It started with a physical, physicians assistant (she is so awesome and so is my company for requiring I get a physical) mole on back that was very small but had an unusual shape, pa set up the derm appointment (she did not want me to wait) got al call form derm, you have melanoma! and we are referring you to md anderson. fortunately I live in Houston! Forgive me in advance for incorrect spelling or terminology, Had the surgery septmeber 2011 and margins clear but 2 tested lymph nodes positive, go back for second surgery to remove all lymph nodes under armpit and 2 more positive for melanoma, so radiation time and why not give the melonama clinical trial vacine a try, then next skin check (chest) shows some new spots (both are totally different and it's probably nothing but let's do a biopsy of both to be sure, big time bummer they both are melanoma and let's get a mammogram too. The mammogram leads to a ultrasound of chest and a bisposy of another glowing lymph node, it's melanoma. so I'm given a choice il2 or surgery ( we can cherry pick any unusual spots) and remove the bad lymph node. heck, I chose the cherry picking. so surgery shows most spots to be melanoma, 5 out of seven I think, fast forward for next follow up visit and dang more spots, melanoma of course, so now it's time for the kitchen sink, il2, I took 7 doses over 2 rounds and dang another spot! No more cherry picking. Now it's time for ippi and temodar. So as I am taking the ippi and temodar, I think I went 3 rounds, I feel a lump in my breast, crap again, it's melanoma. The most wonderful thing through all of this is my scans are clear no organs or brain, but now instead of it being on my skin i've got a lump that is growing like a weed, so now it's time to try venafurenib, I am braf positive and chemo (carboplatin and paxclataxol), so awesome right away I can feel my lump shrinking, lost my hair and 10 pounds, which the pounds are a bonus. Fast forward 6 rounds months later, chemo had to be lowered twice cause of pesky platelets and low whites and reds, and shoot but it feels like my lump is growing (it never did go away), and yes scan confirms, so now I have been on the new braf inhibitor and mek inhibitor (novartis) for over 1 month and lump and new lumps have shrunk and some have gone away, and through it all I am so dang thankful to have had all these options, and I will keep fighting until one works, if I had this 4 years ago I, I would have run out of options. Every day is a great day!!!!!!
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