New member, new diagnosis, stress rant. sorry!

So sorry to have to 'meet' this way but for all the emotions you're going thru now you've come to a good place.  The folks here have been thru the same thing and we feel your freakout!   Mine because Oct 2010.  Some days are better than others.  I get scanned every 3 months and have them coming up next week and start to freak out.  But most days are good days now 🙂 compared to where I was a year ago…  Hang in there! 

Erin

So sorry to have to 'meet' this way but for all the emotions you're going thru now you've come to a good place.  The folks here have been thru the same thing and we feel your freakout!   Mine because Oct 2010.  Some days are better than others.  I get scanned every 3 months and have them coming up next week and start to freak out.  But most days are good days now 🙂 compared to where I was a year ago…  Hang in there! 

Erin

So sorry to have to 'meet' this way but for all the emotions you're going thru now you've come to a good place.  The folks here have been thru the same thing and we feel your freakout!   Mine because Oct 2010.  Some days are better than others.  I get scanned every 3 months and have them coming up next week and start to freak out.  But most days are good days now 🙂 compared to where I was a year ago…  Hang in there! 

Erin

Your "rant" hits home in a lot of ways.  The mistakes we made when we were young (I did the baby oil thing for a while too).  The anger at the lack of education – many folks go crazy over the the money spent on "thinking pink". 

But I have to tell you, I have been fairly certain from the start that I was going to beat this thing.  Did I lay awake nights worrying, of course.  But I never doubted that somehow, I would be stronger than this beast.  If you continue with such anxiety you may want to see you PCP for anti-anxiety meds, you are not doing your immune system any good with all this stress.  But first try some exercise, yoga, meditation or whaterver works for you.

Also, make sure you see your derm at regular intervals.  If you are like me you will probably end up with more sun damage, not melanoma, but other non-leathal damage that should be removed. 

Mary

Stage 3

Your "rant" hits home in a lot of ways.  The mistakes we made when we were young (I did the baby oil thing for a while too).  The anger at the lack of education – many folks go crazy over the the money spent on "thinking pink". 

But I have to tell you, I have been fairly certain from the start that I was going to beat this thing.  Did I lay awake nights worrying, of course.  But I never doubted that somehow, I would be stronger than this beast.  If you continue with such anxiety you may want to see you PCP for anti-anxiety meds, you are not doing your immune system any good with all this stress.  But first try some exercise, yoga, meditation or whaterver works for you.

Also, make sure you see your derm at regular intervals.  If you are like me you will probably end up with more sun damage, not melanoma, but other non-leathal damage that should be removed. 

Mary

Stage 3

Your "rant" hits home in a lot of ways.  The mistakes we made when we were young (I did the baby oil thing for a while too).  The anger at the lack of education – many folks go crazy over the the money spent on "thinking pink". 

But I have to tell you, I have been fairly certain from the start that I was going to beat this thing.  Did I lay awake nights worrying, of course.  But I never doubted that somehow, I would be stronger than this beast.  If you continue with such anxiety you may want to see you PCP for anti-anxiety meds, you are not doing your immune system any good with all this stress.  But first try some exercise, yoga, meditation or whaterver works for you.

Also, make sure you see your derm at regular intervals.  If you are like me you will probably end up with more sun damage, not melanoma, but other non-leathal damage that should be removed. 

Mary

Stage 3

First off, in situ has > 99% 10 year survival rate.  Hard to beat that.  You probably have a higher risk of dying in a car accident!  You can't read on the internet that someone with in situ had a recurrence and put yourself in their shoes.  There are many people who don't fully understand their own diagnosis or may not have had a good pathology.  I'm not saying it can't happen, but the odds are extremely unlikely.  Everything you read on the internet does need to be taken with a grain of salt.

If you'd like to join a stage 0/1 melanoma email list, send me an email.  It's truly going to be a more realistic place for you to hang out.  People who are in the same shoes you are with the same risks and fears.  This site has the newly diagnosed and those actively in treatment.  What you are not seeing is the huge number of people who were in your shoes who moved on.  Why stick around and obsess about cancer when there is life to be lived???  Let me just say this, in your life right now, you've let melanoma win.  Whether or not it ever comes back, you are letting it dictate your life now.  I don't want to give melanoma that power over me.  So I'd talk to your PCP about anxiety meds and/or maybe a couselor.  Try to get your emotions and anxieties under control and also in perspective to the risk.  It's never easy to deal with the "C" word and it does take time to get past the diagnosis.  The first year is always the hardest.

Melanoma isn't hiding, there is plenty of information out there.  However, there is also plenty of information trying to downplay the seriousness of "skin cancer" and tanning beds.  It just isn't pink – and most cancer messages pale in comparison to pink.

Best wishes,

Janner

Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries

First off, in situ has > 99% 10 year survival rate.  Hard to beat that.  You probably have a higher risk of dying in a car accident!  You can't read on the internet that someone with in situ had a recurrence and put yourself in their shoes.  There are many people who don't fully understand their own diagnosis or may not have had a good pathology.  I'm not saying it can't happen, but the odds are extremely unlikely.  Everything you read on the internet does need to be taken with a grain of salt.

