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I wanted to take a moment to send out a message to those who are new to the world of cancer... or even to those who are STILL here, fighting the beast! While melanoma comes with some HORRIBLE statistics.... it can be beaten! 6 years ago I was fighting for my life. I had a doctor tell me to go home. I had another tell me he'd try to save my life, and he did! My family and I went through hell as the medicine fought the multiple lesions in my lungs, the subcutaneous tumor on my abdomen, and in the massive 16 cm tumor in left axillary lymph nodes. Left untreated, I had 4-6 months to live.
I know you are scared as hell, I know you cry at night when everyone else is asleep. It is hard to be brave all the time. I know you feel pain every time your port is accessed... and some nurses are better at it than others and you end up feeling like a pin cushion for all the blood draws. I know you worry beyond words about how your family will deal with your death if you do not survive. I know....Some days are harder than others and allow yourself time to be still and quiet. There is no easy way to fight melanoma or any cancer. It is painful. I remember one drug felt like pins and needles as it entered my veins... another we nicknamed "shake and bake" for the fever I developed while on it.
Fighting cancer is serious business!
PLEASE KNOW that I AM here praying for you!! I am painting more ANGELS to send off and WOULD love to mail you one!
There are so many new medicines approved for treating melanoma and more and more people are BEATING THIS UGLY DISEASE! Just know, for what it is worth, there are those of us who have been there and we are here... and we are praying... and we understand. This is a photo of my Mom and I during treatments. I had 22 day treatment cycles, and this was the 18th or 19th day after one of the five of 5 treatments... and I actually felt like going out and eating for a friend's birthday party.
HUG each other and cherish one another.
