rj

My husband had all left inguinal nodes removed 2 years ago.  He has recently finished the therapy you are scheduled for and it has been a great help to him.  He had swelling in the whole leg and toes, and we were told the lower it goes the more difficult it will be to control.  He had fibrosis in his thigh, alot of pain, and difficulty bending his knee or sitting.

We went every weekday for a month to have drainage therapy and the leg wrapped.  He will probably need to see a therapist on a weekly basis, but the improvement has been worth it all.  Along with the treatment, he is wearing a circular knit (I think I have that right) garment now and that is a MUST for him. 

I simply cannot stress the importance of getting in touch with the right therapist.  The first one we went to (she was certified) told us he had very slight lymphedema and probably would require no further treatment, so we stopped.  By the time we found someone else, it had become a major problem.  The sooner it gets addressed, the less maintenance it will take. 

My husband had all left inguinal nodes removed 2 years ago.  He has recently finished the therapy you are scheduled for and it has been a great help to him.  He had swelling in the whole leg and toes, and we were told the lower it goes the more difficult it will be to control.  He had fibrosis in his thigh, alot of pain, and difficulty bending his knee or sitting.

We went every weekday for a month to have drainage therapy and the leg wrapped.  He will probably need to see a therapist on a weekly basis, but the improvement has been worth it all.  Along with the treatment, he is wearing a circular knit (I think I have that right) garment now and that is a MUST for him. 

I simply cannot stress the importance of getting in touch with the right therapist.  The first one we went to (she was certified) told us he had very slight lymphedema and probably would require no further treatment, so we stopped.  By the time we found someone else, it had become a major problem.  The sooner it gets addressed, the less maintenance it will take. 

My dear, you sound tired of dealing with Melanoma, and I don't blame you.  Though your staging isn't bad, you've had to address the knowledge that your body has had cancer growing in it, and no one likes that.  I had my period of bleak, black time working through my husband's melanoma. 

One of the things that helped me most was a talk by a cancer victim, a friend of Max Lucado's and it is on his web site somewhere.  The man said he woke up the morning after diagnosis and told his wife that he had DEATH in his body.  His wonderful wife said, "Well, of course you do!  We all do.  But we also have Life and we are going to choose to live while we're alive."  

I think that's what everyone is saying here. We get to that acceptance in different times and manners.  You'll get there!  Chin up, make your plans, and start living!

Ron is IIIC with deep growth, matted nodes, and had an extremely high mitotic rate, but he's the most alive person I know.  He finished interferon, is landscaping our grounds, making plans to buy a ranch, and hopes to start a business that will get a couple young families we know on their feet.  If melanoma returns, well, we'll address it then.  He will not let. it ruin the good times.

God bless you, and you will get there.  Go after that Ph.D

My dear, you sound tired of dealing with Melanoma, and I don't blame you.  Though your staging isn't bad, you've had to address the knowledge that your body has had cancer growing in it, and no one likes that.  I had my period of bleak, black time working through my husband's melanoma. 

One of the things that helped me most was a talk by a cancer victim, a friend of Max Lucado's and it is on his web site somewhere.  The man said he woke up the morning after diagnosis and told his wife that he had DEATH in his body.  His wonderful wife said, "Well, of course you do!  We all do.  But we also have Life and we are going to choose to live while we're alive."  

I think that's what everyone is saying here. We get to that acceptance in different times and manners.  You'll get there!  Chin up, make your plans, and start living!

Ron is IIIC with deep growth, matted nodes, and had an extremely high mitotic rate, but he's the most alive person I know.  He finished interferon, is landscaping our grounds, making plans to buy a ranch, and hopes to start a business that will get a couple young families we know on their feet.  If melanoma returns, well, we'll address it then.  He will not let. it ruin the good times.

God bless you, and you will get there.  Go after that Ph.D

Glad you're NED!!  Dr. Daud is great at UCSF, and if you ever need a melanoma surgeon, you will never find better than Dr. Leong.  He used to be at UCSF and is now at California Pacific. 

Glad you're NED!!  Dr. Daud is great at UCSF, and if you ever need a melanoma surgeon, you will never find better than Dr. Leong.  He used to be at UCSF and is now at California Pacific. 

Nancy, dear, I'm so sorry for you.  The blessing is that he's free of pain and all the other effects of melanoma, but the pain now is in your heart as you miss him.  May God strengthen you and comfort you as you struggle with the void in your life.  With a hug and a prayer…Ron and Betsy Johns

Nancy, dear, I'm so sorry for you.  The blessing is that he's free of pain and all the other effects of melanoma, but the pain now is in your heart as you miss him.  May God strengthen you and comfort you as you struggle with the void in your life.  With a hug and a prayer…Ron and Betsy Johns

I YOU, my dear, are the remarkable one.  I read about Will and then read about Brown schools.  I am so glad he found a friend like you.  In a very dark life, you must have been a shining beacon.  God bless you for being such a friend and caregiver.  God bless Will. 

Betsy

I YOU, my dear, are the remarkable one.  I read about Will and then read about Brown schools.  I am so glad he found a friend like you.  In a very dark life, you must have been a shining beacon.  God bless you for being such a friend and caregiver.  God bless Will. 

Betsy

Take heart!  Our friends have a daughter diagnosed at 2 with 3C MM.  Primary and left groin lymph nodes were removed.  She had surgery and did a year of interferon.  She and her family were an inspiration to us when we experienced similar circumstances.  The most important thing in this post—she is now a lively 9 year old and has had no recurrence!