Just wanted to post this info to show that there is hope, even when the prognosis looks pretty grim. My husband was originally diagnosed in 1985. The primary was removed by our small-town general surgeon, who said the margins were clear so not to worry. We went on our merry way, thinking this was no big deal. Then in November of 1998, 35 nodes were removed from his armpit, and all 35 were positive for melanoma. A PET scan revealed numerous more enlarged nodes in the supraclavicular region, and altogether he had nearly 60 positive nodes. He went on to do 4
Just wanted to post this info to show that there is hope, even when the prognosis looks pretty grim. My husband was originally diagnosed in 1985. The primary was removed by our small-town general surgeon, who said the margins were clear so not to worry. We went on our merry way, thinking this was no big deal. Then in November of 1998, 35 nodes were removed from his armpit, and all 35 were positive for melanoma. A PET scan revealed numerous more enlarged nodes in the supraclavicular region, and altogether he had nearly 60 positive nodes. He went on to do 4 rounds of biochemo, and had a complete response. (All 24 nodes removed between rounds 2 and 3 contained black pigment from the melanoma, but no viable cancer cells) So as of February of this year, we are celebrating 13 years of NED! We are so very thankful to have been so blessed with this time, which at one point did not seem likely to happen. At original diagnosis, we had 3 small children, and we can now say we have together seen them graduate from college, have attended their weddings, and welcomed 4 grandchildren. I just wish that everyone could have the same outcome, as I hate to see all the sadness and suffering, with young lives cut short and losing good people way too soon. My desire in posting this is that I might give someone early in their journey a ray of hope that things can turn out well, even when the odds are against you.
Blessings,
Phyllis
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