Experiences of melanoma
Kerry's story
I was a typical young lad in my 20s. Wide group of friends, happy-go-lucky, enjoying life and thought myself virtually indestructible. My career as a Primary School teacher was going from strength to strength - deputy headships and headships seemed set to follow.
I never sunbathed but I'll hold my hands up and admit I probably wasn't
as careful in the sun as I should have been. I spent 7 summers working at
Summer camps, which involved a lot of time spent outdoors. Could I have done
more? Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Cancer can't happen to me. I'm too young, too healthy, only happens to old people. I cringe now at my baseless, mindless assumptions. A nasty looking mole on my leg was viewed as an embarrassment, and it was only when a mole at the base of my neck began to change and friends would notice it, that I got myself checked out. That was the start of the rollercoaster, and my life has never been the same since.
I was diagnosed Stage 3 right away, and had to have a big operation removing
multiple primaries. Even then I don't think I appreciated just how serious
Melanoma is. That was in June 07, and in Sept. 07 I found it had spread to
the right lung. That sandwiched 2 smaller ops to deal with groin infections.
Melanoma is not considerate in any way - it is a beast, a ba$tard! I've lost
count of the number of scans I've had, PET, CT, MRI, they all seem much of a
muchness now, your body and mind becomes numb to a certain extent.
At 33, every day is now precious, I have no idea whether I'll see 34 (late
Nov) or another Christmas. I've battled on, and am still battling on
following 4 operations, chemo, a trial, the mental pressure that never
leaves you. What can be done? Do I try anything and everything? Do I accept
my fate and concentrate on enjoying what I can? I really don't know.
One thing I do know, Melanoma is a ba%tard that must be defeated. I am sure it will, somehow, somewhere. Until that day comes, we must all stand up and fight, make people realise just what a beast this is! It is not 'just' skin cancer as I have heard many times in my fight, you do not have to be a sun bathing fanatic to get it! It is on the rise, so please, everybody, do what you can to help knock this beast back down.