@mollyb
Forum Replies Created
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- January 10, 2011 at 1:37 am
Chet,
I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. No one your age should have to face what you are facing, but the good news is that you are young and there are new treatments and trials that hold real promise. When I was first diagnosed as Stage III in 2001, there wasn't much that they could do.
For the last two years, I have been stage IV with operable subcutaneous tumors. But the new ones are not operable and I am facing IL-2 as well. I logged on tonight to post a request for information and advice and found your post. So I will be reading carefully all the advice that is posted here for you. Thanks everyone for your help.
One thing that I have found very helpful is to collect positive quotes that you like (I have a whole set from a wonderful book by Cheryl Dal Porto called "Shaking Hands with Cancer and Coming Out Fighting). I have printed them on colorful pieces of paper and read one each night before I go to sleep. Focusing on that positive thought really helps in so many ways.
Here is one I like: Cancer can cut your life short. So can automobile accidents, fatal heart attacks, drowning, homicide, earthquakes, childhood diseases, starvation. BUT with cancer, you usually get a chance to fight.
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- January 10, 2011 at 1:37 am
Chet,
I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. No one your age should have to face what you are facing, but the good news is that you are young and there are new treatments and trials that hold real promise. When I was first diagnosed as Stage III in 2001, there wasn't much that they could do.
For the last two years, I have been stage IV with operable subcutaneous tumors. But the new ones are not operable and I am facing IL-2 as well. I logged on tonight to post a request for information and advice and found your post. So I will be reading carefully all the advice that is posted here for you. Thanks everyone for your help.
One thing that I have found very helpful is to collect positive quotes that you like (I have a whole set from a wonderful book by Cheryl Dal Porto called "Shaking Hands with Cancer and Coming Out Fighting). I have printed them on colorful pieces of paper and read one each night before I go to sleep. Focusing on that positive thought really helps in so many ways.
Here is one I like: Cancer can cut your life short. So can automobile accidents, fatal heart attacks, drowning, homicide, earthquakes, childhood diseases, starvation. BUT with cancer, you usually get a chance to fight.
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- September 5, 2010 at 11:38 pm
I hope that you have had this checked out. It took me a year and and three different dermatologists to remove the growth under the scar tissue of a biopsy that had been miss diagnoses as an irritated nevus rather than melanoma. By that time I was Stage III and I had to have extensive surgery on my leg, removal of all the lymph nodes, radiation, and then reconstructive surgery to save the leg. So find someone who will take it off immediately.
MollyB
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- September 5, 2010 at 11:38 pm
I hope that you have had this checked out. It took me a year and and three different dermatologists to remove the growth under the scar tissue of a biopsy that had been miss diagnoses as an irritated nevus rather than melanoma. By that time I was Stage III and I had to have extensive surgery on my leg, removal of all the lymph nodes, radiation, and then reconstructive surgery to save the leg. So find someone who will take it off immediately.
MollyB
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- January 12, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Sukie,
I am so glad that BRAF worked for you and that you have your quality of life back. Enjoy each moment. It just so happens that the drug was not right for my body, but I am weighing the other options and will probably start IL-2 in February.
This diseases really makes us reassess what is important, doesn't it. Enjoy each moment.
MollyB
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- January 12, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Sukie,
I am so glad that BRAF worked for you and that you have your quality of life back. Enjoy each moment. It just so happens that the drug was not right for my body, but I am weighing the other options and will probably start IL-2 in February.
This diseases really makes us reassess what is important, doesn't it. Enjoy each moment.
MollyB
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- January 10, 2011 at 1:06 am
Thanks for your information, Joe. I had to stop the BRAF after two months. I think that I was the queen of side effects. In fact, I had everyone of the side effects and some that were not even reported in the protocol ( now they are). My quality of life was really the issue for me as I went from being active and able to take care of myself to being housebound and not able to do much of anything. When three out of five biopsies turned out to be squamous cell carcinoma caused by the drug. I decided to stop.
Scans at three months showed that the tumor in my lungs was gone and the other tumors had not changed in size. I am back to complete strength and am doing everything that I did before starting BRAF. Scans at the end of December showed no tumors in my organs, existing tumors either growing slowly or the same size and one new subcutaneous tumor. So the question is what next step???
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- January 10, 2011 at 1:06 am
Thanks for your information, Joe. I had to stop the BRAF after two months. I think that I was the queen of side effects. In fact, I had everyone of the side effects and some that were not even reported in the protocol ( now they are). My quality of life was really the issue for me as I went from being active and able to take care of myself to being housebound and not able to do much of anything. When three out of five biopsies turned out to be squamous cell carcinoma caused by the drug. I decided to stop.
Scans at three months showed that the tumor in my lungs was gone and the other tumors had not changed in size. I am back to complete strength and am doing everything that I did before starting BRAF. Scans at the end of December showed no tumors in my organs, existing tumors either growing slowly or the same size and one new subcutaneous tumor. So the question is what next step???
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- August 30, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Shelly,
Thank you so much for this information. It is really helpful to hear. I am back on the drug but at a reduced dosage and am doing much better. You information lets me know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope that my scans are as positive as yours were!!
MollyB
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- August 30, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Shelly,
Thank you so much for this information. It is really helpful to hear. I am back on the drug but at a reduced dosage and am doing much better. You information lets me know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope that my scans are as positive as yours were!!
MollyB
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