Melanoma: Moving This Mountain!
Hi, y'all. It's been a few months since my last post. I'm feeling the need to get back to posting some updates. Right here, right now, I'm setting a goal of a new blog once a month.
New goal, just in time for Easter weekend.
We didn't get to see the Easter bunny this year, but the Gilmore Four did get plenty of candy-filled eggs this morning.
Plus, some time at the park.
So, what's new here?
Aria is now four years old!
She is still in speech therapy and will be continuing that on next school year through the school district's preschool. The triplets like it when speech days are good weather days so they can play outside while Aria is busy inside.
As for me, I got some heavy news a few weeks ago. Just when I finally starting seeing a difference in my post-4-children-including-triplets body after months of exercising,
I have been diagnosed with skin cancer.
I had a mole on my back that was irritating me. More specifically, wearing a bra was painful over what I thought was just a mole. A couple months later, I was sitting in a dermatologist office having it removed for biopsy. Then a week later, I got the call. "Melanoma," she said.
I didn't really know anything about skin cancers, so I got on Pinterest, but I still didn't learn much. Dr. Google says Melanoma is the least common form of skin cancer, yet also the deadliest. And did you know Bob Marley died of Melanoma cancer? He had it on his toe and since it was not caught early, the cancer then spread throughout his body and he died at the age of 36. I'm 37.
Not knowing much details of my diagnosis yet, my brain kept circling around death and dying. How deep is this cancer? How long has it really been there? What if it has spread to other parts of my body like Izzy Stevens on Grey's Anatomy?
After I had my consult from a surgical oncologist, I began feeling better about my diagnosis. We are fairly certain the cancer has not spread to my lymph nodes, but since my melanoma is larger than 1 millimeter (1.25 mm), I will still need to undergo a lymph node biopsy.
In about a week, I'll be going in for a wide excision surgery to be sure we got the rest of the cancer out. Here's what the cut will look like:
The oncologist will perform the lymph node biopsy at that time too. Hopefully I will then come out of there cancer-free. Shaken, but not destroyed.
Why? Why did I get the deadliest skin cancer out there?
~ My grandfather died of melanoma. (Family history of this cancer increases your risk.)
~ My fair skin.
~ I have had my "fair" share of bad sunburns when I was younger.
~ My hobbies involve the outdoors- for example, my summers of being a life guard. When I go for a run, I never thought about using sunscreen.
Or a hat.
~ tanning beds. When I was in college I worked at a video store that was also a tannery and therefor I could tan for free. Need I say more?
I am not trying to beat myself up for things in my past that may or may not have lead to this cancer diagnosis. But, it is worth noting these things for anyone who may be reading this to understand that if this could happen to me, it could happen to you too.
Already now, life is a little different. I don't go out for a run- or for anything- without sunscreen.
"But sunscreen is bad for you!" Yes, I have always worried about chemical-laden sunscreen too, but the best I can do for myself is this Badger sunscreen.
100% all natural. It also meets the doctor's orders with requirements of:
- containing zinc oxide (downside: it leaves a chalky look to the skin due to the barrier the zinc oxide provides on the skin instead of penetrating the skin)
- SPF 30 minimum
- broad spectrum
Yet another struggle to bust through, but over the last few weeks, God has given me a theme for this battle:
Move, mountain, move.
He spoke to me about lifting up this mountain through sermons at church.
He spoke to me to move this mountain through songs I listen to while I run.
He spoke to me while I prayed and reminded me He can throw this mountain into the midst of the sea.
You may notice that now I have mountains as the background to my blog. Not random, but my inspiration.
So now, it's hurry up and wait. But I have a solid support system of family and friends. My husband is my rock. I'm ready to face this head on and write another blog about how I beat cancer's ass.
P.S. Five moles? 50 moles? Make an appointment to get your skin checked!
Yours truly :),
T
New goal, just in time for Easter weekend.
We didn't get to see the Easter bunny this year, but the Gilmore Four did get plenty of candy-filled eggs this morning.
Plus, some time at the park.
 |
| Beckett |
 |
| Henry |
Aria is now four years old!
She is still in speech therapy and will be continuing that on next school year through the school district's preschool. The triplets like it when speech days are good weather days so they can play outside while Aria is busy inside.
As for me, I got some heavy news a few weeks ago. Just when I finally starting seeing a difference in my post-4-children-including-triplets body after months of exercising,
I have been diagnosed with skin cancer.
I had a mole on my back that was irritating me. More specifically, wearing a bra was painful over what I thought was just a mole. A couple months later, I was sitting in a dermatologist office having it removed for biopsy. Then a week later, I got the call. "Melanoma," she said.
I didn't really know anything about skin cancers, so I got on Pinterest, but I still didn't learn much. Dr. Google says Melanoma is the least common form of skin cancer, yet also the deadliest. And did you know Bob Marley died of Melanoma cancer? He had it on his toe and since it was not caught early, the cancer then spread throughout his body and he died at the age of 36. I'm 37.
Not knowing much details of my diagnosis yet, my brain kept circling around death and dying. How deep is this cancer? How long has it really been there? What if it has spread to other parts of my body like Izzy Stevens on Grey's Anatomy?
After I had my consult from a surgical oncologist, I began feeling better about my diagnosis. We are fairly certain the cancer has not spread to my lymph nodes, but since my melanoma is larger than 1 millimeter (1.25 mm), I will still need to undergo a lymph node biopsy.
In about a week, I'll be going in for a wide excision surgery to be sure we got the rest of the cancer out. Here's what the cut will look like:
The oncologist will perform the lymph node biopsy at that time too. Hopefully I will then come out of there cancer-free. Shaken, but not destroyed.
Why? Why did I get the deadliest skin cancer out there?
~ My grandfather died of melanoma. (Family history of this cancer increases your risk.)
~ My fair skin.
~ I have had my "fair" share of bad sunburns when I was younger.
~ My hobbies involve the outdoors- for example, my summers of being a life guard. When I go for a run, I never thought about using sunscreen.
~ tanning beds. When I was in college I worked at a video store that was also a tannery and therefor I could tan for free. Need I say more?
I am not trying to beat myself up for things in my past that may or may not have lead to this cancer diagnosis. But, it is worth noting these things for anyone who may be reading this to understand that if this could happen to me, it could happen to you too.
Already now, life is a little different. I don't go out for a run- or for anything- without sunscreen.
"But sunscreen is bad for you!" Yes, I have always worried about chemical-laden sunscreen too, but the best I can do for myself is this Badger sunscreen.
100% all natural. It also meets the doctor's orders with requirements of:
- containing zinc oxide (downside: it leaves a chalky look to the skin due to the barrier the zinc oxide provides on the skin instead of penetrating the skin)
- SPF 30 minimum
- broad spectrum
Yet another struggle to bust through, but over the last few weeks, God has given me a theme for this battle:
Move, mountain, move.
He spoke to me about lifting up this mountain through sermons at church.
You may notice that now I have mountains as the background to my blog. Not random, but my inspiration.
So now, it's hurry up and wait. But I have a solid support system of family and friends. My husband is my rock. I'm ready to face this head on and write another blog about how I beat cancer's ass.
P.S. Five moles? 50 moles? Make an appointment to get your skin checked!
Yours truly :),
T
I recently went through the same thing at the end of last year. It's a scary diagnosis but hopefully they caught early and can get it all. Will be praying for you and wishing you the best. Let us know the results once you get them.
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