Melanoma

[MrTom]

Over the last four years I've had a mess of small, pre-cancerous lesions frozen off or burned off and have also had a couple of rather extensive squamous celled cancer cuts. After the last cut I was told that the nature of these spots can change quickly and today I am just getting accustomed to how much truth there is in that. I was at Mayo Clinic from 7 this morning until 3:30 this afternoon having a melanoma cancer cut from my face, the same general area of at least one of the other major cuts. Instead of running from the outside corner of the eye to the corner of my mouth this cut runs from right under the center of the eye to the jaw line and was a fairly deep excision. Closing the wound took over 2 hours.

Use sunscreen people if you're going to be out side and exposed to the sun's uv rays. Nasty, nasty stuff. It knows no color boundaries or tanning traits or the difference between man, woman or child. Certainly the fair skinned are the most probable candidates for landing this crap, but the docs told me today that more and more young people....well under 25 years of age....are being treated for skin cancers of one type or another, but the melanoma is one that is on the rise. The good doctors told me that while a sunscreen of spf 30 was considered adequate for years an spf of 50 is today's standard and that re-application every 4 hours is now replaced with the recommendation of every 90 minutes regardless of exposure to water or sweating.

Like myself there are many here on this site that are retired and well into the late 60's and 70's. Its too late really for us to do much to prevent this skin cancer stuff as the exposure that will plague us was made many, many years ago. But for the sake of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, find out what you can do to protect them from the sun's energy. I know I don't want any of my grandchildren to go thru what I have over the last couple years with today's cut being the most extensive and miserable of any of them.

Read up on these cancers and stay mindful of spots that just show up on a face or hand or upper arm, maybe a leg. All of my prior cancers were squamous celled, however it was a tiny spot that just appeared that prompted today's surgery. It was diagnosed as a melanoma when the spot was removed and went to pathology in July and hardly left a scar. Today's incision was over 4" in length and as wide as a quarter right where that tiny scar was. That's how aggressive they go after melanoma. That small spot on the surface can cover a lot of area UNDER the skin and the devious part of melanoma is that if left unchecked its more than happy to spread to major organs and many other parts of one's body. Man....if I knew 50 years ago what I know today about this stuff, I'd have lived a whole lot different.

 

[ENCORE50A]

Wise words, but sad to hear of your continued problems. You are right, cancer of any kind doesn't care who you are, or your age. An old work friend has been dealing with much of the same as you for quite a few years now. Like you, at first things weren't to bad, then the surgeries kept getting more complicated.
When ever the wife and I go riding, we always use sun screen. Yet I think of all those days before I went to work "inside" and was in carpentry.

I have a sister that is currently dealing with three different kinds of cancer: Langerhans Cell Histocytosis (LCH), Large B-Cell Lymphoma, T-Cell Lymphoma, that is affecting the skin.
Mom had a small spot of breast cancer that they successfully removed and was cancer clear to her last day. Another sister ended up with some type of an oral cancer, where they removed a large section of her tongue. A couple years ago, I found out that I too have a slow growing cancer called, Polycythemia Vera.

Had we only known...……….

 

[HC]

Hang in there Tom, we all are still hoping and praying for a good outcome. So sorry for what your going through.

 

[twild]

Praying for you buddy.

 

[03mossy]

Awe man sorry to hear your fighting this again. Will be praying for you to win this round too!!

 

[edmehlig]

We're praying for you Tom! I know what you are going through. My dad passed away two years ago. He primarily died from a Heart Attack, but the skin cancer he had he let it go too long and it spread to the point if they used Radiation he would have lost his eye sight in his right eye. He only lasted three weeks with treatment before he passed away. I was walking him back to his apartment (Ground Floor) from the hospital from having a chest x-ray when he collapsed in my arms just as we entered his apartment.

I'm now having basil cells removed from my face, back, and chest. I'm scheduling another appointment as I noticed a lump near my eye and some crusted skin??

 

[MrTom]

The dressing came off last night while I was sleeping so I took time this morning to do a half-assed job of getting crusted blood off my face. The cancer was the size of a pea in diameter and only a breath thick. They had me laid open pretty good. I can't complain though....its GONE. If you can imagine a pea smack in the middle of that cut on my cheek, that's where the cancer was.

They took two more very small spots off near my ear and that small spot right at the ear was done to have a cell comparison used to be sure the cancer was taken in its entirety.

 

[deerlessbob]

Keep up the good fight!

