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[Tony C.]

LadyHawke, like I said, my father in law has skin cancer. I don't know exactly what his treatments are, but he says  "They cut it out, and stick me in a microwave for a few minutes, and its over".... :shock: ...You're still in my prayers............. :wink:

[Sian]

Ladyhawke you will be in my thoughts tomorrow.

Please let us know what is happening as soon as you can. Thats if you want to I mean!

Thinking of you!

[Ladyhawke04008]

Thanks Tony C.~ I like how your father-in-law keeps it simple and to the point!   :wink: It does take a bit of the fear off the unknown.
I'm really hoping I don't have to have the chemo coolattas. But if I do...then I do.
I never had radiation, so there's a first time for everything!
I hope he continues to be well, he sounds like he's quite the guy.  :wink:
Sian~ You're a sweetheart.  
I'll post Friday night, so you can read another installment of "As the mole turns..."
Thanks for the encouragement you two!  \/

[Ladyhawke04008]

I finally have a chance to write. Saw my oncologist, one of the reasons I wanted to see her was she was able to use her "clout" to get me in much quicker to see a skin specialist, because of my history with breast cancer.
Said the mole "punched" removed was pre-cancerous.
Looks like the area was confined and had not spread, but because of my history with breast cancer, more of that area, and others should be removed and tested to be on the safe side.
I'll be seeing a dermatologist in a couple of weeks for either a totally body scan or more of the removal. Not too sure, I'll have to call to find out. She said that for a body check they look EVERYWHERE for moles and such.  Joy.... They even go so far as to hit a dryer to your hair to see if there are any moles or marks on your scalp.
I'll also be having a mamagram for the remaining breast done in a couple of weeks, since my body is doing "funny things" as she put it.
What "funny things"?, I asked. "Well, like getting pre-cancerous moles."
DOH!  #-o  
So, at least things are in motion, and early detection always gives you alittle bit advantage in taking care of these things.

{I ended that day going to a James Taylor concert. Always been a fan, but had never seen him in in concert. It was awesome! A man who still has alot of rock and roll and blues in his soul!
For me, music has always been something I turn to especially when things aren't going so well. He comes across as being a little shy, but has a very quick wit. He was telling us how one of his songs that he wrote, "had been written while he'd been abroad for a year"
He then stopped and started to laugh, as did the audience, because of the way it sounded. I automatically pictured him dressed up like a woman, much like so many Monty Python skits where the men dress up as women, bad wigs and all. (I would donate them mine, but it wouldn't be as funny as theirs.)
It was nice to laugh and listen to some great music, after a stressful time, and it also magnified the realization that people have so much power in making one another feel so much better.
Either through sharing their music or people just sharing their personal stories and support like you all do on this site.}

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"~ George Eliot
Thanks to EVERYONE HERE for making my life a little less difficult!
It WAS and IS a HUGE COMFORT!   \/

[Sian]

Right ....pre-cancerous, does that mean that there is a possibility that if the mole is left to develop it could turn into skin cancer?

I have been trying to find information on this topic, so I understand a bit more but I am still confused!

I have to say, if I am right in what pre-cancerous means you seem very upbeat and happy, you're normal self! I think you are so brave Ladyhawke. I really really admire you for your strength because I know if I ever had to face something like this I would be in bits.

We learned the other day that my friends brother, who is 26, starts his chemotherapy on Monday. He took a bad lot of cocaine last year and landed himself in a coma. While they were testing him they found that he had a cancer....I'm not entirely sure where it resides. He's very happy and normal, and although his family are devastated he is still cheery and getting on with his life. Doctors say that the fact that he is still in high spirits is encouraging.

I want to tell my friend about you Ladyhawke, she needs some support and I really think that your strength and determination would boost her a bit. Do you mind?

[Ladyhawke04008]

Hi Sian!~
From what my oncologist said, if a mole is found the be pre-cancerous than the notion is that if it is left alone it will develope into cancer.
That was why I was so upset when I found out that if you have any cancer in the body, hormone pills are like fertilizer to it.
I had pre-cancerous cells in the cervic THREE times in the past! Twice was treated in the office and once in surgery with a laser. Then  about 8 years ago, I did find a lump in my chest . when I went into the doctors office to have it removed it couldn't be found.
I was told that "we" would keep an eye on it.
I strongly believe that having that kind of medical history, I NEVER should have been put on hormone pills! This information was the reason I wanted to post about this, so that other people would know, and question their doctors.

