advocate!!!!!

melanoma is never far from my mind . . .  it is the monster  that took the life of the 9TS, 21 days short of a year ago.  the devastation still holds me in its grasp and has damaged our children.

my friend ce(les)te is fighting her own battle.  and winning.  over two years with no evidence of disease.  this is huge.  this is beyond joyful.  it makes my heart swell.  but she is a fighter.  please read her latest post here.  it is important.

if you or someone you know, has melanoma, it is crucial to get help from a melanoma specialist from the get go.

when the 9TS was finally diagnosed after two doctors 'wait and see' attitude, our insurance refused to cover a referral to either Moffitt or Shands.  even when the first Moh's surgery was performed, he was sewn together by a plastics guy with no knowledge of melanoma. the toe was not large enough to get the required marginal clearance. it should have been removed.  when it came back . . . of course it came back . . . we were finally granted permission to go to Moffitt.  but even as the sentinel nodes in his groin showed no activity, the cells were already in transit from his toe.  no one knew.  removing his toe was very much like closing the barn door after the horses had left.  we were lucky the next tumors were 'caught' in the web of scar tissue from the node biopsy.  all of the nodes were removed this time.  next it popped it's ugly head up in his right lung . . . lower lobe.  a resection was performed, but the cancer seeded on the way out.  seven years from the start, the last scans showed lungs full of tumors, activity in the brain and liver.  the 9TS passed away two days later.  yes, i am leaving out the trials, and the Yervoy and the tests and the weeks of radiation . . .

my point is, if you are diagnosed with melanoma, find a specialist.  educate yourself.  ask those questions.  get a second opinion.  fight for your life.  just do it.

my deepest thanks to Les, who keeps my faith and gives me hope.  she is my hero.  her strength is amazing.  she is a fighter.  she is winning.  follow her example.