Just diagnosed, scared and lots of questions HELP

You need to post your pathology report

You need to post your pathology report

You need to post your pathology report

Hi!

 I understand what you feel.

I was 31 then diagnosed.

You are lucky to have kids !! I do not have and was told I better do not become pregnant after diagnosys.

It was horrible time first weeks after diagnosys.

I feel what are you going through now..

It will be better with time..

Could you give more details of your pathology.

I did not understand a thing about melanoma from beginning of my journey:) But it all comes with time

Wish you all the best – it is a lot of melanoma survivors out where.

But ,don't forget ,on this board mostly people who have advanced stages ,all rest moved on with they lifes

Hi!

 I understand what you feel.

I was 31 then diagnosed.

You are lucky to have kids !! I do not have and was told I better do not become pregnant after diagnosys.

It was horrible time first weeks after diagnosys.

I feel what are you going through now..

It will be better with time..

Could you give more details of your pathology.

I did not understand a thing about melanoma from beginning of my journey:) But it all comes with time

Wish you all the best – it is a lot of melanoma survivors out where.

But ,don't forget ,on this board mostly people who have advanced stages ,all rest moved on with they lifes

Hi!

 I understand what you feel.

I was 31 then diagnosed.

You are lucky to have kids !! I do not have and was told I better do not become pregnant after diagnosys.

It was horrible time first weeks after diagnosys.

I feel what are you going through now..

It will be better with time..

Could you give more details of your pathology.

I did not understand a thing about melanoma from beginning of my journey:) But it all comes with time

Wish you all the best – it is a lot of melanoma survivors out where.

But ,don't forget ,on this board mostly people who have advanced stages ,all rest moved on with they lifes

Some resources in addition to the info on this site:

 

http://cancerhopenetwork.org/index.php?page=findamatch

 

http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/HowWeHelpYou/ContactUs/Index

Some resources in addition to the info on this site:

 

http://cancerhopenetwork.org/index.php?page=findamatch

 

http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/HowWeHelpYou/ContactUs/Index

Some resources in addition to the info on this site:

 

http://cancerhopenetwork.org/index.php?page=findamatch

 

http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/HowWeHelpYou/ContactUs/Index

Your pathology report has the info we need to be of help to you – it gives the important details.  This site also has a paper:  Just Diagnosed, now what.   http://www.melanoma.org/sites/default/files/u3/Just%20Diagnosed.pdf

Until you really understand your lesion (depth, stage etc), it is hard to research anything and keep perspective.  You really need to understand your own particulars first for the research to be productive and not just plain scary.

Best wishes,

Janner

Your pathology report has the info we need to be of help to you – it gives the important details.  This site also has a paper:  Just Diagnosed, now what.   http://www.melanoma.org/sites/default/files/u3/Just%20Diagnosed.pdf

Until you really understand your lesion (depth, stage etc), it is hard to research anything and keep perspective.  You really need to understand your own particulars first for the research to be productive and not just plain scary.

Best wishes,

Janner

Your pathology report has the info we need to be of help to you – it gives the important details.  This site also has a paper:  Just Diagnosed, now what.   http://www.melanoma.org/sites/default/files/u3/Just%20Diagnosed.pdf

Until you really understand your lesion (depth, stage etc), it is hard to research anything and keep perspective.  You really need to understand your own particulars first for the research to be productive and not just plain scary.

Best wishes,

Janner

Hi and welcome. Don’t worry about being scared or worried, we all have felt that way too. I am 35 also with 2 children ages 3 and 7 so I feel you! I was actually 30 when I was first diagnosed when a mole was removed from the back of my neck. The doctor then didn’t give us all the info and since we were clueless we didn’t know to ask certain things. I look back on it today and wonder if things would have been different but I can’t think like that. In 2007 I had the mole removal and WLE but the doc couldn’t find my sentinel node so told us to wait and see how things went. We didn’t like that so we made an appt with an oncologist who pretty much told us everything was fine and not to worry since no family history. I went on to live my life without really thinking more about melanoma. I did continue my scans with my dermatologist regularly. Everything seemed great. One month after my 5 year mark I developed a swollen lymph node in the same area of my neck. Needless to say now I am stage 3. The first few weeks were hard for myself and family but you have to stay positive and take any support you are given. I just finished radiation and will be doing a clinical trial at the end of August. I do have bad days from time to time where I worry about my kids growing up without me but I enjoy every minute I have with them and tell myself that I am in this for the long run. I will beat this and so will you. Enjoy living your life but also get as much info you can and find the best melanoma center in your area to help you through this. We are here for each other. Hang in there and stay strong. Feel free to read my profile or contact me if you want.

