warreri

Thank you for the link, Celeste!

Thanks for your input. I hope the t-vec does the trick!

Ironwood cancer and research center, dr cherington. I think they're wanting to see how well the yervoy works first before deciding on anything else. 

I was given the go ahead for taf/mek because my tumor was so big that it would have required them to remove bone in order to get the proper margins. 

Thanks that satisfied a lot of my curiosity 

Thanks that satisfied a lot of my curiosity 

Thanks that satisfied a lot of my curiosity 

I'm not finding any melanoma specific clinics when I search the greater Phoenix area. The melanoma international website lists Mayo clinic (which I'm already going to) and some treatment center in tucson as my local options. The best I could do is call the surgical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson and get his opinion and possibly find people who've had experiences with getting large melanoma's removed in a similar location (ankle/heel area). It might not be realistic for me to find someone who only does melanoma since it seems like a lot of oncs try to cross specialize. 

I'm not finding any melanoma specific clinics when I search the greater Phoenix area. The melanoma international website lists Mayo clinic (which I'm already going to) and some treatment center in tucson as my local options. The best I could do is call the surgical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson and get his opinion and possibly find people who've had experiences with getting large melanoma's removed in a similar location (ankle/heel area). It might not be realistic for me to find someone who only does melanoma since it seems like a lot of oncs try to cross specialize. 

I'm not finding any melanoma specific clinics when I search the greater Phoenix area. The melanoma international website lists Mayo clinic (which I'm already going to) and some treatment center in tucson as my local options. The best I could do is call the surgical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson and get his opinion and possibly find people who've had experiences with getting large melanoma's removed in a similar location (ankle/heel area). It might not be realistic for me to find someone who only does melanoma since it seems like a lot of oncs try to cross specialize. 

The surgical oncologist I saw has melanoma listed as a "special interest" on their online profile (along with breast cancer which seems to be their main specialty). I don't know if that's the same thing. I'm going to mayo clinic and I was told that they are one of the best so I feel like I should be somewhat trusting on that basis. I've also seen amputation listed as a surgical solution in some instances like if its on a finger or a toe but surrendering an entire foot seems way extreme to me. 

The surgical oncologist said that she wants me to consider it, the plastic surgeon I saw said that's what he would do if he was in my position and I'm going to see an orthopedic oncologist who I guess suggested that solution to the surgical oncologist. I'm guessing he'll be walking me through other options as well. 

The surgical oncologist I saw has melanoma listed as a "special interest" on their online profile (along with breast cancer which seems to be their main specialty). I don't know if that's the same thing. I'm going to mayo clinic and I was told that they are one of the best so I feel like I should be somewhat trusting on that basis. I've also seen amputation listed as a surgical solution in some instances like if its on a finger or a toe but surrendering an entire foot seems way extreme to me. 

The surgical oncologist said that she wants me to consider it, the plastic surgeon I saw said that's what he would do if he was in my position and I'm going to see an orthopedic oncologist who I guess suggested that solution to the surgical oncologist. I'm guessing he'll be walking me through other options as well. 

The surgical oncologist I saw has melanoma listed as a "special interest" on their online profile (along with breast cancer which seems to be their main specialty). I don't know if that's the same thing. I'm going to mayo clinic and I was told that they are one of the best so I feel like I should be somewhat trusting on that basis. I've also seen amputation listed as a surgical solution in some instances like if its on a finger or a toe but surrendering an entire foot seems way extreme to me. 

The surgical oncologist said that she wants me to consider it, the plastic surgeon I saw said that's what he would do if he was in my position and I'm going to see an orthopedic oncologist who I guess suggested that solution to the surgical oncologist. I'm guessing he'll be walking me through other options as well. 

I was diagnosed with a melanoma when I was 17. I'm now 20 and it has returned. I have good reason to believe that it originated from the melanoma I had at 17 because I was told that the melanoma was only present in the deeper sections of the dermis and not at all present in the higher secontions.

I might bring up reproductive things if given good reason to but I'm hoping whatever team I have this time will do an actual full body exam unlike my dermatologist and see reason for suspicion. That scenario requires discomfort on my part but I guess whatever helps. 

I'm hesitant to see a gynecologist because that's part of why my situation is complicated. 

Mostly I'm afraid of bringing up something that deeply discomforts me to bring up and it ending up being completely irrelevant. 

My discomfort is especially intense because I present myself as male and am legally male so I don't want to be seen as an oddity and I don't want to go in for uncomfortable procedures that I'm not even sure how to cover with my insurance since they initially denied coverage of my attempt to get a pap smear for the reasons I've already mentioned. 

I was diagnosed with a melanoma when I was 17. I'm now 20 and it has returned. I have good reason to believe that it originated from the melanoma I had at 17 because I was told that the melanoma was only present in the deeper sections of the dermis and not at all present in the higher secontions.

I might bring up reproductive things if given good reason to but I'm hoping whatever team I have this time will do an actual full body exam unlike my dermatologist and see reason for suspicion. That scenario requires discomfort on my part but I guess whatever helps. 

I'm hesitant to see a gynecologist because that's part of why my situation is complicated. 

Mostly I'm afraid of bringing up something that deeply discomforts me to bring up and it ending up being completely irrelevant. 

My discomfort is especially intense because I present myself as male and am legally male so I don't want to be seen as an oddity and I don't want to go in for uncomfortable procedures that I'm not even sure how to cover with my insurance since they initially denied coverage of my attempt to get a pap smear for the reasons I've already mentioned.