Skin Cancer

4th Mole Removed Today

3/23/2016

Today I had my 4th mole removed.

The first two moles were taken off many years ago and came back negative. The 3rd mole was located in my groin area and removed in May 2015. This mole started itching and bleeding so my dr recommended taking it off, if even just for the sole reason that it was in the crease of where my leg meets my body and it would continue to be aggravated. Sadly, the path results on this mole came back positive for basal cell carcinoma.

The mole I had removed today is located on my back, on the right side, the side that had been radiated for breast cancer. I didn't even know there was a mole back there until it started itching and bleeding a few months ago.

My doctor gave me a local anesthetic and cut that mole out then stitched me up all in about 15 minutes. There's no telling if its cancer or not until after the pathology results come back in about a week. I will update this post after that.

The point to this post is that cancer or not, please people - if anything changes on your body, get it checked.

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First Breast Cancer, Now Skin Cancer

3/23/2016

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POSTED MAY 15, 2015

So I have cancer… again.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2013. It has been 1 year, 6 months, and 14 days since I heard "you have cancer" - for the first time. A week ago, I celebrated my one year anniversary from the completion of chemo. It has been 9 months and 4 days since I completed radiation and I am still currently in treatment - taking the Tamoxifen. My hair is not even shoulder length yet... I am not back to "me" yet and again - I hear the words "you have cancer." Really? Cruel ass joke if you ask me!

On Tuesday of this week I had a mole removed. Then I patiently waited the 3 days to get my biopsy results. When I heard nothing by Friday afternoon, of course I called…because I am such a patient person. The nurse kindly told me that the results showed basal cell carcinoma and all of it was removed so there is nothing to worry about and on Monday she would set me up to see a dermatologist so they can futher asses my skin.

Mole located right in the crease of my leg and lower stomach. It began to itch and while sleeping one night I ripped part of it off by accident.

Mole removed - stitches (May 12, 2015) The mole was located right below an old tattoo.

Here’s the part that I am struggling with… the nurse said “nothing to worry about”. I believe that statement is on the list of things you DON’T SAY to someone who has cancer. I have done enough internet research to know that basal cell shouldn’t kill me and this cancer battle will be nothing compared to what I went through with breast cancer… BUT it is STILL cancer! That just means that there is cancer still swimming around and attaching itself to shit inside my body… really? And I shouldn’t worry. Really?

This isn’t a recurrence of my cancer, this isn't a secondary cancer. So what is it and what does this all mean? I don’t know. I am confused and want my breast team of doctors back so they can explain all this to me. Sadly, I don’t think it will work like that, as I am pretty sure they are only concerned with breast cancer. :(

So, in regards to this basal cell carcinoma… in January of this year, I went in for a routine checkup at my breast surgeon’s office. I had a skin patch on my leg that looked somewhat like ringworm. He had made mention of basal cell cancer but said to try some antifungal cream for about a month and if it worked, it would have just been a bacterial topical skin infection and nothing more. Well, that same patch of skin doesn’t look like ringworm anymore but it is still there… and spread in several places throughout my legs – both of them. I just read an article on the misdiagnosing of basal cell… (http://cancermisdiagnosisguide.com/skin-cancer/) because it has been since January and no creams have worked, I am quite worried at this point. The mole that was just taken off this week is on my leg also but no where near these other patches of skin… things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm.

I think I will go camping this weekend… that way I will quit worrying and stay off the internet until Monday!

Link to skin cancer photos: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer/galleries/skin-cancer-images

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4th Mole Removed Today

First Breast Cancer, Now Skin Cancer

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