NEW with QUESTIONS!

skingames · New User Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 4

Hello I just joined and have concerns. Ive been seeing each year a derm, I switched partners and saw the man who owns the clinique (dermatoloy center), small place, last year this time I had him remove a small black mole (he shaved it) I didnt know what that meant at the time, he said" oh its nothing, they called me 24 hrs later to come in for outpatient surgery on it, it was insitu tpye melanoma, sitting on the top of stomache, margins were clear, a year later no recourrance back in that spot. He also removed one on back shoulder (lentiguous, but not relaly bad) Shaved(color is coming back into it now).

I developed raised area on outer ear on top, although female I have had 4 brain surgeries so my hair is VERY short , right now Im severyl ill, almost critical at this point from brain disease progressions). I also just had a MAssive tumor biopsied, path report said it needed to be ALL removed to know pathology saying they couldnt tell), its the size of tennisball on spine but not in it (tethered now due to size), The thing on my EAR now in just 3 months has doubled in size (its very small still , about size of watermelon seed and now is tan in color instead of flesh).

I just saw my dermatologist this week, he said" oh the ear thing is nothing but sun Keratosis (its not Scaley at all, nor does it resemble a Keratosis in ANY WAY AT ALL, but it is growing. I also grew exact looking thing in perinnial area (sorry about my spelling) so I showed him that, its larger and is a MOLE, its brown, again he said its nothing.

He said" I can FREEZE that thing off your ear and I said NO!.

I left feeling totally unresolved. Im considering going to newDermatologist and have those 2 things removed. I just have this feeling these need to come off and soon .

Families history
Father : Melanoma 2times (on Nose) and on back, niether was BLACK in color like my Stomache one. He also had 13, yes 13 Basil Cell removed from face,,ear, back.

Sister: had one removed Last year (basiol cell)
Grandmother (my dads mom): She had melanomas

Me: Non Spreading type removed just one year ago, no follow up recommened.

Im in a Wheelchair, very disabled, not old (46), very very ill tryhing to avoid feeding tube at this point. needing surgery to remove massive tumor on spine (still dont know full pathology), need Shoulder surgery for fully torn rotator (overuse wheelchair for 10 years), loss of most bladder us, totally deaf from brain in one ear.

90 pounds of pure fighter.

any help in this I appreciate, I dont wnatt him to know if I see someone else because ALOT of my doctorss know each other, so would find one near me, shouold I get better type, is there a specialized type DERM that is more into the Cancer skin thing?/

SOrrry was so long, wont posst this long again, just needed to get some help from Freindss.

Tahnks
Jo

Larry · New User Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Posts: 8

Jo:

I see that you have been through alot, are going through alot, and are currently wrestling with many unknowns. Although I can't speak to the medical aspects, I admire you as the picture of courage.

Clearly, the number of unknowns that we face should remind us that even on our best day, we are surely not in control.

I will pray that God would perform a miracle in your life, bringing you the measure of health and resolution that you are seeking. I have witnesed some true miracles from God, in particular as they pertained to my wife's cervical cancer, and I encourage you to never give up hope.

All my prayers.

skingames · New User Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 4

thanks Larry your so kind I will take your good thoughts God bless you. Im seeing my internal doctor tommorow for my other heath issues and will aks about new derm. Im not doing so well this weekend physicaly.

Take care, hope to write soon again.

Annie G · New User Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

Joan,
I am a recent Melanoma patient who has seen the best in the field. Please have all of your previous pathology slides and blocks sent to MD Anderson's outpatient pathology lab. They are very expert at diagnosing all types of cancers. In addition, the Univ. of Penn Path. lab is also very expert at Melanomas. I hope this helps you.

Regards,
Annie

skingames · New User Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 4

thanks annie, Ive got an appt with Friday!!! Very Happy

I feel lucky, my internal doctor saw me this week and recommended it come off and gave me name of this Derm who specializes in skin CANCER, not the regular skin issues and shes in same BLDG and my doctor knows her well and said" tell her I "Dr.so and so" want that thing OFF and biopsied. I was worried it was going to take a month to get appt. I feel better now knowing this.

Ive got lots going on right now my doctor said and I shouldnt be having to worry about this after what happend to me last year and my history alone warrented it coming off.

thanks for writing me, will let you know how it goes. I hope you are dgoin well, did you have invastive type or type like mine last year that sits on top of the skin.

god bLess

Annie G · New User Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

Dear Jo,

I am glad to hear you have an appt so soon. Please do follow up on the pathology part though. THAT IS CRITICAL! I had superficial spreading melanoma, a small changing mole on my shoulder, that my derm when looking at it bac on April 27th 2006 told me it would most likely come back as such. Due to its Breslow thickness I had to have a sentinel lymph node biopsy. That resulted in a roller coaster ride the likes of which I can't go into now. Point being, the paths need ALL slides and blocks of anything you have biopsied to compare cellular morphology to clearly diagnose whether your cancer is invasive or not. Mine at this time appears not to be, however I still have to return to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston every 3 months for skin checks and blood tests and ultra sounds of the neck (that's where they took the nodes to biopsy).

Good luck and keep me posted.

Annie Laughing

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