UK Skin Cancer and Melanoma Patients

[RuthieD]

It wasn't a very good start to the new year for me!!! On Wednesday 31st December I was told that a mole on my right calf which had been removed by my GP before Christmas was MM. I was lucky enough to see a specialist within a week who told me that the MM was 1.1mm, and although the initial results were positive i.e. it looks like my GP removed it all, I would still need to go into hospital for a WLE.

So....I go into hospital on Thursday 22nd for the WLE and the surgeon told me that it's likely I'll need a skin graft because of where the excision is.

I would love to hear from anyone else who has had surgery on their calf, especially if you've had a skin graft - I have all sorts of questions to ask!! Also, has anyone else found it difficult to deal with the fact that they have been told they have 'cancer' but feel physically fine? I find it quite difficult to get my head round !!

Bye for now,
Ruth
x

[Charlotte]

Hi Ruth,

Not the best Christmas present, but try to keep your chin up.

I was diagnosed with a 1.1mm MM from a mole on my back. I found out two weeks before I got married (great way to start your married life). I had a wider excision done just after I came back from my honeymoon which came back all clear.

Well that was in July 2002 and I'm still clear. I have checkups every 3 months and will have for a total of three years. Then I shall have a couple of 6 monthly checkups and then after five years they won't need to see me anymore.

When my doctor told me that the mole he had removed was cancer I was completely shocked. You never think it will happen to you, but unfortunately it does. I was initially very upset and used to have times when I would just burst into tears. Also I was advised that it is not a good idea to get pregnant for two years after being initially diagnosed, which was the biggest blow as we had wanted to start a family as soon as we were married. I felt that I had let my husband down!

Well we have managed to get through all of this and have now decided that we shall start trying for a baby as it is nearly two years.

Another thing to note is whether you have Criticial Illness Cover at all. If you do it might be worth trying to make a claim, especially as it is 1.1mm, the same as mine. I managed to claim and I got my mortgage paid off. Which I know if very lucky and I do feel guilty as I know there are some people worse off than me, but who have not had this cover. Although I would rather have my health than my mortgage paid off!!!

The only other advice is to write down all of your questions that you have for your consultant as when you get there you may forget some of them. I know I did!

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are a friendly and supportive bunch here so if you ever need to have a chat or are having a down day, we're always here!

Best wishes
Charlotte

[snowy]

Hi Ruthie
I had my first MM over 2yrs ago, very worrying at the time, but only had checkups for 1yr. Discovered something else on my back middle of last year and it turned out to be another MM. Thankfully mine have been less than .5mm which I only found out last month, until then I was completely in the dark. Thanks to this group I found out that there was information available to me that I just wasnt getting from the Hospital, so even though they were trying to push me out the door when I last went, I asked and got the information which has now put my mind at rest.
I was really up in the air before Christmas with the not knowing exactly what I had, but even though I have another one which is still inconclusive, I have to say this year I havent given it much thought at all.
I think its worst when you are waiting to have treatment, so I hope it all goes well for you, it can be a very frightening time when you're first diagnosed, especially having nobody to talk to.
Best wishes
Karen

[cathy]

Hi Ruth
sorry you did not have a very good start to the new year, i dont know if you will read this before your WLE i had a WLE to my right calf in march 03 i also had a skin graft i had this done under general anaesthetic. if you want to know more about this please get in touch.
It is difficult as you say coming to terms with the fact that you have cancer and feel so well but after your WLE as it has been caught early i feel you can say you had cancer because it has been removed.
i wish you all the best for tomorrow try not to worry you will be ok.
cathy

[RuthieD]

I’m back home now and wanted to say thank you for your words of support ! I went into hospital as planned last week for the WLE and, much to me surprise, was home within 48 hours!! I had the WLE under general anaesthetic (which I was very relieved about!!) but it ended up being a larger excision than first thought because the surgeon removed a second mole very near the perimeter of the excision site – better to be safe than sorry I guess!!

I have been taking it easy at home since then, and went to the hospital today to have the skin graft looked at by the registrar. I was a little shocked at the ‘hole’ in my leg, but I was assured that the graft had taken well and should look fine in time.