If you'd like to join a stage 0/1 melanoma email list, send me an email.  It's truly going to be a more realistic place for you to hang out.  People who are in the same shoes you are with the same risks and fears.  This site has the newly diagnosed and those actively in treatment.  What you are not seeing is the huge number of people who were in your shoes who moved on.  Why stick around and obsess about cancer when there is life to be lived???  Let me just say this, in your life right now, you've let melanoma win.  Whether or not it ever comes back, you are letting it dictate your life now.  I don't want to give melanoma that power over me.  So I'd talk to your PCP about anxiety meds and/or maybe a couselor.  Try to get your emotions and anxieties under control and also in perspective to the risk.  It's never easy to deal with the "C" word and it does take time to get past the diagnosis.  The first year is always the hardest.

Melanoma isn't hiding, there is plenty of information out there.  However, there is also plenty of information trying to downplay the seriousness of "skin cancer" and tanning beds.  It just isn't pink – and most cancer messages pale in comparison to pink.

Best wishes,

Janner

Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries

First off, in situ has > 99% 10 year survival rate.  Hard to beat that.  You probably have a higher risk of dying in a car accident!  You can't read on the internet that someone with in situ had a recurrence and put yourself in their shoes.  There are many people who don't fully understand their own diagnosis or may not have had a good pathology.  I'm not saying it can't happen, but the odds are extremely unlikely.  Everything you read on the internet does need to be taken with a grain of salt.

If you'd like to join a stage 0/1 melanoma email list, send me an email.  It's truly going to be a more realistic place for you to hang out.  People who are in the same shoes you are with the same risks and fears.  This site has the newly diagnosed and those actively in treatment.  What you are not seeing is the huge number of people who were in your shoes who moved on.  Why stick around and obsess about cancer when there is life to be lived???  Let me just say this, in your life right now, you've let melanoma win.  Whether or not it ever comes back, you are letting it dictate your life now.  I don't want to give melanoma that power over me.  So I'd talk to your PCP about anxiety meds and/or maybe a couselor.  Try to get your emotions and anxieties under control and also in perspective to the risk.  It's never easy to deal with the "C" word and it does take time to get past the diagnosis.  The first year is always the hardest.

Melanoma isn't hiding, there is plenty of information out there.  However, there is also plenty of information trying to downplay the seriousness of "skin cancer" and tanning beds.  It just isn't pink – and most cancer messages pale in comparison to pink.

Best wishes,

Janner

Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries

That was a great rant, and I know you speak for many people. You did awesome by going in so quickly! 

There's a great video on youtube called "Dear 16 year old me" –  its something you can send to your friends and family to help with awareness. I know that 5 of my friends have scheduled appointments because I sent them the video link, and my children's friends were affected by it to where they commented on facebook that they were not going to tan anymore.

That was a great rant, and I know you speak for many people. You did awesome by going in so quickly! 

There's a great video on youtube called "Dear 16 year old me" –  its something you can send to your friends and family to help with awareness. I know that 5 of my friends have scheduled appointments because I sent them the video link, and my children's friends were affected by it to where they commented on facebook that they were not going to tan anymore.

That was a great rant, and I know you speak for many people. You did awesome by going in so quickly! 

There's a great video on youtube called "Dear 16 year old me" –  its something you can send to your friends and family to help with awareness. I know that 5 of my friends have scheduled appointments because I sent them the video link, and my children's friends were affected by it to where they commented on facebook that they were not going to tan anymore.

Eerye70 –

I had some of the feelings that you have when  I was diagnosed in January 2012. My emotions ran the spectrum, but sadness was my biggest. My mind immediately when to my children and I thought what life would be like for them, to watch their mother get sick. I literally felt like I had been issued a death certificate. I didn't know much about MM, and when I came to this site and read the stories, I was scared. I expressed myself and the members here REALLY lifted me up and I found myself feeling feeling much more empathy for the people that were fighting a bigger battle than me and how positive they remained. I fed off the positive energy and thought, screw this, I am not going to let this bring me down. If it's 5-10-15-or 50 years, I am going to live them to the fullest and stay positive. I am committed to being aware of any changes, keeping with my appointments and ensuring my kids don't make the same mistakes I did with regard to carelessness and the sun. Don't feel like this disease is a death sentence. Acknowledge your feelings and move on. Granted I have good and bad days, most of them surrounding the 'unknown'  of MM, however, prior to this disease I have always had the attitude to not get heated, upset or angry over things I can't change. It is what it is, and I will deal with it. Life is short enough when completely healthy, so I am not going to waste time with this potential disease lurking in my system. All you can do is believe you got it early, took care of it, and continue to pay attention – move on.

Janner – I will be sending you that email to be added to your list. I will continue to visit this site as you do, however, I like the idea of also surrounding myself with people in simliar shoes as me.

