theresar

Cheri- Our stories sound too familiar though I pray that you do not follow the same progression as me.I have been followed at a major cancer center all along with a Specific Melanoma Program. Perhaps I had been a bit naive surrounding this whole diagnosis over the past 3 years and of course in hindsite wish I had done a bit more research at that time. I will have to go back to my record to share with you  my exact staging at that time though it was far along because obviously in that "area" I could not even see or know that it was there! With "neg  margins and negative nodes" I thought I was ok.I did not have an initial CT screening at the time of diagnosis. PET/CT scans were never part of or offered as part of my follow-up screening. I was seen by either my dermatologist or my GYN/ONC surgeon every 3 months for visual/physical exams. So when I had unexplained lingering fever-I thought it was some virus-I was thrown off gaurd to discover that my melanoma had returned.

My sister recomended that perhaps you try to petition your insurance company to see if they would cover  periodic scans or talk with your physician to see if there are any screening studies/research out there that you could be a part of.

Blessings on you as you continue on this journey.

Theresa

Cheri- Our stories sound too familiar though I pray that you do not follow the same progression as me.I have been followed at a major cancer center all along with a Specific Melanoma Program. Perhaps I had been a bit naive surrounding this whole diagnosis over the past 3 years and of course in hindsite wish I had done a bit more research at that time. I will have to go back to my record to share with you  my exact staging at that time though it was far along because obviously in that "area" I could not even see or know that it was there! With "neg  margins and negative nodes" I thought I was ok.I did not have an initial CT screening at the time of diagnosis. PET/CT scans were never part of or offered as part of my follow-up screening. I was seen by either my dermatologist or my GYN/ONC surgeon every 3 months for visual/physical exams. So when I had unexplained lingering fever-I thought it was some virus-I was thrown off gaurd to discover that my melanoma had returned.

My sister recomended that perhaps you try to petition your insurance company to see if they would cover  periodic scans or talk with your physician to see if there are any screening studies/research out there that you could be a part of.

Blessings on you as you continue on this journey.

Theresa

Cheri- Our stories sound too familiar though I pray that you do not follow the same progression as me.I have been followed at a major cancer center all along with a Specific Melanoma Program. Perhaps I had been a bit naive surrounding this whole diagnosis over the past 3 years and of course in hindsite wish I had done a bit more research at that time. I will have to go back to my record to share with you  my exact staging at that time though it was far along because obviously in that "area" I could not even see or know that it was there! With "neg  margins and negative nodes" I thought I was ok.I did not have an initial CT screening at the time of diagnosis. PET/CT scans were never part of or offered as part of my follow-up screening. I was seen by either my dermatologist or my GYN/ONC surgeon every 3 months for visual/physical exams. So when I had unexplained lingering fever-I thought it was some virus-I was thrown off gaurd to discover that my melanoma had returned.

My sister recomended that perhaps you try to petition your insurance company to see if they would cover  periodic scans or talk with your physician to see if there are any screening studies/research out there that you could be a part of.

Blessings on you as you continue on this journey.

Theresa

Thank you Mary for this very valuable information. I am being treated at a major Comprehensive Cancer center and do feel that I can address possibilities of other treatment courses with my oncologist. I did get my cKIT report back and  I do not have that mutation.

I will be doing further homework surrounding the information you have shared with me prior to my appointment this week.

You are 2 years out from your surgery…Did you recieve immunotherapy? If so what were they using then.

Theresa

Thank you Mary for this very valuable information. I am being treated at a major Comprehensive Cancer center and do feel that I can address possibilities of other treatment courses with my oncologist. I did get my cKIT report back and  I do not have that mutation.

I will be doing further homework surrounding the information you have shared with me prior to my appointment this week.

You are 2 years out from your surgery…Did you recieve immunotherapy? If so what were they using then.

Theresa

Thank you Mary for this very valuable information. I am being treated at a major Comprehensive Cancer center and do feel that I can address possibilities of other treatment courses with my oncologist. I did get my cKIT report back and  I do not have that mutation.

I will be doing further homework surrounding the information you have shared with me prior to my appointment this week.

You are 2 years out from your surgery…Did you recieve immunotherapy? If so what were they using then.

Theresa

So happy to hear from you Becky. I am still awaiting the final report on the C-Kit mutation for me knowing that this may offer other therapies if the Vernoy is not effective.

Of course my oncologist responded re. the Essiac Tea that they really discourage any other herbal/ non-traditional therapies while undergoing FDA approved  therapies. This was the answer that I expected and I am disappointed but always HOPEFULL.

Hoping to hear from Jerry.

Theresa

So happy to hear from you Becky. I am still awaiting the final report on the C-Kit mutation for me knowing that this may offer other therapies if the Vernoy is not effective.

Of course my oncologist responded re. the Essiac Tea that they really discourage any other herbal/ non-traditional therapies while undergoing FDA approved  therapies. This was the answer that I expected and I am disappointed but always HOPEFULL.

Hoping to hear from Jerry.

Theresa

So happy to hear from you Becky. I am still awaiting the final report on the C-Kit mutation for me knowing that this may offer other therapies if the Vernoy is not effective.

Of course my oncologist responded re. the Essiac Tea that they really discourage any other herbal/ non-traditional therapies while undergoing FDA approved  therapies. This was the answer that I expected and I am disappointed but always HOPEFULL.

Hoping to hear from Jerry.

Theresa