I hope your friend's brother will respond well to the chemo. He is in my thoughts and prayers. A great attitude helps! That's where support of family and friends can make a huge difference! There is also alot of "meditation" if you will. I had to do this to get comfortable with the chance that I was going to have to do chemo again radiation or both.
Sian, you'd be surprised what you challenges life can throw at you, and the strength you find within yourself and the strength you draw from others who are helping you through it.
Although, I believe you have kids. That was one thing, and that is a HUGE thing, I didn't have to worry about, so that certainly made it easier on me. I was with someone at the time who have 3 kids, but it wasn't like I was there biological Mother.
But again, that's where family and friends help you out.
I was given an anti nausea drug through my IV tube before they gave me my chemo. After the 3rd one, and being so sick, we questioned maybe the anti nausea drug was what I was having such a bad reaction too, it was. So, if you hear they are having a hard time with chemo, you may want to pass that info along.

I have been very lucky. My cancer only took a breast. Not an arm, a leg, etc. That would have made coping harder. I still have my dark days, I still have future moles that will have to be removed and tested, but for now, I just want to focus on what I know for sure. So far it's pre-cancerous, and it seems to be in one area and has not spread, I can deal with that!

If you think telling your friend about me, might help her in some way, please do!
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your friends, Sian.
Thanks for writing and hope you have a great weekend! :mrgreen:

[Rapunzel's Wish]

Ladyhawke, so glad you hear that you got some semi-good news...good being your mole was pre-cancerous, as opposed to cancerous. It sucks that you will have to have more moles tested, but I'm so glad the doctor sounds like they want to be thorough. That's good news too!
So keep your spirits up, ( I love your sence of humour, just the right kind of medicine!), and know that everyone on Opacity is here for you!
(So cool that you got to see James Taylor!  - Like you said, Just what the doctor ordered!)

 ~Rapunzel's Wish

[Kadee]

So keep your spirits up, ( I love your sence of humour, just the right kind of medicine!), and know that everyone on Opacity is here for you!

Well put RW.   Ladyhawke you keep your chin up girl, you have the best attitude ever

[Ladyhawke04008]

Thank you so much Rapunzel's Wish and Kadee for such a nice compliment!  :mrgreen:  I had heard the phrase once said by a cancer survivor, "If you don't laugh, you cry." At the time, I had never had cancer, but I had thought that that phrase could go with dealing with pretty much anything in life. That motto is really how I deal with all this. Oh, I cry, but not until I REALLY have to! Going to have some more moles removed the 6th and 8th of September! I'll feel a little better about it all if those are like this last one removed. "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I don't think it can get any better than this!!!!!  \/  \/  \/  \/

You know, a friend at work has had her little grandson spend over a year dealing with cancer. At one point they thought it was gone, but soon it showed up again. He's a little trooper. Called his chemo "Juice". Only 4 years old when it first happened. He now seems cured and will have started his first day of school today!  He's actually fighting with his Mom right now, because he wants to stay bald! LOL! His Mother says "No Way!" His GrandMother keeps encouraging him through phone calls to keep at her about it, she'll break!
I can't imagine what it must be like for a little four year old to go through something like that. He had to be kept in isolation that whole time. It just goes to show, that it doesn't matter what kind of cancer or whatever kind of sickness that you might be going through, when you have family and friends, that is what helps you get through.  Sometimes THAT is the best medicine in the world that money could never buy!...A HUGE collection of Johnny Depp movies doesn't hurt either!  :mrgreen:

[Kadee]

 I can't imagine what it must be like for a little four year old to go through something like that.  :

It is always so sad to hear of a child struck with such an aweful disease, but  kids are so resiliant, they just go with the flow.  I wish as an adullt I could deal with  things  with the "whatever" attitude of a child.  When my oldest was 11 she was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvneile Diabetes.  She was a very sick little girl when she went into the hospital, but when she came out she was like- yeah I got Diabetes, I have to do this, this, and this and on with her life she went like nothing was wrong   Kids are amazing when it comes to coping with things we as adults  can be devistated by.