Kelli

Eerye70 –

I had some of the feelings that you have when  I was diagnosed in January 2012. My emotions ran the spectrum, but sadness was my biggest. My mind immediately when to my children and I thought what life would be like for them, to watch their mother get sick. I literally felt like I had been issued a death certificate. I didn't know much about MM, and when I came to this site and read the stories, I was scared. I expressed myself and the members here REALLY lifted me up and I found myself feeling feeling much more empathy for the people that were fighting a bigger battle than me and how positive they remained. I fed off the positive energy and thought, screw this, I am not going to let this bring me down. If it's 5-10-15-or 50 years, I am going to live them to the fullest and stay positive. I am committed to being aware of any changes, keeping with my appointments and ensuring my kids don't make the same mistakes I did with regard to carelessness and the sun. Don't feel like this disease is a death sentence. Acknowledge your feelings and move on. Granted I have good and bad days, most of them surrounding the 'unknown'  of MM, however, prior to this disease I have always had the attitude to not get heated, upset or angry over things I can't change. It is what it is, and I will deal with it. Life is short enough when completely healthy, so I am not going to waste time with this potential disease lurking in my system. All you can do is believe you got it early, took care of it, and continue to pay attention – move on.

Janner – I will be sending you that email to be added to your list. I will continue to visit this site as you do, however, I like the idea of also surrounding myself with people in simliar shoes as me.

Kelli

Eerye70 –

I had some of the feelings that you have when  I was diagnosed in January 2012. My emotions ran the spectrum, but sadness was my biggest. My mind immediately when to my children and I thought what life would be like for them, to watch their mother get sick. I literally felt like I had been issued a death certificate. I didn't know much about MM, and when I came to this site and read the stories, I was scared. I expressed myself and the members here REALLY lifted me up and I found myself feeling feeling much more empathy for the people that were fighting a bigger battle than me and how positive they remained. I fed off the positive energy and thought, screw this, I am not going to let this bring me down. If it's 5-10-15-or 50 years, I am going to live them to the fullest and stay positive. I am committed to being aware of any changes, keeping with my appointments and ensuring my kids don't make the same mistakes I did with regard to carelessness and the sun. Don't feel like this disease is a death sentence. Acknowledge your feelings and move on. Granted I have good and bad days, most of them surrounding the 'unknown'  of MM, however, prior to this disease I have always had the attitude to not get heated, upset or angry over things I can't change. It is what it is, and I will deal with it. Life is short enough when completely healthy, so I am not going to waste time with this potential disease lurking in my system. All you can do is believe you got it early, took care of it, and continue to pay attention – move on.

Janner – I will be sending you that email to be added to your list. I will continue to visit this site as you do, however, I like the idea of also surrounding myself with people in simliar shoes as me.

Kelli

I`ve gotta tell ya.  The past doesn`t matter once you get to where you are now as far as melanoma or I should think any other consequence one might suffer because of previous acts.  You have to put that out of your mind.  I`m sure there are hundreds of stories of regret here about what we did when we were younger.  (I shudder to think of my own stupidity.)  But it is part of who you are.  It is part of who you are.  Live for today and the rest of your life and don`t let your emotions make you weak.  From what I`ve seen the short time I`ve visited this board, the giants who come here don`t waste much time allowing their emotions to run their lives.  They are earnestly and valiantly fighting for every day.  Shouldn`t we who have so much more to be grateful for be even more determined to live forward not backward?, both for ourselves and our compatriots?  I should think yes.  Ya can`t go back and if you tread water long enough you drown so you better start moving forward my friend!, for yourself and for the rest of this body of people of whom so much is asked.  You go girl!

I`ve gotta tell ya.  The past doesn`t matter once you get to where you are now as far as melanoma or I should think any other consequence one might suffer because of previous acts.  You have to put that out of your mind.  I`m sure there are hundreds of stories of regret here about what we did when we were younger.  (I shudder to think of my own stupidity.)  But it is part of who you are.  It is part of who you are.  Live for today and the rest of your life and don`t let your emotions make you weak.  From what I`ve seen the short time I`ve visited this board, the giants who come here don`t waste much time allowing their emotions to run their lives.  They are earnestly and valiantly fighting for every day.  Shouldn`t we who have so much more to be grateful for be even more determined to live forward not backward?, both for ourselves and our compatriots?  I should think yes.  Ya can`t go back and if you tread water long enough you drown so you better start moving forward my friend!, for yourself and for the rest of this body of people of whom so much is asked.  You go girl!

I`ve gotta tell ya.  The past doesn`t matter once you get to where you are now as far as melanoma or I should think any other consequence one might suffer because of previous acts.  You have to put that out of your mind.  I`m sure there are hundreds of stories of regret here about what we did when we were younger.  (I shudder to think of my own stupidity.)  But it is part of who you are.  It is part of who you are.  Live for today and the rest of your life and don`t let your emotions make you weak.  From what I`ve seen the short time I`ve visited this board, the giants who come here don`t waste much time allowing their emotions to run their lives.  They are earnestly and valiantly fighting for every day.  Shouldn`t we who have so much more to be grateful for be even more determined to live forward not backward?, both for ourselves and our compatriots?  I should think yes.  Ya can`t go back and if you tread water long enough you drown so you better start moving forward my friend!, for yourself and for the rest of this body of people of whom so much is asked.  You go girl!

The only easy day was yesterday.

The only easy day was yesterday.

The only easy day was yesterday.