Pip's story

Melanoma – such a small thing!

About seven years ago I was planning a trip with my husband to go and see our 5 month old grandson in Sydney for the first time. We had gone to a lot of trouble to locate an apartment nearby our daughter and her husband. My GP had regularly looked at my Anglo Saxon/ freckly skin, but this time decided to biopsy a “ freckle “ on my left leg mid way between ankle and knee. I wasn’t even very au fait with the biopsy process, and was most surprised to find I ended up with a few stitches which I was anxious to have removed before I travelled!

Within about 4 days I was told that an appointment had been made for me with a surgeon to have the “ freckle” removed. “Can’t it wait?” I asked, “at least until I get back from Sydney?” 
“No!” I was told in no uncertain terms – “It is a malignant melanoma and has to come out now.” I was a bit surprised, having had bits burnt off me for several years, and having no idea about the difference between the basal cell type of skin cancer and a melanoma.

I soon received a call from a friend of my brother , living in Queensland, asking me what grade I had! I still did not really appreciate the situation and so asked the surgeon. “Grade 3”, he said  “.25mm off getting into your blood stream.”  Then it hit me – the seriousness of that little freckle. My brother’s friend had a Grade 4 and at 49 years old it was in his blood stream, and had managed to “ pop up” on his liver. I was now a member of a rather insidious club.

Five days after the biopsy result I was in having it out. Multiple local anesthetic injections, and as it had to be a wide excision, and was located on a thin bit of the calf, multiple stitches.

Yuk - I lay there on the couch for a couple of days with my leg up pondering the seriousness of the situation.  What if there were more? It hurt. I couldn’t go to Sydney. And what was to become of me!! All good inward looking stuff when you are feeling miserable. With the leg (one of my few good physical features – well both of them!) damaged and in such an obvious spot. It was going to look revolting I thought.

Slip forward to seven years later – I did get to Sydney 5 weeks late. Everyone understood and moved things around to accommodate us.

I have had, I think, (don’t keep count!) three or four more small malignant melanomas, and with my skin there will probably be more. But I go each year (actually every six to eight months) to see the surgeon who scans my body for likely nasties and whips them off in double quick time.

The scar on the leg has now paled to a fine white line with a slight dent – clever man that surgeon!

I know I am on top of it with the help of a good surgeon. I do sometimes feel a little miserable after some of the visits – after all, that local hurts like hell for a second or two, and if you have several patches done it is not pleasant. I asked about my “ down” feeling and was told that the local was pure adrenaline and so I probably “ came down” off it, hence the rather depressing feeling a day or so after. So now I know what to expect I don’t let it worry me.

Recently I had the pleasure of helping a good friend through breast cancer, surgery, chemo, radio the lot. She had this amazingly positive attitude, and I guess it made me re think my situation.  My cancer is 99% visible to the human eye if I maintain my regular checks (yes nothing is guaranteed, but you could get hit by a car crossing the road), and my health is good.

Yes I do cover up, I don’t sit in the sun. I sit out in the sun but I find shade and I wear clothes that cover me and wear a hat and sunblock – it’s really not that hard.

Now there’s another grandchild – a girl, now four years. Gorgeous, and I am looking forward to seeing what she’ll turn out to be and do – but meanwhile as far as she is concerned I’m the biggest pain with the sunblock and the hat!! Oh and my friend in Queensland – they operated on his liver and he is still here too – very much so.

Life’s good – as they say - Be in it!

Pip Ashford