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      • May 23, 2011 at 11:42 pm
      Lunawest
      Participant
        This is a great post with lots of excellent advice. I am relatively new to this forum as well, but cannot stress enough the mportance of seeing a melanoma specialist. When my derm first diagnosed me in March of this year, she referred me to a surgeon @ Yale New Haven, nearly an hour from my home. At first I found myself wondering why I had to travel so far to get treated. After two surgeries in a month (tumor excision, followed by surgical treatment of an infected seroma), I feel fortunate to have been treated at one of the most established melanoma programs in the country, by one of it’s founding surgeons. He informed me every step of the way with all the “If … then” scenarios, and I never felt like I didn’t know what was coming next. A melanoma diagnosis is stressful, you need a health care team you have confidence in!
        • May 23, 2011 at 11:42 pm
        Lunawest
        Participant
          This is a great post with lots of excellent advice. I am relatively new to this forum as well, but cannot stress enough the mportance of seeing a melanoma specialist. When my derm first diagnosed me in March of this year, she referred me to a surgeon @ Yale New Haven, nearly an hour from my home. At first I found myself wondering why I had to travel so far to get treated. After two surgeries in a month (tumor excision, followed by surgical treatment of an infected seroma), I feel fortunate to have been treated at one of the most established melanoma programs in the country, by one of it’s founding surgeons. He informed me every step of the way with all the “If … then” scenarios, and I never felt like I didn’t know what was coming next. A melanoma diagnosis is stressful, you need a health care team you have confidence in!
          • May 17, 2011 at 6:32 pm
          Lunawest
          Participant
            Lisa,
            I am just one month out of surgery, and have similar lump in my pelvic area. I did not need a full node dissection, just a SLNB – two nodes removed. The excision in my thigh caused a seroma that had to be treated surgically, so I am now on wound VAC therapy following that procedure. When I was going into the OR For the seroma surgery, I asked my surgeon to check out the bump on my other incision, to be sure there was nothing going on behind there that also needed attention. He didn’t seem to think so, but I’ll ask again when I see him this week. Always better to ask when in doubt!

            Jane

            • May 17, 2011 at 6:32 pm
            Lunawest
            Participant
              Lisa,
              I am just one month out of surgery, and have similar lump in my pelvic area. I did not need a full node dissection, just a SLNB – two nodes removed. The excision in my thigh caused a seroma that had to be treated surgically, so I am now on wound VAC therapy following that procedure. When I was going into the OR For the seroma surgery, I asked my surgeon to check out the bump on my other incision, to be sure there was nothing going on behind there that also needed attention. He didn’t seem to think so, but I’ll ask again when I see him this week. Always better to ask when in doubt!

              Jane

              • May 15, 2011 at 11:50 pm
              Lunawest
              Participant
                Great article! Congrats to you both, and thanks for sending me the nutrition article, too. I missed this year’s Relay because I was having a second surgery to relieve an infected seroma from my SLNB. But you can count me being in the survivors lap next year! Health & healing!
                • May 15, 2011 at 11:50 pm
                Lunawest
                Participant
                  Great article! Congrats to you both, and thanks for sending me the nutrition article, too. I missed this year’s Relay because I was having a second surgery to relieve an infected seroma from my SLNB. But you can count me being in the survivors lap next year! Health & healing!
                  • May 8, 2011 at 12:58 pm
                  Lunawest
                  Participant

                    I would love a copy of that article as well. I'm finding my diagnosis difficult as an adult, I can't even imagine what it must be like for a 14-year-old!  Health & healing =) 

                    My email address is: [email protected]

                    Jane Sabini, Connnecticut, Stage I

                    • May 8, 2011 at 12:58 pm
                    Lunawest
                    Participant

                      I would love a copy of that article as well. I'm finding my diagnosis difficult as an adult, I can't even imagine what it must be like for a 14-year-old!  Health & healing =) 

                      My email address is: [email protected]

                      Jane Sabini, Connnecticut, Stage I

                      • January 30, 2012 at 11:52 am
                      Lunawest
                      Participant

                         Thanks for sharing you seroma experience. After four excruciating weeks of trying to manage the condition after my initial surgery, I developed a cellulitis infection that forced my surgeon to drain the seroma surgically. Although I was readmitted to the hospital overnight, and needed to be on a wound-vac to continue to drain fluid for about two weeks, it was not a terrible experience, and far less painful that the seroma itself. I even ended up going back to work before the wound appliance came off. I still experience some mild swelling in the entire leg effected by my tumor excision, but all the other symptoms have thankfully gone away.

                        • January 30, 2012 at 11:52 am
                        Lunawest
                        Participant

                           Thanks for sharing you seroma experience. After four excruciating weeks of trying to manage the condition after my initial surgery, I developed a cellulitis infection that forced my surgeon to drain the seroma surgically. Although I was readmitted to the hospital overnight, and needed to be on a wound-vac to continue to drain fluid for about two weeks, it was not a terrible experience, and far less painful that the seroma itself. I even ended up going back to work before the wound appliance came off. I still experience some mild swelling in the entire leg effected by my tumor excision, but all the other symptoms have thankfully gone away.

                          • January 30, 2012 at 11:52 am
                          Lunawest
                          Participant

                             Thanks for sharing you seroma experience. After four excruciating weeks of trying to manage the condition after my initial surgery, I developed a cellulitis infection that forced my surgeon to drain the seroma surgically. Although I was readmitted to the hospital overnight, and needed to be on a wound-vac to continue to drain fluid for about two weeks, it was not a terrible experience, and far less painful that the seroma itself. I even ended up going back to work before the wound appliance came off. I still experience some mild swelling in the entire leg effected by my tumor excision, but all the other symptoms have thankfully gone away.

                            • May 16, 2011 at 12:06 am
                            Lunawest
                            Participant
                              So, Donna, I ended up in the same situation as you did. Seroma did not resolve on it’s own, and evolved into a cellulitis infection. Had to gave it surgically drained, and am now doing the wound VAC therapy. The good news is, I have far less discomfort than I did waiting out the seroma. Thanks for the input on my post. Hope all is well with you!
                              • May 16, 2011 at 12:06 am
                              Lunawest
                              Participant
                                So, Donna, I ended up in the same situation as you did. Seroma did not resolve on it’s own, and evolved into a cellulitis infection. Had to gave it surgically drained, and am now doing the wound VAC therapy. The good news is, I have far less discomfort than I did waiting out the seroma. Thanks for the input on my post. Hope all is well with you!
                                • May 7, 2011 at 12:07 pm
                                Lunawest
                                Participant

                                  Thank you! Sending wellness and healing thoughts your way yes

                                  • May 7, 2011 at 12:07 pm
                                  Lunawest
                                  Participant

                                    Thank you! Sending wellness and healing thoughts your way yes

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