Candy88186

I have had two melanomas, one in 87 and one in 92...
My first one was irregular border, black and brown.
The second one didn't fit the melanoma mold at all,
a little bigger than a pin head and very black with a
lump under it...My dermatogogist didn't think it was
anything and he said if it will make you feel better I
will take it off. He took it off and three days later
called me and told me it was melanoma.

When I had my first one I didn't have anyone much to
talk to as no one seemed to know much about melanoma.
I went to three doctors before the third one took it off. One of those doctors was a dermatologist.

I have been lucky as with the Lords help I found them
myself and they were removed before becoming evasive.

There are five levels, mine were two....To determine
the levels they measue how deep they are into the skin.
If they are small more than likely they are a low level. Most times they are fine when the doctor goes
in and does the football surgery which is an incision
about three inches long. They want to make sure they
get all the cancer cells.

I didn't have to take radiaiton or chemo as they were
not evasive....

The prognosis is very good when detected early.

God bless

[edited to remove email address, as per the board guidelines,
please do not post contact information. Thanks!]

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 06-23-2002).]