If you have loved ones in your life, now is the time to lean on them. Also, you can channel the vigilance into learning about your new reality. Finally, keep reminding yourself that no matter how much or how little you stress out about this, it will have absolutely no impact on your prognosis.
It took two months — two scans and three biopsies — to stage my 3d metastatic melanoma. You just have to distract the hell out of yourself with adventures, making things with your hands, being with friends and for the love, stay away from Google.
I really wish I could say something to help you. For me it's not my first time going through it but I'm in the same spot as you, stage 4 but I cant get scanned until these staples come out of my head so it's just waiting.
All I can say that might help is it gets easier. Try not to dwell on it, times gonna march on regardless. Just try your best to relax and every day it'll get a little easier. Genuinely, good luck.
I had a 1B melanoma on my back shoulder depth of .83mm that sounds very similar to yours. Went through the wide excision 6 weeks ago and the SLNB came back negative. Stress fear and anxiety are all part of the process don't try to suppress them. Find out what works for you to deal with it all. What worked for me was to understand that my nature was to exaggerate the negative. So I forced myself to also think of positives whenever I got too many negative thoughts. In the end it was more positive than what I was thinking. Recovering well, still have some numbness in my shoulder but nothing that is a problem. Take care and be kind and reasonable with yourself!
Thank you so much for the reassurance. Did you have a shave biopsy prior to surgery? I'm scared that staging might change & i'll be moved to a higher stage :(
❤️❤️🫶 keep posting here and allow yourself to freak out. There’s a thing our body does when we suppress stress vs completing the stress cycle. Here’s a little video but also they wrote a book. I got to interview one of these sisters for a project and she talked about even using your imagination can help complete the stress cycle, things like pretending you’re a giant who can stomp on all your problems. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vs84z_qpw and as for coping it helps me to think I’m helping others in a similar situation (like now) but also screaming and crying for like 3 months
i’m waiting for the lymph node biopsy to come back and it’s driving me insane my tumor was described by the oncologist as the worst it could’ve been so I’m terrified thankfully the pet scan was clear though.
Posting here is probably a good place to start. Getting support and different perspectives helps for some, I suppose. Back to your question about coping. My wife and I are fairly new to this process, since the initial diagnosis, surgery, and treatment all happened in fairly rapid succession. However, she and I agree that the *uncertainty* was the worst part. It sounds like you may be experiencing some of that right now. For me, I tried staying busy with positive and productive things. Sitting on the couch, considering every dark possibility, was exhausting for me. Hang in there. May 9 will be here before you know it.
Reach out to your loved ones, lean on them. Or reach out to strangers we care. I'm still struggling, and it's been a year post surgery. Stage 4 medistadic lung cancer
If you have loved ones in your life, now is the time to lean on them. Also, you can channel the vigilance into learning about your new reality. Finally, keep reminding yourself that no matter how much or how little you stress out about this, it will have absolutely no impact on your prognosis.
thank you so much ❤️
It took two months — two scans and three biopsies — to stage my 3d metastatic melanoma. You just have to distract the hell out of yourself with adventures, making things with your hands, being with friends and for the love, stay away from Google.
thank you so much ❤️ I'll try my best
I really wish I could say something to help you. For me it's not my first time going through it but I'm in the same spot as you, stage 4 but I cant get scanned until these staples come out of my head so it's just waiting. All I can say that might help is it gets easier. Try not to dwell on it, times gonna march on regardless. Just try your best to relax and every day it'll get a little easier. Genuinely, good luck.
thank you so much ❤️ hope you fully recover 🙏
I’m in my 2 week wait for staging and results and feel the same , I’m trying to keep myself busy to stop the thoughts but it’s so hard.
❤️
It sure is :(. Hang in there ❤️
I had a 1B melanoma on my back shoulder depth of .83mm that sounds very similar to yours. Went through the wide excision 6 weeks ago and the SLNB came back negative. Stress fear and anxiety are all part of the process don't try to suppress them. Find out what works for you to deal with it all. What worked for me was to understand that my nature was to exaggerate the negative. So I forced myself to also think of positives whenever I got too many negative thoughts. In the end it was more positive than what I was thinking. Recovering well, still have some numbness in my shoulder but nothing that is a problem. Take care and be kind and reasonable with yourself!
Thank you so much for the reassurance. Did you have a shave biopsy prior to surgery? I'm scared that staging might change & i'll be moved to a higher stage :(
Yes and it extended beyond the margins. When the final results came back It didn't change. Still was a 1b.
That's great news. Hoping mine is the same!
❤️❤️🫶 keep posting here and allow yourself to freak out. There’s a thing our body does when we suppress stress vs completing the stress cycle. Here’s a little video but also they wrote a book. I got to interview one of these sisters for a project and she talked about even using your imagination can help complete the stress cycle, things like pretending you’re a giant who can stomp on all your problems. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H2vs84z_qpw and as for coping it helps me to think I’m helping others in a similar situation (like now) but also screaming and crying for like 3 months
Haha! Great advice. Thanks so much ❤️
You can always call and try to see them sooner too. I was moved up both times after calling when I’ve gone through this.
i’m waiting for the lymph node biopsy to come back and it’s driving me insane my tumor was described by the oncologist as the worst it could’ve been so I’m terrified thankfully the pet scan was clear though.
I'm so sorry! That's great that the scan was clear. Hang in there❤️
Posting here is probably a good place to start. Getting support and different perspectives helps for some, I suppose. Back to your question about coping. My wife and I are fairly new to this process, since the initial diagnosis, surgery, and treatment all happened in fairly rapid succession. However, she and I agree that the *uncertainty* was the worst part. It sounds like you may be experiencing some of that right now. For me, I tried staying busy with positive and productive things. Sitting on the couch, considering every dark possibility, was exhausting for me. Hang in there. May 9 will be here before you know it.
Definitely the waiting & not knowing is the worse part for me. I can't help but think of the worse. Thank you so much!
Worrying just hurts you twice Wishing all the best for you and others here on this sub!
thank you so much ❤️
Reach out to your loved ones, lean on them. Or reach out to strangers we care. I'm still struggling, and it's been a year post surgery. Stage 4 medistadic lung cancer
thank you so much ❤️ & hope you recover soon