I’m compelled to share this story because it could save someone’s life. No one is immune to this and living a healthy life is too important to put this on the back burner. This is a preventable disease! If you read anything on this blog, let it be this.
My Personal Story:
In November 2009, I went to the doctor for a physical to make sure I was healthy ( a well check). While there, I had her examine a spot under my arm that I thought was worth looking at. She said it looked fine and was nothing to worry about. Then last year October 2010, while in Hawaii, it caught my eye again and it just didn’t sit right with me because it looked larger. At my baby doctor appointment, I asked my OB/GYN to look at it. She said it looked fine. I made a mental note to moniter it but soon forgot about it because two doctors had now told me it was fine. Two weeks ago on our little anniversary getaway to San Antonio, it caught my eye again when I put my swimsuit on and it just didn’t sit right with me. I promised Scott I would get it checked out by my friend whom is a dermatologist when we got back. She squeezed me in because I was worried about it and thought it looked okay but I told her to remove it anyway because I didn’t want to continue to worry about it. She removed it and said everything will be fine and not to worry. A week later (this past Friday), the results were in and it came back with a “severe” rating by the pathologists for turning into Melanoma skin cancer. In case you aren’t familiar with Melanoma, it is a very dangerous skin cancer that will spread throughout your body and can be difficult to cure. Though it is considered a rare cancer, it is becoming increasingly more common. My dermatologist/friend told me that a rating of severe (severe is SCARY) means it could have turned into Melanoma in a matter of weeks or possibly a couple of years. Words cannot explain how unbelievably grateful I am to have had it removed and tested. I feel incredibly blessed! I knew in my heart something wasn’t right. God kept whispering that it wasn’t good and though all the doctors thought it was okay, I listened to him! I went in this past week and we removed more tissue just to be safe. Most people, including me, put things off because we get busy, especially with children and work. If something seems off, take action even if your doctor thinks it is fine. I can assure you, there is a reason it seems off.
At 31 years old, you wouldn’t think that it could happen to you. My motivation for getting it removed was so that it didn’t turn bad in 20 years. Little did I realize that it was much worse than I could have imagined. I have olive complexion, very rarely burn, and it was in a spot that gets very little sun. However, when I was young, I never wore sunscreen and I spent many summers as a life guard sitting out in the full sun.
I’m sharing this because melanoma is rare but skin cancer is not. I’d take a scar anyday over cancer!
Love This Life 