[Ladyhawke04008]

Kadee~ I'm so glad yourdaughter has such a great attitude dealing with what she has! It must have been Hell for you to have to watch her go through such a hard time, but you must be SO PROUD to see how she is handling it! She sounds AWESOME!   :mrgreen:
Give yourself a pat on the back too! The people that are around you can have a GREAT influence on how you choose to handle things that life can throw at you!  

One good thing about having breast cancer, (did I write that?),is that it has shown those who I work with, and those that I know, that having it doesn't mean it's an automatic "death sentence."

On the news years ago, there was a story about a child that had cancer. They did a story about them and they showed their classmates, I think the teacher too.
ALL of them had shaved ALL the hair off their heads so their friend wouldn't be bald alone! LOLOL!   \/
The thought of that story still makes me cry. It's such a true testament of what others will do to help lessen anothers pain.
They couldn't make their friend better, but they wanted them to know that they weren't going to go through this alone.  O:)
You're right, Kadee, kids ARE amazing!  Whether sick or not, they have a way of touching our hearts when we need it the very most! :mrgreen:

[Ladyhawke04008]

So here is the latest. My mamagram came back negative. YAY!  \/
Just wanted to warn you. The rest might gross some people out if you have a sensitive stomach, so you may want to turn back now.

My PCP removed or should I say "punched" two more moles on my back.
The process removes the mole and some of the area below it.
It's a cylinder shaped piece of your skin that is removed.
The same width of like the head of a ball point pen.
First though, you have to have one or however many shots, to numb the area. I now know after I had that first one removed that it's not the needle that hurts, its the fah-reaking medicine that causes me the pain!  :shock:
Although this is where my mind plays tricks on me.
Now that I know its the medicine and NOT the needle that is causing me pain, it doesn't bother me like it first did. Go figure.  :-k Of course, I also know what to expect, since I've now had it done before.
To a point, pain can sometimes be more of a mental thing than physical thing. At least for me.

The Dr. picked out two more moles that looked alot like the other one that was pre-cancerous. When she was done, I asked to see the two moles that she removed from my back. Ewwwwwww. It actually reminded me of a movie where I saw a worm in a bottle of tequilla. (Sorry, I bet I just slayed that word.) Because it looks like a little worm.
The Dr. and assistant found that amusing, and said they had never thought of it before, but yes, it did look like that.

A couple days later, I went to a dermatoligist to have more of the skin removed where the first pre-cancerous mole was first found and had been "punched".
They numbed it and when done, I asked to see that also.
She had commented that I might actually lose a little weight with this removal.
I told her "Then in that case she could remove ALL my moles."
 :lol: All joking aside though, I was quite stunned  :shock: ("HOLY CRAP!")to see how large the size of the skin was that she removed. Quite thick also.
It was like a shape of a lemon wedge you might get in a glass of water.
There was ALOT of bruising, but I recieved the good news yesterday that the area that she removed did not have any pre-cancerous cells at all.
WAH-HOOOOOOO!  :mrgreen:

I'm still waiting to hear about the results from the two that were removed last week. But, for right now, things are looking pretty good!  

[Jude]

Ladyhawke,  that is such great news!       Congrats hon!

Ma

[Ladyhawke04008]

Thanks Ma!  :mrgreen:
The stress clouds that have been hanging over my head have broken up a bit.
Wah-hoooooooooooooooooooooo!  \/
I had noticed that people seem to be checking this thread out, so last night I thought I'd give a little update. :wink:

[Ladyhawke04008]

Okay, scrap the happy happy joy joy.
I thought since I hadn't heard from the dr. and would be seeing her later this week, my results must have been okay....NOT! #-o
Apparently the Can of Cer don't like when you jump to happy conclusions.
Dr. called and said that one mole on the back was fine the other isn't. Gonna have to do the "lemon wedge" procedure again.
"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeee! \/
It's time to make a date with Ben AND Jerry!  :wink: