newly diagnosed

This is good advice.  Here is the link to what the anonymous poster above is talking about:

http://melanomainternational.org/events-webinar/patient-experience-video/#.U6LQFbEgut0

You may also want to take a look at some of the past webinars on MIF:

http://melanomainternational.org/events-webinar/past-webinars/

You are at a very tough spot right now because all the information can be so overwhelming and unfortunately you don't always have the benefit of time on your side before needing to make some important tough decisions about your treatment options.  Here's a few suggestions I have for you.

1) If it is at all possible get to a cancer center that has a specialist in the field of melanoma and don't hesitate to get 2nd opinions.

2) Start keeping a good heath record for yourself.  All scans, pathology, dr. Reports, etc…  You may find yourself needing to go from facility to facility and if you have all your records it makes that process much easier and more importantly quicker.

3) Create a profile here and fill in your health history.  The corporate knowledge on this site is incredible and only second to the generous and caring people that go out of there way to offer their experiences and advice.  Get engaged here and it will be a tremendous asset to you in your fight.

4) I recommend you look closely at clinical trial options.  It can be tough to navigate the clinical trial process but myself and many on this website will tell you that a clinical trial is often your best option.

5) Stay positive.  I recommend the book "Anti-cancer, A New Way of Life".  It's a great book for getting you in the right frame of mind for the challenge you are about to face.  There are many success stories on this website and many with what you describe or even worse.  You may not get many responses because although some of those folks still login occasionally they aren't on here everyday like those of us that are still in the daily fight.  You can throw the survival statistics you read on the internet out the window because it's a new world as far as melanoma goes.  The treatments that are available now are giving hope where only a few short years ago there really wasn't a whole lot of hope. 

Brian

This is good advice.  Here is the link to what the anonymous poster above is talking about:

http://melanomainternational.org/events-webinar/patient-experience-video/#.U6LQFbEgut0

You may also want to take a look at some of the past webinars on MIF:

http://melanomainternational.org/events-webinar/past-webinars/

You are at a very tough spot right now because all the information can be so overwhelming and unfortunately you don't always have the benefit of time on your side before needing to make some important tough decisions about your treatment options.  Here's a few suggestions I have for you.

1) If it is at all possible get to a cancer center that has a specialist in the field of melanoma and don't hesitate to get 2nd opinions.

2) Start keeping a good heath record for yourself.  All scans, pathology, dr. Reports, etc…  You may find yourself needing to go from facility to facility and if you have all your records it makes that process much easier and more importantly quicker.

3) Create a profile here and fill in your health history.  The corporate knowledge on this site is incredible and only second to the generous and caring people that go out of there way to offer their experiences and advice.  Get engaged here and it will be a tremendous asset to you in your fight.

4) I recommend you look closely at clinical trial options.  It can be tough to navigate the clinical trial process but myself and many on this website will tell you that a clinical trial is often your best option.

5) Stay positive.  I recommend the book "Anti-cancer, A New Way of Life".  It's a great book for getting you in the right frame of mind for the challenge you are about to face.  There are many success stories on this website and many with what you describe or even worse.  You may not get many responses because although some of those folks still login occasionally they aren't on here everyday like those of us that are still in the daily fight.  You can throw the survival statistics you read on the internet out the window because it's a new world as far as melanoma goes.  The treatments that are available now are giving hope where only a few short years ago there really wasn't a whole lot of hope. 

Brian

This is good advice.  Here is the link to what the anonymous poster above is talking about:

http://melanomainternational.org/events-webinar/patient-experience-video/#.U6LQFbEgut0

You may also want to take a look at some of the past webinars on MIF:

http://melanomainternational.org/events-webinar/past-webinars/

You are at a very tough spot right now because all the information can be so overwhelming and unfortunately you don't always have the benefit of time on your side before needing to make some important tough decisions about your treatment options.  Here's a few suggestions I have for you.

1) If it is at all possible get to a cancer center that has a specialist in the field of melanoma and don't hesitate to get 2nd opinions.

2) Start keeping a good heath record for yourself.  All scans, pathology, dr. Reports, etc…  You may find yourself needing to go from facility to facility and if you have all your records it makes that process much easier and more importantly quicker.

3) Create a profile here and fill in your health history.  The corporate knowledge on this site is incredible and only second to the generous and caring people that go out of there way to offer their experiences and advice.  Get engaged here and it will be a tremendous asset to you in your fight.

4) I recommend you look closely at clinical trial options.  It can be tough to navigate the clinical trial process but myself and many on this website will tell you that a clinical trial is often your best option.

5) Stay positive.  I recommend the book "Anti-cancer, A New Way of Life".  It's a great book for getting you in the right frame of mind for the challenge you are about to face.  There are many success stories on this website and many with what you describe or even worse.  You may not get many responses because although some of those folks still login occasionally they aren't on here everyday like those of us that are still in the daily fight.  You can throw the survival statistics you read on the internet out the window because it's a new world as far as melanoma goes.  The treatments that are available now are giving hope where only a few short years ago there really wasn't a whole lot of hope. 

Brian