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Thank you Celeste.  I've spent many hours over the last couple of weeks reading the history of your journey with melanoma.   You have such a great amount of courage and your story is so inspirational.  Congrats on remaining NED for so many years!   I've never enjoyed working out or excercising but after reading your story, you've even motivitated me to get moving a bit more:)

Thank you Celeste.  I've spent many hours over the last couple of weeks reading the history of your journey with melanoma.   You have such a great amount of courage and your story is so inspirational.  Congrats on remaining NED for so many years!   I've never enjoyed working out or excercising but after reading your story, you've even motivitated me to get moving a bit more:)

Thank you Celeste.  I've spent many hours over the last couple of weeks reading the history of your journey with melanoma.   You have such a great amount of courage and your story is so inspirational.  Congrats on remaining NED for so many years!   I've never enjoyed working out or excercising but after reading your story, you've even motivitated me to get moving a bit more:)

Artie – thanks for the reply.  You are correct and it wasn't stage iv until the lung diagnosis.  He does not see a melanoma specialist.  I suggested this several months ago but he wasn't interested.  He lives in a small town in a rural area and has an hour drive to the closest cancer center.  He doesn't want to travel any further than the hour (frustrating for a daughter:().  We lost my mother to colon cancer 6 years ago at the age of 62.  LIving through that and seeing that living longer isn't always the right choice (quality vs quantity).  My dad was also diagnosed with aggressive prostrate cancer the year my mother passed away.  He did radiation for that and has remained clear.

His cancer did test positive for the BRAF gene.  The doctor discussed the tafinlar mekenist combo pills as an option.  But, she told him they would change his quality of life.  And, that a lot of people can't even continue on them due to the side effects.  And, then once you fail on those pills, you move to the next option.  The doctor was honest with Dad about the side effects which are good but it also has him scared of treatments..especially when he's feeling good.

Thank you for sharing your success story and I'm so glad the treatments are working for you.  It seems like the real advances to melanoma over the last few years are so promising. Maybe Dad will decide he wants to fight it but I think he's scared and doesn't want the cancer drugs do to him what happened to my mom. 

Thank you,

Melissa

Artie – thanks for the reply.  You are correct and it wasn't stage iv until the lung diagnosis.  He does not see a melanoma specialist.  I suggested this several months ago but he wasn't interested.  He lives in a small town in a rural area and has an hour drive to the closest cancer center.  He doesn't want to travel any further than the hour (frustrating for a daughter:().  We lost my mother to colon cancer 6 years ago at the age of 62.  LIving through that and seeing that living longer isn't always the right choice (quality vs quantity).  My dad was also diagnosed with aggressive prostrate cancer the year my mother passed away.  He did radiation for that and has remained clear.

His cancer did test positive for the BRAF gene.  The doctor discussed the tafinlar mekenist combo pills as an option.  But, she told him they would change his quality of life.  And, that a lot of people can't even continue on them due to the side effects.  And, then once you fail on those pills, you move to the next option.  The doctor was honest with Dad about the side effects which are good but it also has him scared of treatments..especially when he's feeling good.

Thank you for sharing your success story and I'm so glad the treatments are working for you.  It seems like the real advances to melanoma over the last few years are so promising. Maybe Dad will decide he wants to fight it but I think he's scared and doesn't want the cancer drugs do to him what happened to my mom. 

Thank you,

Melissa

Artie – thanks for the reply.  You are correct and it wasn't stage iv until the lung diagnosis.  He does not see a melanoma specialist.  I suggested this several months ago but he wasn't interested.  He lives in a small town in a rural area and has an hour drive to the closest cancer center.  He doesn't want to travel any further than the hour (frustrating for a daughter:().  We lost my mother to colon cancer 6 years ago at the age of 62.  LIving through that and seeing that living longer isn't always the right choice (quality vs quantity).  My dad was also diagnosed with aggressive prostrate cancer the year my mother passed away.  He did radiation for that and has remained clear.

His cancer did test positive for the BRAF gene.  The doctor discussed the tafinlar mekenist combo pills as an option.  But, she told him they would change his quality of life.  And, that a lot of people can't even continue on them due to the side effects.  And, then once you fail on those pills, you move to the next option.  The doctor was honest with Dad about the side effects which are good but it also has him scared of treatments..especially when he's feeling good.

Thank you for sharing your success story and I'm so glad the treatments are working for you.  It seems like the real advances to melanoma over the last few years are so promising. Maybe Dad will decide he wants to fight it but I think he's scared and doesn't want the cancer drugs do to him what happened to my mom. 

Thank you,

Melissa

Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I totally agree…cancer sucks and it's so hard now to see both my parents faced with it.  It's reassuring for me to read that if he chooses to not have any treatment now there are success stories for people once it has progressed to Stage IV.  Best of luck to your father and I hope Yervoy and Keytruda provides fantastic results!

Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I totally agree…cancer sucks and it's so hard now to see both my parents faced with it.  It's reassuring for me to read that if he chooses to not have any treatment now there are success stories for people once it has progressed to Stage IV.  Best of luck to your father and I hope Yervoy and Keytruda provides fantastic results!

Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I totally agree…cancer sucks and it's so hard now to see both my parents faced with it.  It's reassuring for me to read that if he chooses to not have any treatment now there are success stories for people once it has progressed to Stage IV.  Best of luck to your father and I hope Yervoy and Keytruda provides fantastic results!

Ginger – I'm sorry for all you've been through this year but it's reassuring to hear that Yervoy seems to be working so well for you!  I appreciate you sharing your story and providing some hope on new treatments.  Best of luck!

Thank you!

Ginger – I'm sorry for all you've been through this year but it's reassuring to hear that Yervoy seems to be working so well for you!  I appreciate you sharing your story and providing some hope on new treatments.  Best of luck!

Thank you!

Ginger – I'm sorry for all you've been through this year but it's reassuring to hear that Yervoy seems to be working so well for you!  I appreciate you sharing your story and providing some hope on new treatments.  Best of luck!

Thank you!

Janner – thank you so much for your very thorough response.  I'm sorry you also had to go through this with your dad.  However, it's nice to hear his story that he fought it for 8 years while focusing on quality of life. Most of your comments help validate my thoughts on treatment options.

Thanks again!

Janner – thank you so much for your very thorough response.  I'm sorry you also had to go through this with your dad.  However, it's nice to hear his story that he fought it for 8 years while focusing on quality of life. Most of your comments help validate my thoughts on treatment options.

Thanks again!

Janner – thank you so much for your very thorough response.  I'm sorry you also had to go through this with your dad.  However, it's nice to hear his story that he fought it for 8 years while focusing on quality of life. Most of your comments help validate my thoughts on treatment options.

Thanks again!