It is all a bit of a shock

Hi and a very warm welcome to the online community

If you take a look at my profile you'll see that I was exactly where you are now 3 years ago when a lesion on my arm turned out to be melanoma so I do completely understand how shocked you feel and so will a lot of other people in this group.

However, I can assure you that you will get to a point when it's not the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you think about before you go to sleep. 

I presume that the "1cm removed around the site" that you mention is the wide local excision (WLE). Have you had the results back from that yet?

x

Hi

thanks for your reply and your advice etc.  The operation was only done on Friday so won’t get the results for a couple of weeks.  

Make sure you come back and let us know how you get on.

What stage is your melanoma? I looked in your profile but you haven't said but as you don't mention having a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) I'm guessing it was 1a.

 I will do, to be honest I don’t know what stage it is I don’t remember being told if I was 

Hi

How did your WLE go and have you had the results back yet? I'm hoping that you're recovering well from it.

x

It went well it healed ok.    Mentally in a bit if a mess but I am getting help to get back to some kind of normality.  I am still waiting for the results, apparently there is a backlog. 

That's great to hear that your WLE has healed well but I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling mentally.

Having a cancer diagnosis does come as a big shock and even when everything has been removed and treatment has finished it can still overshadow our lives. I'm glad that you've recognised this and are getting help.

If you feel that talking about it here would help then please do as I'm sure that there'll be lots of people who can relate to how you feel.

Do come back and let us know when you have the results. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

X

Hi

I was just wondering how you were. I know that you said you were struggling with your diagnosis but were getting help to find a 'new normal'. I hope that's been going well.

Have you had your results back from your WLE yet?

x

Hi Eden Rob, just saw your posts and can completely relate. I had 2 moles removed on my breast one of which comeback as melanoma in situ. I had a wide local excision last week which was horrid. I sobbed. Partly because of the anaesthetic hurting and stinging so much, part shock and partly because of the weird sensation of"feeling" it. Today my breast is black and blue with extensive brusing. I also had another removed for testing and have to have another three removed in 9 days. I feel all over the place. Shock its happened to me, worry about what the others may reveal and sadness that my life in the outdoors needs to change from here on in. I love the sense of well being  that the sun brings, I love swimming in the sea, pottering round the garden and walking for miles on the beach with the dog. The thought that I have to do this slapped in factor 50 and covered up makes me so sad. I realise that so many other people are in a far worse situation than I am but I guess I've just not had time to take it all in yet.

I really hope you are okay and I'd love to share your journey if you would like to reach out? No worries if you don't, I understand. I wish you well and everyone here on this site. Stay positive and be kind to yourself x

Actually I am good.. I got the news of the biopsy on the second op was clear just before Xmas which was brill.  I am back too work, but struggling with it due to the nature of it. I have my first check up in a couple of weeks.