Posts: 2,553
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2012
Reputation:
0
About a month ago I was applying sunscreen for a round of golf when I discovered what felt like a blister on the back of my neck. After a week, it was still there, and I had Claudia look at it. She said, “You're going to the Doctor.”
Doc said he wasn't sure what it was, but he'd remove it and send it to the lab. A week later, he called and said, “You have a melanoma.” He set me up with an immediate appointment with a dermatologist, who decided to excavate the area some more. He removed a divot (lob wedge rather than 9-iron) and stitched me back up. So I now have a “Z for Zorro” scar on the back of my neck!
Today, I went back to have the stitches out and get the final lab results. All clear. They took a couple samples of odd moles but were confident they'd turn up benign.
I have to go back for regular head-to-toe checkups of all my various moles and such, but that's all.
I didn't want to
post here with the first news, as I was positive all would be well. We caught it about as early as it can be caught, and the prognosis was excellent from the start.
Moral: if you find some odd spot on your skin, see your doctor. Immediately.
[signature]
Posts: 15,421
Threads: 1,297
Joined: Feb 2002
Reputation:
11
Glad you are OK Rocky and sound advice. Been there and done that, but the surgery was much more extensive than yours. I should have gone in earlier.
[signature]
Posts: 691
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2015
Reputation:
0
[quote RockyRaab]About a month ago I was applying sunscreen for a round of golf when I discovered what felt like a blister on the back of my neck. After a week, it was still there, and I had Claudia look at it. She said, “You're going to the Doctor.”
Doc said he wasn't sure what it was, but he'd remove it and send it to the lab. A week later, he called and said, “You have a melanoma.” He set me up with an immediate appointment with a dermatologist, who decided to excavate the area some more. He removed a divot (lob wedge rather than 9-iron) and stitched me back up. So I now have a “Z for Zorro” scar on the back of my neck!
Today, I went back to have the stitches out and get the final lab results. All clear. They took a couple samples of odd moles but were confident they'd turn up benign.
I have to go back for regular head-to-toe checkups of all my various moles and such, but that's all.
I didn't want to
post here with the first news, as I was positive all would be well. We caught it about as early as it can be caught, and the prognosis was excellent from the start.
Moral: if you find some odd spot on your skin, see your doctor. Immediately.[/quote]
Glad to hear that all is well and it wasn't worse, skin cancer and weird moles run in my family on my mom's side, both of my mom's sisters have had skin cancer and my mom has had 7 or so moles removed. Whenever I am on the water or out doing yard work I am in long sleeves and pants with my full coverage hat no matter the temperature, I may look like a bit dorky but it's far better than what I could look like with part of my skin removed.
[signature]
Posts: 35,759
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[#0000FF]Glad the results/prognosis are favorable.
I visit my dermatologist once a year for a routine screening...and make special visits whenever I find something "out of the ordinary". No cancerous spots yet but lots of zaps with the mini freezer...and a couple of cautionary removals and lab analyses.
I lost a former friend and fishing buddy to melanoma. He became an Alaskan fishing guide and was exposed to severe sun longer hours every day. The irritating flaky skin and itch on his ears at midseason turned out to be galloping melanoma by the time season was over and he went to the doctor. He didn't last long after that.
I always dose up well with high SPF sunscreen on exposed skin. And I wear protective hats and clothing to cover whatever I can. I was a beach kid in my younger years in California and did enough damage to my skin that I am overly cautious. Too bad we didn't have more good info on the damages caused by the sun when I was younger. Not that I would have paid any attention then.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Posts: 2,553
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2012
Reputation:
0
I'm careful now too, but as the Doc says, it's what we did 50 years go that crops up now.
The purpose for posting is to get people to get anything odd checked - ASAP. Doc said if I had put this off until Christmas, his only advice would have been "Make a will."
[signature]
Posts: 2,043
Threads: 5
Joined: Nov 2005
Reputation:
0
Thanks for reminding everybody. Can't hear too many stories like yours. I go to my dermatologist twice a year. So far, just burn-offs. 35+ years of guiding, fair-skin, "sun tan lotion" and burning as a kid, and yep, I'm high risk.
Don't forget the eyes too. Always wear polarized sunglasses anytime outside. Glaucoma.
I always wear pants, long sleeves, a buff, and a cap. Still have some exposure points though, and those get sun screen before I leave the house.
Have lost several clients to Melanoma over the years. It kills fast. Have anything suspicious checked. Thanks again for the great reminder. Glad you're OK.
This should go on the main board, even though it may not meet the "criteria." No thread is more important or newsworthy.
[signature]
Posts: 280
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2007
Reputation:
0
It's unnerving to have skin cancer taken off. I had some taken off my ear 18 years ago. They are not the least bit conservative when the cut it out either. I was wondering if I was going to have a ear left after they got done.
I had to go up to the Huntsman center for a follow up. They had 18 med students (I kid you not) in a group check me over while I had nothing but my birthday suite on, and yes the room was very cold! They got done looking me over and congradutated me that I didn't have any more suspicious spots. Then they kept talking to me about things for a few minutes and I stopped them and asked "Hey, are you people done checking me over?" And they said "yes". I replied "ok, then either you people need to let me get dressed or all of you need to get naked, cause this is a very uncomfortable conversation for me." They opted to let me get dressed to finish the conversation.
Good to here your cancer free.
[signature]
Posts: 931
Threads: 6
Joined: May 2012
Reputation:
0
[quote RockyRaab] ... So I now have a “Z for Zorro” scar on the back of my neck! ...
[/quote]
... so you started it!
I've been seeing the younger generations full of hardware in their faces and ink "art" permanently in their skin.
AND now they are getting “Z for Zorro” scars. Must have thought you were "cool."
Anyway, I'm glad you are well!
For those who hide from the sun, be sure to supplement vitamin D3 along with vitamin K2-MK7 and calcium in balance with magnesium taken separately.
For those who get plenty of vitamin D from the sun (me), consider those supplements for winter and be sure to take the skin protective antioxidant astaxanthin especially before sun exposure which you should take anyway unless you get plenty from salmon.
[signature]
Posts: 3,884
Threads: 50
Joined: Sep 2007
Reputation:
22
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I'm very glad you're officially good to go. I am not done inviting you to go fishing quite yet.[/#800000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][fishin][/#800000][/font]
[signature]
Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 81 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
"Free men do not ask permission to bear arms."
Posts: 3,129
Threads: 84
Joined: Sep 2007
Reputation:
3
Glad to hear that you got it taken care of early and none left.
[signature]
|