 

[NatureNick]

Tom, my wife is the palest, whitest, palefaced white skinned gal you could imagine short of albinism and her mother continually goes through what you're facing - so we took it seriously enough for me to change my planned retirement location from southern Colorado to southeastern Iowa to give my Missus a fighting chance. I tell you that so you know I understand how serious this is, and though I don't know you from Adam I wouldn't wish this on anyone and I'll pray for you by name tonight to my loving Creator who I believe hears those who acknowledge His power and love. But in addition to that, I want to thank you for sharing so much information (including a picture) with those of us who spend a lot of time outdoors as hunters, shooters, outdoorsmen in general. It is truly useful to know and understand the risks and possible effects that go with a lot of exposure to the sun's rays! I sincerely hope where your cancer is concerned, you have nothing but better days ahead.

 

[Limbhanger1950]

Tom, I joined this forum late Sept. and was searching posts for cleaning products and saw this post. Sorry to hear you're going through this. I have the same problem but so far just squamous cell detected. Like you, in my youth skin protection was not stressed like it is now. Like NatureNick I will be praying for you. God Bless you and keep you.

 

[MrTom]

Limbhanger....I've had two squamous cell cancer cuts and maybe 30 suspect spots froze before the melanoma showed up. As soon as I noticed the spot [it was under a full beard and thankfully I shaved to go on a cruise] I had it checked and biopsied. The basal celled and squamous celled cancers too can show as a small sore or a crusty patch of skin that's persistent so my advice is to have anything out of the ordinary checked, pronto. My first squamous cell started out as a tiny pimple-like spot that grew to dime sized in two weeks. Ironically we were on another cruise when it really took off.

After learning exactly where this supposedly simple cancer can go, I know its no joke. Unfortunately there are many who think that this "won't happen to me".

Thank both of you for the thoughts and well wishes. I go in a week from today for another screening. Every three months for two years IF I don't have any recurrences. Then every 6 months.

 

[Smyrnagc]

Father I pray for my brother Tom and ask for healing in Jesus name. I ask for a quick healing of his current surgery and peaceful and restful sleep. Thank you Lord that he is compelled to share openly with us of the struggle he is going through so that others might start now with prevention. Amen!

 

[03mossy]

AMEN!

 

[ENCORE50A]

AMEN

 

[HC]

AMEN.

 

[snapbang]

Amen

 

[edmehlig]

I'm praying for you Tom! I just had 10 spots frozen just the other day and a sample of one by my eye was sent to the lab to be biopsied. I'll find out about that on the 25th. Now I just noticed a few more that appeared on my face and one on my nose. Like you said people should not take those crusty spots lightly! The squamous cancer was what contributed to my dads passing two years ago. He let it go too long and the chemo eventually weakened his heart. He died in my arms as we came back from the hospital from having x-rays done on his chest.

 

[mnoland30]

X2 Melanoma is a fast killer. NM is notorious for it. When they find it, they cut a lot out to make sure they got it all. I had it on my earlobe when I was 51. Too much time on the water and on the hunt. Wear a floppy hat. Clothes are much more effective than sunblock. I use a sun seeker hat with a 5" brim. I stiffen the brim with baling wire, so it doesn't flap in the wind. I also put some flexible wire in the back to keep it from flapping. When tied tight it folds down over your ears, and I've kept it on at 52 mph on a jet ski. A hood will fit over it when it is cold, and a wool cap will fit under it as well. If you see anything growing, or discoloring, go see a dermatologist. Our representative to congress from NM died from melanoma because he was too busy to go see his dermatologist. I believe young people spend more time in the sun uncovered because they think sunscreen will protect them. There has been a great upsurge in skin cancer since the '70s. I don't have any short sleeve shirts or pants anymore. I'm dressing like my grandpa. He was right.

 

[SEMAHunter]

Tom, best wishes for a complete recovery. The sun is certainly not your friend. It pays to cover up as much as possible. I also was diagnosed with melanoma on my back several years ago. Thankfully it was stage 0. Then about 6 months later I had something else removed from my chest which would have turned cancerous. A few months later I had a second stage 0 melanoma removed from my forearm. Finally I had a squamous cell cancer removed from my cheek. If you have had a melanoma in addition to the regular skin screening you have, you should inform your siblings to have regular screenings since there is a genetic component to melanoma. I still wear short sleeve shirts - at night.

 

[MrTom]

Thanks guys.

This melanoma stuff is a life changer. Any of the skin cancer is a life changer. I wear UV factor 50 long sleeves almost all of the time but lather up with sunscreen when I have short sleeves on. I will wear shorts when its warm but only inside. When I go outside I have jeans on.

My two daughters have both been well appraised of the importance to getting the screening done on a regular basis. I have another screening this week on Weds.