Diagnosis not being took seriously

Hello, sorry to hear about your diagnosis and hope you are doing OK after your op.

I know exactly where you are coming from. I have been thinking about this for a while since my last experience of it all. It's good you've explained how you feel.

I think there is a real lack of knowledge about Melanoma and unless people have had similar experiences or know someone close who has, they don't really understand how serious the diagnosis is and how it can affect a person, physically but definately mentally. Some people find it hard don't know what to say and just avoid you.

I don't think some people know what Melanoma is. I had a friend who actually said 'maybe you need to tell people you've got skin cancer, not just Melanoma'. I don't think it gets enough press personally. Not that it's a competition but I hear lots about another cancers, adverts, news stories etc but hardly ever about Melanoma and skin cancer. Alot of people seem unaware of the consequences. 

I've come to the conclusion that some people just can't deal with it or don't know how to respond, even though they do care. Some people maybe deal with it differently, guess it depends what personality they have, their own health and what's going on in there own life. People sometimes try to be positive about it to you also but sometimes you don't want that.

I've found it's the people you think will be supportive turn out not to be and vice versa! Some family members kept saying things like, shouldn't you be moving around ok now and why have you still got the bandages on after a couple of weeks. I offered to send them the photos...they said no thanks! When they actually saw it recently, almost healed and the wound half the size it was, they were totally shocked and said ' oh my goodness it's awful, I didn't think it was that bad!' Great thanks!

I've learnt that as long as you are honest about how you feel especially to yourself, and if people don't respond as you think, then let them feel what they feel and you concentrate on yourself, self-care and do something nice, like eat cake, go for a walk etc.

Sorry its a long reply but thought it might help.

Fingers crossed for good results.

I feel exactly the same as you.  I had a basal cell carcinoma on my face and a subsequent full body check found a melanoma.  I received very little understanding from anyone in my family, with my husband being the most negligent.  I am now awaiting biopsy results on a potential second melanoma and haven't even bothered to tell anyone about it.  There is a real lack of understanding around melanoma and it's seriousness in my opinion.  I am sorry to read that you have had the same experience.