Hi from a newbie

[inkworks]

Hi everyone. My mum was at the hospital last monday to get a rather large (1.5cm) mole on the inside of her leg above her knee checked out. As soon as the doctor saw it he said it had to be removed. We are still waiting for a date to see when she has to go and get it removed.

I didn't know a lot about melanoma before this but after the hospital visit I started to read up on it and have now scared myself to death. She seems to have every symptom of having a melanoma.

She has always had this mole. But it started to get bigger and darker over the past 8 months. It is dark brown with pink bits in it and it looks quite scaley. It bled once a few months ago but she thought it was because of a new skin buffer she was using.

I know I will just have to wait and see what the doctor has to say but I was hoping you could give your opinion on the matter or share a similar experience.

Thank-you for listening.

[brainman]

Hi inkworks. I am sorry about your mother's health concerns. As you said, you have to wait for the doctor's report in order to know what that mole was. I am surprised that the doctor did not go on and remove it to send to a pathologist for a diagnosis. Did you go to the ER or to your own doctor? I went to my GP with a questionable mole and he removed it right then and there. Fortunately, at was only a mole. But it just surprises me that your mother's doctor did not do the same for her.

Did he say that it looked like a melanoma? There are other types of skin cancers... it could be one of them too. If you have not found this information before, here are a couple of very helpful link:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/p...t/skin/patient
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/p...lanoma/patient

Unfortunately, they do not have any pictures. However, they talks about the different kinds of skin cancers and will give you a lot of information to enlighten your questions for your mother's medical team to answer.

You and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers.

[inkworks]

She went to her GP who refered her to the hospital. It was when she went to the hospital that the doctor told her the mole had to be removed. We are still waiting on an appointment to go and get it removed. We live in Scotland. I'm not sure if that's just how things work here.

[brainman]

I am not sure how things work in Scotland... I think it depends how independent you are for ol' Mum England . No offence intended to either Scottish or English... I will let you sort out what nationality you are . Is all of the UK under the same health care system? If so, I am under the impression that it moves very slowly. Be patient but keep an eye on the mole. If it changes or starts to bleed more often, go to a dermatologist.

Best wishes.

[inkworks]

My mum just called the hospital. She has to go and get the mole removed on the 27th of this month. That seems a long wait to me. The fact that the doctor didn't take the mole out when he seen her last week really worries me. I don't understand the reason for this.

[Vee Smith]

If they have not fast-tracked her, they probably do not think it is cancerous.

Also, in Scotland, the speed with which she will be dealt with depends on the area in which she lives and the targets which the hospitals have to meet.

As to the nature of the mole, I have a lot of moles, some of which are fairly large and almost crusty on the surface. The oncology department assure me they are benign and do not need removing unless I tear them and they bleed.

[brainman]

I echo what Vee has told you. I do think that if the doctor had any concern, he/she would not make her wait until the end of November to do anything about it.

I know, waiting sucks and can be the hardest thing to do because it feels like you are not doing anything. Rather than "just waiting" do something meaningful with your mother. Ask her what she would like to do. Take her to her favorite restaurant. Go with her to her favorite city for a short vacation. Make a recording of her talking about her life (this idea a got from another member). Help her organize her pictures. I could go on and on. Only you and your mother can really know what would be the most meaningful thing to do.

Best wishes.

[inkworks]

Thanks so much for your reassurance. The waiting is almost insufferable. I think about it 24/7.

Vee Smith we live in the Glasgow area. It is Monklands hospital in Coatbridge.

kind regards, thinking of you all.