Cathy

Thanks to all for your comments.   Since my initial post, I decided that 2nd or 3rd opinions are necessary so I went to Fox Chase in Philadelphia, Sloan Kettering as well as Johns Hopkins.   One of the good thing about living in Delaware…..we are able to get to all 3 major cities in a short time. 

At Fox Chase I met with an oncologist who I really liked, and then a few days later met with a surgeon.  A wide local excision and a sentinel lymph node bioposy were recommended. 

The next day my husband and I had an appointment at Sloan Kettering.   The doctor was nice, but he didn't want to give an opinion until he had my slides and met with the melanoma tumor board.  A week after the appointment he called me and suggested that I do nothing at this point.   He said that my original surgeon here in Delaware who did the initial surgery got a 1.5 mm margin and it was close 2 cm that I should just wait it out for 3 months with another CT at that time.  He said to follow up with an oncologist at this time.

I met with a doctor at Johns Hopkins wouldn't give an opinion until she had my slides and then I had to start the process all over with them. 

After long thoughts with my family, I followed my gut and heart and went with Fox Chase.  I felt that waiting 3 months with an aggressive cancer was not an option for me.   I had surgery on February 17, and Dr. Watson said he was able to get good margins and didn't have to disturb my sphincter muscle.  They did the sentinel lymph node bioposy and did take a node out of my left groin.   Pathology report takes   I had hoped they wouldn't need to remove any nodes, and I can't help but think that it must be spreading or he wouldn't have removed it. 

Thanks for listening to me!  Makes me feel better!

Cathy

Thanks to all for your comments.   Since my initial post, I decided that 2nd or 3rd opinions are necessary so I went to Fox Chase in Philadelphia, Sloan Kettering as well as Johns Hopkins.   One of the good thing about living in Delaware…..we are able to get to all 3 major cities in a short time. 

At Fox Chase I met with an oncologist who I really liked, and then a few days later met with a surgeon.  A wide local excision and a sentinel lymph node bioposy were recommended. 

The next day my husband and I had an appointment at Sloan Kettering.   The doctor was nice, but he didn't want to give an opinion until he had my slides and met with the melanoma tumor board.  A week after the appointment he called me and suggested that I do nothing at this point.   He said that my original surgeon here in Delaware who did the initial surgery got a 1.5 mm margin and it was close 2 cm that I should just wait it out for 3 months with another CT at that time.  He said to follow up with an oncologist at this time.

I met with a doctor at Johns Hopkins wouldn't give an opinion until she had my slides and then I had to start the process all over with them. 

After long thoughts with my family, I followed my gut and heart and went with Fox Chase.  I felt that waiting 3 months with an aggressive cancer was not an option for me.   I had surgery on February 17, and Dr. Watson said he was able to get good margins and didn't have to disturb my sphincter muscle.  They did the sentinel lymph node bioposy and did take a node out of my left groin.   Pathology report takes   I had hoped they wouldn't need to remove any nodes, and I can't help but think that it must be spreading or he wouldn't have removed it. 

Thanks for listening to me!  Makes me feel better!

Cathy

Thanks to all for your comments.   Since my initial post, I decided that 2nd or 3rd opinions are necessary so I went to Fox Chase in Philadelphia, Sloan Kettering as well as Johns Hopkins.   One of the good thing about living in Delaware…..we are able to get to all 3 major cities in a short time. 

At Fox Chase I met with an oncologist who I really liked, and then a few days later met with a surgeon.  A wide local excision and a sentinel lymph node bioposy were recommended. 

The next day my husband and I had an appointment at Sloan Kettering.   The doctor was nice, but he didn't want to give an opinion until he had my slides and met with the melanoma tumor board.  A week after the appointment he called me and suggested that I do nothing at this point.   He said that my original surgeon here in Delaware who did the initial surgery got a 1.5 mm margin and it was close 2 cm that I should just wait it out for 3 months with another CT at that time.  He said to follow up with an oncologist at this time.

I met with a doctor at Johns Hopkins wouldn't give an opinion until she had my slides and then I had to start the process all over with them. 

After long thoughts with my family, I followed my gut and heart and went with Fox Chase.  I felt that waiting 3 months with an aggressive cancer was not an option for me.   I had surgery on February 17, and Dr. Watson said he was able to get good margins and didn't have to disturb my sphincter muscle.  They did the sentinel lymph node bioposy and did take a node out of my left groin.   Pathology report takes   I had hoped they wouldn't need to remove any nodes, and I can't help but think that it must be spreading or he wouldn't have removed it. 

Thanks for listening to me!  Makes me feel better!

Cathy