JoanieM

I was diagnosed with melanoma two days prior to having my son. The shock of finding out I had a melanoma sent me into labor 4 weeks early. In August 2015 I went in for a routine skin check, I was eight months pregnant. They found a suspicious mole in the middle of my back that I had not noticed, it was not bothering me & strangely my husband had not noticed it either. My normal derm removed it because it was slightly larger than the other moles on my back. Two weeks later I received a phone call from my dermatologist informing me it was a melanoma and that I needed to seek treatment elsewhere – it was super serious/ all of this coming on a Friday afternoon! I had no one to get ahold of, at that point I had no idea what this meant for me & I had no idea how to read my path report – fortunately the asked for a copy! I was terrified! I kept picturing the worst that it had spread throughout my body and now I was going to leave my two (almost 3) children motherless… Two days later I had my son. The shock of the dinette Noces had kept me up for two days – and sent me into labor. Four days after having my son I had WLE – while my son was still in the nicu…(oh and totally separate, during this time I also had a uterine infection from the labor had a temperature of 104 then developed mastitis temperature of 103 & two other excisions for atypical moles – and my son wasn’t gaining weight so they were keeping him for observation). Also during that time I found an oncologist at Northwestern to go over my path report with me and advise to slnb – got results from WLE that margins were clear & I cried tears of relief – I also was able to take my son home from the nicu – I met with a great oncologist Dr. Jeffrey Wayne at Northwestern to have their path review my case – they found my melanoma to be a little less deep in the original findings – first one found it to be .7mm & they found it to be only point .3mm – no will sorry I said no meiotic figures . Dr Wayne said slnb was my decision but did not think it to be necessary. we had been through so much and he said the chances of spreading were very slim so I decided not to have the invasive procedure (as I was breast-feeding and the incision from lymph would be made near my breast). I have had follow up with melanoma specialist at Northwestern, Dr. Choi. She removed three other moles – all came back clear… Will have follow up every three months – as for now I am enjoying my new baby boy and thanking God for my health and for my family and for their support and for this call to enjoy life to the fullest.