semblance of "normal" life.

               I'm hoping to find time to look at ways to boost the immune system – I think that would be important if there's a recurrence. Eat healthy, exercise, relax as much as you can.

            Best regards —

            Hazel

               

            • May 24, 2014 at 2:12 am
            hbecker
            Participant

              Hi Socks,

                 Sorry you've had to deal with your mom's illness too – I'm sure that added stress. But on the melanoma front it sounds like you've been doing what needs to be done. I hope you'll be able to relax a little and get back to some semblance of "normal" life.

                 I'm hoping to find time to look at ways to boost the immune system – I think that would be important if there's a recurrence. Eat healthy, exercise, relax as much as you can.

              Best regards —

              Hazel

                 

              • May 27, 2014 at 8:15 am
              JerryfromFauq
              Participant

                Howdy Gal, welcome back.  Love hearing  you using the NED term.  Would like to myself, but still cannot.  Do stay vigilant.  At your position try to eat to enhance  your immune system.  Don't go overboard on anything but try to sstay on the anti-oxidants side and use turmeric/curcumin.

                • May 27, 2014 at 8:15 am
                JerryfromFauq
                Participant

                  Howdy Gal, welcome back.  Love hearing  you using the NED term.  Would like to myself, but still cannot.  Do stay vigilant.  At your position try to eat to enhance  your immune system.  Don't go overboard on anything but try to sstay on the anti-oxidants side and use turmeric/curcumin.

                  • May 27, 2014 at 8:15 am
                  JerryfromFauq
                  Participant

                    Howdy Gal, welcome back.  Love hearing  you using the NED term.  Would like to myself, but still cannot.  Do stay vigilant.  At your position try to eat to enhance  your immune system.  Don't go overboard on anything but try to sstay on the anti-oxidants side and use turmeric/curcumin.

                Viewing 5 reply threads

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