New to the group, I’ve been reading from the side lines

Hi MymbleTheYounger and a very warm welcome to our corner of the online community.

I was diagnosed with Stage 2a melanoma on my upper left arm nearly 10 years ago now but I can still remember what a horrible time it was.

It's natural to worry about what the future might hold, but hopefully your WLE and SLNB will come back clear of cancer cells and your life will start to return to normal, albeit you need to follow the recommendations you should have been given for staying safe in the sun.

Please feel free to ask any questions. We're a friendly bunch and there's likely to be someone in the group who can answer from personal experience.

Anne

Hi latchbrook 

Thanks for your reply, it's "good" to be here, if you see what I mean, I'm glad I posted to say hello. Reading everyones experiences is very humbling, I feel part of a very special community. It's the waiting and uncertainty that is so difficult to deal with, giving your mind more time to work away at itself, I keep reminding myself the days are passing, surgery will soon come round and I'm in good hands with my team in Dundee, hopefully I'll only need to see them every few months after that going forward for skin checks. They're are lovely people, but I don't want to see them any more than that LOL.

I've been given lots of info about staying safe in the sun, I've pretty much always followed that, I'm usually in a ridiculously big, wide brimmed hat and skuttling between shady spots in the garden when I'm outdoors in summer. I need to be more mindful of the sun even on cloudy days, that's probably something I haven't adhered to. I also need to think my wardbrode through a bit more and not rely on creams in the sun. Keeping flesh covered is probably the best way to go forward. 

Anyhoo, I'm off out on my road bike for a bit of fresh air and some head space, its a dry day for a change :]

Thanks Anne, your are indeed a champion :]

Hi Ellen/MymbleTheYounger 

I hope you enjoyed being out in the fresh air on your bike and that the rain held off for you! 

You are right that the waiting and uncertainty can be hard. I tried to keep to as normal a routine as possible and also found lots of time to do things I enjoyed so I had less time to sit and wonder about the 'what ifs'.

I found I needed to rethink my wardrobe after my melanoma diagnosis. The advice is to not use sunscreen instead of covering up and to only use it in places that can't be covered, eg back of neck, hands, face, etc. So I bought long sleeved tops and teamed them with trousers and skirts. 

The new cover-up regime took a bit of getting used to, especially when friends were sitting around in shorts and sleeveless tops, but I got there in the end especially once they knew why I was dressing as I was.

Anne

P.S. Thank you very much for your lovely compliment 

Hi have you had a ct scan and mri scan i has theses scans before surgery.I was first diagnosed with 2a melanoma in July 2023 but my Sentinel lymph node biopsy came back positive 3 out of 6 lymph nodes but only microscopic cells so  I was stage 3a, I had adjuvant treatment for 4 months was supposed to be 12months but got stopped as side affects and finding thyroid cancer which is sorted now. I'm currently on melanoma surveillance which is skin checks every 3 months and ct body scan and mri head 1-2 times a year. I'm currently still clear but I'm due scans soon. Melanoma surveillance is for 5 years from diagnosis.

Hi Miss Mole, sorry to hear you’ve been through it too, with added peril with your thyroid  

Ive not had any scans and not had any offered. Ive had one appointment when I got my melanoma diagnosis end of January at PRI, then a week later an appointment with my surgeon and special cancer care nurse in Ninewells at dermatology, they’ve arranged my WLE and SLNB in April. 

Other than that they’ve mentioned I’ve to get regular skin checks for next 5 to 10 years. I think it’s a step at a time, don’t think too far forward beyond the next set of results. Hard, but probably best. I understand the process involving the what ifs, i dont know what all the treatments entail and I’ve no idea what options may be available at Ninewells or if I’m BRAF mutant or Wild type, I think they test that if my lymph’s are positive.

its a lot to take in. It’s a lot to try and explain to people who matter to me and to tell them I don’t know what’s next. I’m sure my husband, family and friends just think it’s been cut off so should be fine. I know it’s potentially not. 

anyhoo, there’s those thoughts coming back, so I’ll sign off now and take the dogs for a peep. Nothing like a dogs bladder to snap you into the moment. 

I guess different hospital trust have different ways. I had scans 3 weeks after being diagnosed im from the east of the country hertfordshire. I went to London hospital for treatment but essex  hospital for WLE and Slnb, I've been to quite alot of hospital since being diagnosed.

A wee update, my WLE and SLNB was brought forward from late April, I went to Ninewells for my CT scan on Thursday just past, overnight in hospital, and first thing on Friday I had my WLE from my lower thigh and 3 lymph removed at my left groin. It all went well, I’m a bit sore which is to be expected but codeine is helping with that. 

I’m so grateful for everyone at Ninewells, all the people behind the scenes that I’ll never meet and everyone that helped make my stay, the tests and surgery as nice and pain free as possible. I felt so safe and cared for the entire way, everything was explained and no question I had was daft. Just the wait now for results, they can take 6 weeks currently, but should hopefully be sooner since I’m “in the systems now”, my surgeon said he would call as soon as he knows the results to avoid any potential wait for a face to face appointment and lessen any delay if I need to to be passed over to oncology if that is the outcome. 

I work for myself, not ideal having to take time off work without sick pay, but it’s time for self care, and getting back to fitness without overdoing it and racing back. Fingers, toes and eyes crossed for a good result, can’t cross my legs currently

Hi that's good surgery was bought forward hope you get good results. I had mri head done last Friday and ct scan last Monday waiting for results hopefully all clear still.

Hi Miss Mole, Hope you get your results soon and it’s all good news, the waiting is the hardest. Thinking of you X