This won't be a very lovely post today, but nonetheless, I feel moved to share it with you, in hopes that it will encourage you to visit a dermatologist, and that it may possibly save someone's life.
This morning I visited a dermatologist and had two moles removed, and I have the stitches to prove it. You see, every six months I go in for a mole check. What is a mole check, you ask? It's when a dermatologist looks over your body for early detection of suspicious looking (cancerous) moles. Now, it is important that not just any old physician does this, but a specialist...a dermatologist.
My own mother died of melanoma skin cancer almost two years ago, and I'm just a wee bit paranoid of the same thing happening to me. So instead of living in fear I try to take the proper precautions--avoid the sun's rays when they are the strongest between 10 am and 4 pm, wear protective clothing (wide brimmed hats, long sleeve shirts, etc., visit the dermatologist regularly, never use tanning beds--that's right, folks! You'll never see me sporting a tan, because it just isn't worth it.
* * *
About 13 years ago while my mother was visiting her OB-GYN she had him look at a mole that was on the back of her shoulder/arm area. Instead of referring her to a dermatologist to take care of it (like he darn well should have!) he removed it himself and didn't fill out the biopsy report correctly, dismissing it as a 'birthmark'. After it grew back she had him look at it again but he told her not to worry about it, that it should not be of any concern to her. After some time, while visiting her ENT for a different issue, she had him look at it. After one glance he said, "Susan, that must come off immediately." After it's removal the biopsy came back as being melanoma. A dermatologist removed a large chunck of the surrounding flesh in efforts to remove all the cancer cells. We thought it had until about 10 years later.
I'll never forget the morning (March, 2006) that my Mother asked me to rub her neck due to some pain that she thought was caused by a muscle knot. After one touch I knew it was something else, perhaps a swollen lymph node. Well, to make a long story short, the lump turned out to be a melanoma tumor. At the time we received this information we were also told that the melanoma had spread via her bloodstream, instead of her lymphatic system, and that tumors could show up anywhere in her body. And they did...in her lungs and brain, among other places. The tumors eventually took over her body and killed her at the age of 51, August 26, 2007, 2 weeks after Clara was born.
I can't help but to think that if that doctor would have referred Mom to a specialist in the first place she would still be here, enjoying her children, grandchildren, and growing old with my father.
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And so here I am today, writing this in hopes that each of you will take the time to visit a dermatologist to have
your moles checked. Don't think just because you tan easily, have dark hair, skin or eyes that this can't happen to you. Just one month after my Mom's funeral my 26 year old cousin who possesses all the above characteristics found a tiny little black mole on her arm. Being overly sensitive to the matter, due to obvious reasons, she visited a dermatologist and sure enough--the mole was in the early stages of becoming melanoma. Thankfully she caught it in time.
I was so impressed with the dermatologist I met with earlier this morning. I felt for the first time that I was being taken care of, mainly because he used a special magnifying glass to assess the moles. I had never seen such a thing! (And I've seen a few different dermatologists over the last couple years!)
My dear readers, I present to you, the Dermatoscope:
It is "a handheld device akin to a magnifying glass that helps doctors more accurately assess moles". To learn more about it go
here. I will never see another dermatologist that does not use one of these! I hope that when you call to set up your appointment you will ask if your doctor uses one, and if he/she doesn't, find one that does! Supposedly using these are the new standard, but as I mentioned before, I had never heard nor seen one before.
A few tidbits about melanoma:
* It is important to know the location /appearance of the moles on the body to detect early changes
* Any changing mole must be examined by a dermatologist
* Early melanoma can be removed while still in the curable stage
To learn more about melanoma, and how to protect yourelf from ultraviolet light, please visit
here,
here, and
here.
xo,
Pamela
