regansmom

Hello Dave. I have received similar responses from family and friends – if not in those exact words, but in a very dismissive and cavalier reaction to the diagnosis. At this point I do not have a final Staging and am waiting for my surgery. I have tried to talk to my family about my concerns about it, but they are not interested. The sense is that I might as well be going in to have a splinter removed !! I really believe that there needs to be more education done regarding the seriousness of malignant melanoma, and maybe that is something we, as survivors can focus on. I have found wonderful support from forums like this one and my local Cancer Support Centre. I'll work on my family later !!! It's not too late to educate them and let them know that it's ok to talk about it. All the best.

My mole started as a very small spot, which I thought was a mud splatter, on the calf of my leg. It changed into a melanoma over ten weeks. I would suggest that you have your Dr. look at it and see if it should be biopsied.

 am so sorry that you are having to go through this. As a fellow Canadian, I know that long waits are very hard to deal with. I just had my WLE after being diagnosed in early July. I have used Wellspring, my local Cancer Support Centre here in London, which has been a great help to me in dealing with my anxiety and feelings about this diagnosis. They have very knowledgable volunteers and staff who can be there for you and your fiance. Unfortunately, we don't have all of the choices that Americans do when it comes to health care providers and our wait lists are long. 

Hello there. I am in almost the same position as your fiance, except that my Breslow level is lower and I am a Clarks level 3. I live in London and I will be having my surgery next Wed. August 23rd. The margins of my biopsy are positive as well and I have all of the same questions – e.g how much more melanoma is in there, if any. A diagnosis of this kind can be very isolating and I have been going to Wellspring – the Cancer Support Centre here in London. I would recommend Hearth Place in Oshawa which is the cancer support centre there. They have wonderful services for patients and caregivers to help get you through this journey. I waited about 35 days from my biopsy until my surgery by a Plastic Surgeon, which is within the paramaters for melanoma surgery for thr province. As to the mole still being present, a large part of mine is still there as the biopsy was a very small speciman. That will be taken care of by the wide excision. There is wonderful support here as well as on the CancerConnect forum through the Canadian Cancer Society. Keep posting and talking. Best thoughts to you and your fiance. By the way, Oshawa has an excellent Cancer Care Centre at Lakeridge. Health.