Last year I was a little freaked out when I needed to
schedule surgery to remove a stage one melanoma on my leg, and the doctor
started talking about plastic surgeons and skin grafts.
According to my dermatologist, the leg—especially the
ankle—is the worst place on the body when it comes to healing with the possible
exception of the lip. I guess it’s a circulation thing. (Leg is also the most
common place for women to have melanoma. For men, it’s the back.)
But what made it harder to make a decision was not really
knowing what to expect. I automatically turned to the Internet, which was an
additional challenge thanks to the six months of computer crashes I was gifted
with at the time. I had Googled “melanoma scar on leg” and was scared witless
by the most severe cases that popped up—and none of them on the ankle, like
mine. I was genuinely afraid I’d end up looking like Frankenstein. Still, I
decided to forgo the really special specialists and just had the dermatologist
remove it in her office. When I left my surgery, I was bandaged from ankle to
knee. All for something that was about the size of a grape seed.
What I discovered under all that mummy wrap was really no
big deal. So forgive me if you feel it’s tacky of me to flash my nasty legs at the world, but I am going to post
pictures of the scar for those people who may be doing an image search for “melanoma
scar on leg” or “melanoma scar on the ankle” like I was.
It should be noted that I required another biopsy in October
which turned out to be benign. So the newest photo includes a scar that’s about
16 months old with a punch biopsy at the bottom (the darker, rounder part of
the scar) that’s about nine months old. Again, I skipped the plastic surgeons and
grafts and just had a wide excision (with 1 cm. margins for a .03 mm. stage 1 melanoma with no migration, no mitosis per visual field and no ulceration) in
my dermatologist’s office. I can easily cover the scar with cosmetics if
necessary, but at this point I usually don’t bother.
 |
| About two weeks after wide excision of stage 1 melanoma |
 |
| About a year later with punch biopsy on bottom |
As always, reduce UV radiation. Wear sunscreen. And remember
that you know your body better than anyone; don’t take take a doctor’s word for it (or four, in my case) if something doesn’t look right to you. Demand, don’t
request, a biopsy.
The good news is
that the best of your life can be ahead of you no matter what your age or
circumstances—if you choose to make it so—because 90 percent of your
potential is not only untapped and unused, but also undiscovered. That’s not just good news it’s incredible
news! ~Tim Hansel
Good for you for taking control of your medical care. Too often we rely on one person's opinion, and even doctors make mistakes. I do medical transcription part time, and by happenstance I've typed the same patient going to a second doctor for another opinion and have thereby read both reports on the same patient, two different docs. One recommends surgery, the second recommends conservative care. Both are board certified physicians, so how you decide who is right? Third opinion? Ultimately, we have to do what you did and choose the care that our gut tells is correct. Thanks for posting the pics.
ReplyDeleteLisa, you're absolutely right. Unfortunately I wasn't that smart - it took four years for me to get a proper diagnosis, and by then I'd progressed beyond stage 0 (in situ). I'm just lucky mine was a slow grower, but I hope others don't make my mistake.
DeleteYou are so right. No one (not even a doctor) can tell anything just by looking at it. I've had 3 basal cell carcinomas removed from my face and not one of them appeared "suspicious" according to the doc. One of my coworkers insisted on having a tiny dark spot removed from her face even after the doc said it was nothing. It was melanoma.
ReplyDeleteTammy, I'm glad you got this taken care of.
Pat
Critter Alley
Did your coworker tell you I know her? So glad both of you were on the ball!
DeleteThat's not bad at all. My mom had a squamous cell carcinoma cut off her face a few weeks ago. When it first popped up, she told her doctor. He did a biopsy in his office. Then it took several more weeks before he could remove that thing. Hers has healed up nicely, even though a general practitioner did it himself. He said, "I can save you a few dollars." He actually saved her insurance a few dollars. The good thing about the squamous cell type is that it does not metastasize. He took out a considerable chunk, and stitched Mom up like a football. The face, apparently, heals very quickly.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for saving money and all, but I hope Mom no longer resembles a football. Good for her for being (okay, I'm sorry, but I have to say it again) on the ball.
DeleteTammy--You're lucky you DID insist on a biopsy. Thanks for posting the pictures.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I didn't. :( But I am lucky I kept changing doctors until one agreed with me.
DeleteI am so glad you posted this -- and so glad you took control into your own hands and insisted on the biopsy. You are so right that we know our own bodies better than anyone, and we have to be our own advocates. And when it comes down to it, a scar is just a scar. They are a whole lot easier to live with, or not live with, than the alternative. Thank you so much for the information, Tammy.
ReplyDelete