Cancer head playing with MY head!

Hi, Ladies. I was just sitting here thinking about way too many things and I had the brilliant idea to share this with my wonderful Sisters! Here's the story:

I've had this mole on the back of my shoulder for many years. It's been a classic odd mole, irregular borders, two different colors, etc. It's been there for as long as I can remember although it's look has changed in the last few months. When I had my first visit with my oncologist (after the surgery for ov and uterine cancer), he suggested that I get this mole checked out. Well, I finally got around to doing this a few weeks ago.

My dermatologist agreed that it had to be removed and I had this minor surgical procedure on Tuesday. (BTW, they took out a big chunk of skin!) I'm glad it's gone but now I've got about two weeks to wait before the results are in. My doctor's office will only be calling me if there's a problem. If I don't hear from them, I'll certainly be calling. Frankly, I'm expecting a call... (Do you see what I mean about cancer-head?!)

I've been fine but this stuff weighs heavy on me. It's very subtle; sometimes I do a very good job of keeping myself busy and then, sometimes, cancer-head pops right in.

Well, it is what it is. There's nothing I can do about. I'll just have to sit and wait and (once again) remind myself that I'm in God's hands. That doesn't mean that I don't get scared.

I've heard that a problem shared is a problem halved. Thanks for listening. I'll let everyone know what's going on as soon as I get the results.

God bless us all.

Maureenie,
What did the doctor say about the mole? Dermatologists are usually pretty good at predicting malignancy and what kind of malignancy. If the doctor didn't think it was a melanoma then it probably wasn't.

I had a mole removed a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty sure that it wasn't a problem, based on intenet research. We all know how 'expert' such research can be. The dermatologist said it wouldn't be malignant and he was right. His office called within a few days to tell me it was as he predicted, benign.

My husband has had several moles removed, with the doctor taking wide margins, all basal cell, which the doctor also predicted. No further treatment has ever been needed.

I'd trust what the doctor told you.
They are experts at recognizing problem moles. If he wasn't concerned about it being melonoma, I'll bet it isn't, but I do understand the cancerhead thing.

Hugs,
Janie

Dear Maureenie,

Cancer Head is awful and we all know waiting is the pits. You are doing good to keep yourself busy. If it turns out to be anything then it can be dealt with at that time but I am hoping that it will be benign. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Bertha

Maureenie,

Sounds like Cancerhead is on the loose. It's no doubt good medicine to have that mole removed and checked which is perhaps why the DR wanted to do that. But it doesn't have to be a melanoma.

You'll be in my prayers--and just to reassure you, my 86-yr-old dad has been having facial skin cancers removed for years (I think last year he had the 15th and 16th ones removed, one under general anaesthesia because the DR was convinced it was a melanoma and took wide margins) Every single one has been basal-cell, even the ones that the DR was worried about.

Keep up the spirits and tell Mr. Cancerhead to go bother somebody else.

Blessings.
Marlene

Hi Maureen,

I am hoping that that mole will be nothing with nothing but I can definately relate to your feelings. Just the thought of having to have something biopsied makes our stomachs churn.

On Tuesday I had a big skin tag removed from the side of my neck. It was getting annoying and bigger so I went for it. My doc told me that these are almost never cancerous but that she sends everything to the lab just to be sure. I knew exactly what she meant as she looked at me.

Please let us know how everything turns out.

Rosalie

Hi Maureenie I can understand your meaning of "Cancer Head" I personally am not a "Cancer Head" however my Mom is. She had colon cancer and beat that. She then had a spot on the side of her right temple that was skin cancer. She had that removed. She now panics over each and every ache, pain, spot, blemish, etc...thinking her body has cancer again. I feel bad for her because her fears are robbing her of her quality of life and it also depresses me to no end. I tell her to think positive and hope for the best! I will say a prayer that your gonna be fine

Mention cancerhead and we all know what that's like. Remember, you had it taken care of--and that's the big thing. Instead of waiting more--you had it taken care of. I get the feeling it's benign and I have good leaning feelings.

I had a really bad case of cancerhead two weeks ago, since I'd been having a persistent pain in my right side that seemed to be creeping up a bit. Nothing major, but a persistent tugging and annoying feeling.

My doctor did a full pelvic/rectal, and immediately figured out that it was simply intestine that had wrapped around the little valve that goes from the small to the large intestine. Apparently, this is quite common after major surgery, since your intestines get taken out and then kind of settle wherever they want once they're put back in.

For some reason, I was overcome with cancerhead before he told me that what it was and that it's definitely not cancer. It's apparently very common. And now I know that that tugging pain is just a reminder of what I've been through, and nothing more. I feel so much better!

I hope you will keep us posted on your mole. As others have said, they might have said something if they suspected anything bad. I'm hoping that it's nothing! Glad you went it to get it removed!

s!

I just wanted to post to everyone and first, A BIG THANKS!!!! for all your prayers. It helped me so much just to know I wasn't alone.

Well, I had my stitches taken out this morning. A friend of mine suggested that I ask if the dermatologist's office received any preliminary results. They did, in fact, and one of the practitioners spent a few minutes going over them with me. The mole was NOT cancer! Thank God!

It was "displastic nevi" which seems to be just another way of saying "oddly shaped, unusual, discolored mole that's not cancer." In any event, many doctors consider this type of mole to be a "risk factor" for melanoma. I'll be doing a full body scan at the end of the month and, I suppose, on a regular basis thereafter. That sounds all right to me. Of course, I'm so relieved that it's not another cancer and I am so amazed at how, through these last few weeks, I was almost convinced it was! Talk about cancer-head!

Well, I give myself a few points for "showing up" and getting this thing checked out. I don't have to worry about that little bugger any more.

Thanks again, ladies, for being there for me.

Yay for no cancer! Yay yay yay! I'm so glad you updated us! How wonderful! :-) Many congratulations!