Experiences of melanoma
Aidan's story
Hi My name is Aidan 59 years old Fair skin, fair hair, blue eyes, had 2 moles on my arm removed 8 years ago just like the one on my back and they were fine ,why didn’t my GP have this one taken off last year?
I have never been a sun worshiper, always gone for shaded areas if sunbathing and always used high factor sun cream but when I was 6 years old I was burnt badly on my back, was this the start?
My story started in June 2010 when my daughter noticed a change in a mole at the RHS middle top of my shoulder. On getting back to the UK I went to see my Doctor who said it was fine and again 2 months later was told by another Doctor it was OK. How I found out was just being lucky in that I got Kidney stones in September 2010 and was seen privately by a Consultant who after removing my stone without surgery noticed a small lump on my lower eye lid and said that I should have it removed and not to worry it’s not serious but will give me trouble later in life, so he recommended a consultant dermatologist to see. I had an appointment one week later and he confirmed that it was a BCC and would have it remove and whilst I was there I said how about looking at the this on my back, where he also thought it was a BCC and decided to do a punch biopsy .After a week the eyelid one came back as BCC but the one on my back was not clarified and I had under local anaesthetic a section removed so that it could be tested more. I waited 10 days and after growing cultures they came back with the bad new Melanoma Breslow 1.8 Clarks Level 4, the nightmare had started.
I have always been sun aware never been one to just be on the beach and soak up the sun but as I said before when I was 6 years old I got badly burnt on my back and most consultants seem to think that this is when I possibly got the start of my problem. Within 10 days I had had a wide excision and waited for the results and we had had a holiday of a lifetime booked for the end of November since April, well before the start of my problems and was just hoping that it was all clear and I could have the stitches out in time so that I was able to fly long haul. I got the news ALL CLEAR from the wide excision we were both so relieved and we had a fabulous holiday had we not been given the all clear I don’t think I could have gone away.
I had my 3 monthly check’s January 2011 and April and all was fine and we had a holiday in the South of France and my Partner Cheryl who had a virus for over a few weeks hot cold sore throat etc which I didn’t seem to get but as we were about to return early June I started with the same symptoms which I thought was the virus ,hot, sore throat and I noticed that I had a swollen gland and on the plane home my ear’s hurt as we landed so decided when we got home to see my doctor and she advised me that I had an infection in my right ear and to see my consultant as one of my Lymph nodes was swollen. I booked my appointment but the node seemed to reduce and he suggested that I go back in a week if no smaller; I did as it stayed the same size. He had a look and decided for me to have a CT scan and 4 days later was having the full upper body scan in particular around the enlarged node, this was on a Friday and by Wednesday I had the results as ALL CLEAR (AGAIN!!)
He said that that he would like to see me 3 days later on Friday. I was so relieved about the results and on the Friday he too was happy for me and we went through the report, then he put his head in his hands and shook his head and picked up the phone to call and speak to the radiologist as he found no reference to the enlarged node? (Now all the halation has drained from me to terror) He was unable to speak as he wasn’t due in until the evening and as my surgeon was away for the weekend he said after speaking to him he would call me later on at night. I was now in a terrible state and waiting just to hear ,the hours went by so slowly and then a text came in saying he has asked for a review of the scan and will call me Saturday am .Up at 7 am unable to think of anything else you go to bed thinking about it and every time you wake up you think of it, but at 9.15 I had a call from a colleague of my consultant who introduced himself and told me that he wanted to see me Monday 6.50 at the Christies Hospital in Manchester and after a few brief word my other consultant called me to talk me through the reason why he had asked his colleague to call, it was in case I needed a lymph node removal and he is a specialist in this field. Monday came and I went to the Hospital which I must say freighted me with my fear CANCER its always been a fear of mine having seen my father passed away with it, anyway I met him and he was pretty sure the swollen node was probably melanoma and arranged on the Friday for FNA biopsy but said they are only 70% accurate but it’s the best way to start. I was shown the swollen node under ultrasound along with the normal sized one’s and they took sample from the swollen one and several days later the results shown that it was inconclusive and that he wanted to do a removal of the node and have it checked to be sure. I was in hospital the following day 3pm 2nd August and had the operation at 6pm at Christies and was in for 3 nights and waited for the results yet again and they came through and there was 1 melanoma cell in the node. On that basis and after having a meeting on the 15th August he wanted to do a Radical Neck Dissection and explained the operation and problems with it and had already booked me in for the 16th August in case the operation was needed and not wasting anytime. The operation was carried out and I was in a lot of pain but thankfully the self medication of morphine and the huge kindness from all the staff that looked after me during my stay. The following day my consultant came in to see me and discuss where we were up to and explained on the 1st node he removed on the 2nd August he had he had also decided to remove in total 9 nodes and the all but the only 1 node had just one cell indicating melanoma As to this operation we will wait for the results of this one but he is away for 2 weeks and has arranged for me to see someone else as well for post op and ongoing treatments. A call came in on 25th August for me to come in at midday 26th August to discuss the results So with all thought buzzing through my head we get to Christies and meet the Doctor who I find out is a leading specialist in research on melanoma but the big relief is that all other node’s taken out (which was 53!!) were all clear, such a relief but as we all know this cancer has no bounds or reason and can come back at anytime and anywhere so having had it come back you feel that this is not necessarily the end of it. So as of today 27th Aug I have decided to write it all down and see if my story is like anyone’s else’s
My main concern was the lack of my Doctors inability to do something about the mole ,years ago I was at the same Doctors who remove similar moles on my arm by a Doctor in his surgery and they were sent away and were benign ,I asked if they do it anymore and they don’t, is this because of the cuts over the years I don’t know but feel very let down and also from the Radiologist who in his review letter he said it was due to location of the node and the difficulty in seeing it due to the position I was laying in ,well why didn’t he ask me to change position ,as this was the main reason for the scan ,very poor and possibly I will be making a complaint and just think about it, if my consultant had not been so diligent in discussing the CT scan with me on that Friday as we had been given the all clear most would have just said all is OK ,well it doesn’t bear thinking about and cannot thank him enough.. So after 10 days now it still sore and I have limited movement around my RHS of the neck along with soreness when swallowing and numbness on the whole of the RHS past my ear which is very strange feeling but apart from that which hopefully will pass I am awaiting to see if I am to go on a new drug trial at Christies which would be every three weeks for a year ,yes don’t mind that so will just wait and see and outcome along with some stitches out on the 2nd September and just hope and pray that It stays away but I have to be very vigilant in checking my body along with watching for any health problems to ensure if it does show any signs then I can catch it at an early stage.
All went well with the removal of the stitches in fact I felt nothing at all as it’s still numb and now will see my surgeon on the 5th September who has been away and will look at his handy work!! Hopefully all is OK. Been to see the surgeon on the 5th September and it was good news - ALL CLEAR!! Told to live my life as normal and get on with it and have signed up for a trial so over the next 12 months I will be monitored by Christies. Aidan