A few weeks ago I was brushing my hair when I felt a deep, sharp pain near my left collar bone. I looked into the mirror and realized my hairbrush had scraped against a mole on my collar bone. Yikes! I've had the mole forever but never thought anything of it until now, really. After inspecting it further I noticed a strange border forming around the rim of the mole. It was an oddly shaped discoloration that I had never noticed before. After WedMDing all the symptoms and signs of melanoma and cancerous moles, I found a dermatologist near my apartment and made an appointment.
Well I just got back from the visit and I am feeling at least somewhat relieved. The doctor removed the mole (I had to get a shot, ewww!) and they are sending it out for a biopsy. I will know in two weeks whether it is cancerous. I was so thrown off by the whole procedure that I sort of had trouble listening to all the details of what's to come, but I know that I will be getting a phone call from the doctor in two weeks with either good or bad news.
Looking back I seriously am SO stupid for never wearing sunscreen and for going fake tanning. Why risk it? I am so freaked out right now that I am definitely going to become one of those women who wears big floppy hats in the sun and constantly reapplies sunscreen. It's the only way to stay safe! In the meantime, please keep your fingers crossed that I get a phone call with only good news!
2 years ago
14 comments:
Praying for you! I know how scary that is. My dad has a form of skin cancer that is non-carcinogenic (or not "killing" cancer necessarily) but it is the result of sun damage and now after 20 years of treatments has left all the skin above his waist pot-marked. My mother, a sun-worshipper, has no trace of skin cancer. You never can tell. Don't beat yourself up yet!
I worked at a dermatology office last summer and they send everything out for biopsy. Just because they send it out doesn't necessarily mean its cancer! Its definitely better to get it sent out and checked out than to let it sit, so you certainly did the right thing!
Very scary!! Best wishes for good news. It is hard to remember to stay out of the sun when it just feels so darn good.
I will really pray for you! Hang in there and think good thoughts. Light a candle or something . :)
Oh goodness! I will be thinking about you and I will be praying that everything comes back all good! :) You are a strong and beautiful woman...I know everything will be ok!
just started to read your blog, but i love it.
definitely thinking good thoughts for you. skin cancer is terrifying, but good for you for going in asap.
I go every six months b/c I'm so freaked out. I regret ever thinking it was worth being tan. WebMD freaks me out because with everything they tell me I have cancer and because of that my doctor hates me :)
I'm sure you will be just fine.
After seeing my mom go through melanoma, I'm one of those big hat geeks, too...my aunt was ALWAYS that way - now she's almost 50 and looks like she's 35. It's AMAZING. I think I'd rather "suffer" now and thank myself later!
I am right there with you on wishing I wore sunscreen and a hat. I suffer from melasma and it sucks. I'll be praying for you! I'm sure it is fine. But taking precaution like you did is the best step!
I read your blog because we have so much in common- both originally from Mass, both 1L's in the south, both in love of all things preppy... and now this!
I've had four moles removed in the past six months and used to be a die hard fake baker. One came back moderately pre-cancerous, one mild, and two normal. Here's the deal:
If it's normal you don't need to do anything else.
If it's mildly precancerous you just have to keep an eye out that it doesn't come back.
If it's moderate to severe you will have to go back and have a larger margin taken out. They will numb you locally again, cut a 1 to 2 inch margin around the original spot, and cauderize and stitch you back up. Then they send that to make sure they got it all.
Whatever the outcome, I'm glad that you are taking care of your skin now!
It's definitely no fun, but ya live and ya learn, right?
woops you're not in the south... well the other stuff anyway! (I used to live in the Philly area too...)
fingers crossed that you get good news! i need to be better about sunscreen and it's stories like this that help everyone realize that!
have a great week!
boopiegiles.blogspot.com
thinking about you!
oo... scary. Sunscreen is good too because it keeps wrinkles away. So, that can be the silver lining?
hope you get good news when the results some back!
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