New Realizations

Based on my experiences with fighting melanoma, and now with a friend going through her own battle with cancer, here are a few tips. For those just starting this battle, do let friends, family, and neighbors know of your needs. Holding in the tears and fears just means that the time for them to be released will have to be later. Do reach out for help. Do realize that a support group or counselor might be an important part of your healing process. It doesn't mean that you're not a strong, independent person. It just means that you shouldn't go into battle alone - it takes an army to defeat cancer, and melanoma is more than just skin deep!

Two-Year Milestone

This month's 6-month checkup signified a 2-year milestone since treatment ended and remission started. This morning I got the all-clear from my oncologist. She said that the chances of recurrence decrease each year I'm cancer-free. I still have to go back in 6 months for a checkup, but I won't need a CAT scan unless my blood work warrants one. Yay! Now my sights are on the 5-year milestone!

I still have to see my dermatologist every 4 months (which I'm trying to extend to 6 months), but I don't have to see my surgeon for a year. I'm seeing the benefits of that one awful month of intensive interferon treatment!!

Another good six month checkup

Keep them coming is what I say! I made the round of doctor visits again - surgeon, dermatologist, oncologist - and all is clear. I must admit that I was a bit concerned because the oncologist's office usually calls me with the CT scan results prior to my visit, but didn't this time. Of course, we had a blizzard in there and I'm sure that didn't help with getting the call made. However, I kept expecting the good news phone call and didn't get it. On top of that, I told the surgeon about the deep pain (as in location, not severity) I've been having in my thigh. He suspects nerve regeneration (since I'm still numb from the middle of my knee on up), but wasn't really sure. He said he would write a note to my oncologist. Luckily, the bloodwork and scan looked fine.

On Monday I began a couch to 5K training program. I need to lose weight and get fit. I promised myself I would do this after the interferon treatment and did for awhile, but slowly slid back into my old ways. The work schedule and doctoral dissertation work keep me pretty sedentary, but are really no excuse for my inability to find 30 minutes out of an entire day to get my body moving. So, the couch to 5K seems doable so far, and 30 minutes a day is certainly reasonable to get me started. At my next round of checkups in six months, I hope to be lighter and in much better shape.