I’m a bit concerned now about the pain associated with the removal of the dressing from my thigh where they took the skin from (due to be removed next week), but I guess I’ll take it one day at a time!!

Once again, thanks for the support – it’s great to be able to speak to others who know what I’m going through.

Take care,
Ruth
xx

[Marta]

Hi Ruth,

Glad to hear everything went well. I'm sure you read all about us in the forum, so I won't bother you by telling you anything about my own experience. Just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery and tell you that if you ever felt down and wanted a chat you could always let me know.
Best of luck,
Marta

[Charlotte]

Hi Ruth,

I'm really please that everything went well. I just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery, so I hope you are sat at home with your feet up relaxing!

Best wishes
Charlotte

[RuthieD]

I've been to the hospital today for my second check up with the registrar since the operation. I was hoping to go and have the dressing on my left leg taken off (where they took the skin graft from) and the bandage on my right leg (over my hole!) removed and replaced for a smaller one.

However, it didn't quite turn out like that!! The dressing/bandage over the skin on my left leg needed to be replaced because it hadn't fully healed yet. And the toe to knee bandage over my right leg was completely replaced because it wasn't healing as quickly as expected .

I didn’t have the guts to look at the ‘hole’ in my leg last week (wimp I know !!), but I plucked up the courage to have a look at it today – because I had another smaller mole removed during the operation, the ‘hole’ is about 1.5 inches wide by about 2.5 inches long….quite big!! It shocked and upset me quite a bit so I think I’ve been at my lowest so far today - the seriousness of it has eventually hit home!

The outcome of today is that I have to have my right leg (the one with the hole) re-dressed every other day and I have an appointment to see an occupation therapist to discuss scar management later in March when my wounds have settled down.

Again, thanks for all your words of support – it helps more than you know - and I'll be in touch again soon!

Ruth
xx

[snowy]

Hi Ruth
I can imagine how shocked you were when you finally saw the site of the operation. My back is still looking shiny and pink and sometimes if I lean on it too long it can feel sore. But going from previous experience, the one on my arm which is now almost 4yrs old is just a little white line. There is still a dip in the skin but its really not that noticeable anymore. I just wanted to put your mind at rest that, although it will take time, it will eventually look and awful lot better.
Dont go thinking you're a wimp. I'm sure we all have down times, for me its when waiting to go in for procedures and when I go for check ups.
Best wishes
Karen

[cathy]

Hi Ruth
you are not a wimp it can be quite a shock when you first see your wound and it brings it all home to you. keep resting when you can, i had to have my wound redressed quite a lot and then i took over and did it myself. I know i was at my lowest soon after my WLE but i kept planning nice things to do. I know it can be hard sometimes but keep smileing and plan some things to look forward to. My scar is nearly a year old and not quite as shocking to look at now, you will come to terms with it it just takes a bit of time.
wish you all the best and send you a hug
cathy

[Matrix101]

Good you had a quick service.
Make sure they are specialists in melanoma and discuss Sentinel node biopsy. see the USA sites for this.

[RuthieD]

It's been a while, but I thought I'd let you know how I'm getting on!

I was finally discharged from hospital a couple of weeks ago by the registrar who was happy with the way my 'hole' and donor site were healing . My hole is also starting to fill out slightly, but as my doctor and others on this site have mentioned, I know it's going to take a long time before it will look anywhere near normal. To put it into perspective, the 'hole' in my right calf is about 7cm x 4.5cm and about 1cm deep at the moment. I'm hoping that it will fill out a little more, but have been warned that I will always have a 'divot' in my leg! A small price to pay to be healthy though I guess!!

I have also had the results back from the WLE - the good news is that the tissue they removed 'showed no evidence' that the melanoma had spread. So my doctor is happy that provided I keep an eye on my lymph nodes and other moles, I just need to continue with the specialist appointments every 3 months.

Sorry to sound like a stuck record, but I want to say a huge thank you for all your words of support - I don't think I could have got through the last 3 months without you!

Ruth
xx