Malignant Melanoma; "metastisize like wildfire"

I finally found it! The only photo that I have of me prior to knowing that I had Cancer. This picture was taken 6/15/2005... and, in all actuality, I had already had Melanoma... I just didn't know it.
If you look real close, on my upper right inner thigh... there is a rather large dark mole. That is where it all started. That was the mole. My primary care physician put my on a regiment of anitbiotics and creme's for months before a biopsy was preformed. I know, that to her shock and my dismay... neither one of us had thought it would be "malignant-cancerous".
So, here I am... in one of my favorite spots; on the beach... after enjoying myself at a wonderful , fun-filled day at an amusement park... with a nice bronze-tan.
Who would ever have thought, that this would be the One and Only photo that I would have, to show what Metastatic Malignant Melanoma looks like? Who would ever have thought, that all the while, living a seemingless care-free life... Cancer had invaded my body.
I was finally diagnosed in March 2006 with Metastatic (traveling/moving) Malignant (cancerous) Melanoma (a deadly form of skin cancer) stage III, and in October of 2008 I was diagnosed at stage IV.

[within this time, I have had 2 punch biopsy's. 1 shave biopsy. 2 wide length incisions (wle). A sentinal node biopsy(snb); where a radioactive blue-dye tracer/marker is injected via 5 very painful pricks around your primary mole, which are x-rayed and the the traveling path is used for the detection of the spread of cancer cells into your lymph node system. An invasive lymph node dissection; 30 staples, 10 inches, a lymphatic drain, and several months of physical therapy. Several weeks of a rough treatment called interferon; which side effects are symtomatic of a severe flu with extreme fatigue. 8 months of injections in the opposing thigh of a clinical adjuvant therapy trial treatment. 3 months, 2 cyles; 14 bottles- of an extremely rough chemical treatment called Interluekin aka: IL-2; which side effects included many of the same of the interferon symptoms plus more... vomitting, weight loss, water gain, dimensia, diahreea, confusion, memory loss, and hair loss... to name a few. A my most recent, and 4th surgery to date: the dissection of 2 tumours in my pelvis area; which side effects have included severe pain, the need for physical therapy, the possiblity of permanent nerve damage (apt. with neurologist, next week), blood loss; borderline in need of transfusion- very dizzy and extremely lightheaded, and on top of all that... There is Still a Small portion (7mm) in size of the tumour left in me on a nerve that could not be taken out due to the possiblity of permanent disability issues. What's next? A treatment called the TIL. Chemo, followed by the extracted tumour cells, followed by IL-2... eventual hair loss in totality and extreme sickness for a month or more...]

Had my cancer been caught at either stage I or II... I would have had an excellent chance of being cured. This is where the statement : "oh, you just have skin cancer" comes in to play. Yes, it is true. If caught at it's earliest of stages, it can be completely curable. However, the problem lies and exzists when the cancer cells spread beyond the original site (as seen in this photo on my inner thigh), to the closet lymph node basin and beyond; into major organs.

I HOPE, that you will all take this seriously. NO ONE should have to endure such pain and the concept of death lurking beyond. No one, should have to hold on to hope. No one should have to pray for a cure. No one, should have to FIGHT for THEIR RIGHT to LIVE.

It is NOT JUST SKIN CANCER. It is Melanoma; and it can be, and is, deadly.

Some important tips:

-wear sunscreen (protect yourself, and your children)
-stay out of the sun during peak hours
-wear hats, sunglasses, and clothes to cover-up while exposed to sun
-bring along the beach umbrella
-STAY OUT of Tanning Beds
-watch all of your moles for any changes in color, dimension, and size
-get a check-up by a dermatologist (it's always better to be safe, than sorry)

I can honestly say, that I was a sun-worshiper. I loved, and still love, to be out in the sun. The warmth is invigorating. I know, all to well; that you never truly do believe that skin cancer really amounts to anything. I went tanning. I was made aware of the "warning...this may cause skin cancer" signs. I never thought anything of it either. I was young. I believed that I would be young forever. I loved looking good and feeling good, with my tan. I have even read, that an hour a day in the sun is good for you. It provides vitamins and helps aid in depression. I have no doubts about the factual prove of the benefits of the sun. However, it is the unneccessary exposure to the sun, that I am referring to. I will still go out in the sun. Melanoma will not stop that. It will not stop me from enjoying life outside. It has, though; opened my world to a reality, that seems so surreal.
I hope, that this message spreads. I hope, that many lives will be saved from the devastation; emotional heartbreak and physical pain, that many of us diagnosed with stage III and stage IV Melanoma have endured. I hope, that our word: "metastisizes, like wildfire"!