Newly diagnosed

Ray59 1 month ago

3 replies
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Have just been diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma, and I'm still in shock!

I had lesion on my scalp back in June 2024.It was considered Lentigo maligna. Had biopsy and confirmed Original diagnosis. Had lesion removed 24th August, and waited for results from lab Had appointment 3rd October when they told me stage 2 Melanoma found in the lesion.

My world turned upside down and I am really scared now.

Just wanted to share my diagnosis experience, and ask how you deal with the emotional tsunami that follows.?

latchbrook 1 month ago

Hi Ray59 and a very warm welcome to the melanoma forum which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

You are certainly right that it feels like your world has turned upside down when you've been given a cancer diagnosis. I can remember how shocked I felt when I was diagnosed nearly 8 years ago. Like you, my lesion was thought to be nothing serious so it came as a real shock to be told that I had Stage 2 melanoma.

How you're feeling now is perfectly normal but there will come a time when melanoma isn't the first thing you think about when you wake up and the last thing you think about when you wake up.

Have you been told when you'll be having the follow-up wide local excision (WLE) yet and are they planning to do a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) as well? I've had both of these procedures so I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

It would be great if you could put something about your diagnosis and treatment to date into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"

Ray59 1 month ago in reply to latchbrook

Hello latchbrook

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum I wasn't sure how this works so really pleased you responded.

I don't know when I will get an appointment for the WLE, and because of my being overweight there may be issues around general anaesthetic needed for sentinel node operation.

It's only been 6 days since my diagnosis, and my head and emotions are still out of control. It's a bit like an aircraft gliding smoothly through life, then you go into a sudden nose dive.

I have to get a grip on myself - but not just yet.

Ray

Hevallan 1 month ago in reply to Ray59

Hello, I totally echo everything latchbrook has said. When I found out I had cancer, I didn’t think I would eat, drink or sleep again, I was like a startled rabbit but only for 24 hours. A lovely nurse talked me down then it was visiting time, then dinner arrived. We develop a new normal, I’ve found this site really helps. Folk are so helpful and of course it helps to know we are not alone xx

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