Kelly

Hi and welcome. Don’t worry about being scared or worried, we all have felt that way too. I am 35 also with 2 children ages 3 and 7 so I feel you! I was actually 30 when I was first diagnosed when a mole was removed from the back of my neck. The doctor then didn’t give us all the info and since we were clueless we didn’t know to ask certain things. I look back on it today and wonder if things would have been different but I can’t think like that. In 2007 I had the mole removal and WLE but the doc couldn’t find my sentinel node so told us to wait and see how things went. We didn’t like that so we made an appt with an oncologist who pretty much told us everything was fine and not to worry since no family history. I went on to live my life without really thinking more about melanoma. I did continue my scans with my dermatologist regularly. Everything seemed great. One month after my 5 year mark I developed a swollen lymph node in the same area of my neck. Needless to say now I am stage 3. The first few weeks were hard for myself and family but you have to stay positive and take any support you are given. I just finished radiation and will be doing a clinical trial at the end of August. I do have bad days from time to time where I worry about my kids growing up without me but I enjoy every minute I have with them and tell myself that I am in this for the long run. I will beat this and so will you. Enjoy living your life but also get as much info you can and find the best melanoma center in your area to help you through this. We are here for each other. Hang in there and stay strong. Feel free to read my profile or contact me if you want.

Kelly

Hi and welcome. Don’t worry about being scared or worried, we all have felt that way too. I am 35 also with 2 children ages 3 and 7 so I feel you! I was actually 30 when I was first diagnosed when a mole was removed from the back of my neck. The doctor then didn’t give us all the info and since we were clueless we didn’t know to ask certain things. I look back on it today and wonder if things would have been different but I can’t think like that. In 2007 I had the mole removal and WLE but the doc couldn’t find my sentinel node so told us to wait and see how things went. We didn’t like that so we made an appt with an oncologist who pretty much told us everything was fine and not to worry since no family history. I went on to live my life without really thinking more about melanoma. I did continue my scans with my dermatologist regularly. Everything seemed great. One month after my 5 year mark I developed a swollen lymph node in the same area of my neck. Needless to say now I am stage 3. The first few weeks were hard for myself and family but you have to stay positive and take any support you are given. I just finished radiation and will be doing a clinical trial at the end of August. I do have bad days from time to time where I worry about my kids growing up without me but I enjoy every minute I have with them and tell myself that I am in this for the long run. I will beat this and so will you. Enjoy living your life but also get as much info you can and find the best melanoma center in your area to help you through this. We are here for each other. Hang in there and stay strong. Feel free to read my profile or contact me if you want.

Kelly

Hello – as others have said, you need to know your pathology. You will probably have a sentinel node biopsy along with a wide exision which are done at the same time so they can tell what node basin the melanoma is really draining.  If they find cells in the sentinel node, you will have a PET scan and more surgery to remove the rest of the nodes in that area.  You will have drains put in place for the wide exision/node biopsy to help you with healing.   Groin dissections are trickier because of walking and you might have some swelling from the node biopsy (lymphedema). 

My husband had a 1.3 breslow on his back that drained to his axilla – not his groin.  When they found a few cells in the sentinel node, he had a complete node dissection a few weeks later.   He is doing very well 3 years later with no recurrences and no other treatment other than observation.

I know it is scary right now – I would suggest you stop reading stuff on the internet…until you are more settled.  Understand that just because you read it, doesnt mean it will happen to you. 

Take care

Emily

Hello – as others have said, you need to know your pathology. You will probably have a sentinel node biopsy along with a wide exision which are done at the same time so they can tell what node basin the melanoma is really draining.  If they find cells in the sentinel node, you will have a PET scan and more surgery to remove the rest of the nodes in that area.  You will have drains put in place for the wide exision/node biopsy to help you with healing.   Groin dissections are trickier because of walking and you might have some swelling from the node biopsy (lymphedema). 

My husband had a 1.3 breslow on his back that drained to his axilla – not his groin.  When they found a few cells in the sentinel node, he had a complete node dissection a few weeks later.   He is doing very well 3 years later with no recurrences and no other treatment other than observation.

I know it is scary right now – I would suggest you stop reading stuff on the internet…until you are more settled.  Understand that just because you read it, doesnt mean it will happen to you. 

Take care

Emily

Hello – as others have said, you need to know your pathology. You will probably have a sentinel node biopsy along with a wide exision which are done at the same time so they can tell what node basin the melanoma is really draining.  If they find cells in the sentinel node, you will have a PET scan and more surgery to remove the rest of the nodes in that area.  You will have drains put in place for the wide exision/node biopsy to help you with healing.   Groin dissections are trickier because of walking and you might have some swelling from the node biopsy (lymphedema). 

My husband had a 1.3 breslow on his back that drained to his axilla – not his groin.  When they found a few cells in the sentinel node, he had a complete node dissection a few weeks later.   He is doing very well 3 years later with no recurrences and no other treatment other than observation.

I know it is scary right now – I would suggest you stop reading stuff on the internet…until you are more settled.  Understand that just because you read it, doesnt mean it will happen to you. 

Take care

Emily