I was always aware of melanoma growing up being the only ginger, pale kid in the family. My mum always made me cover up and I remember every year getting Avon sunscreen in my Santa sack!
Even so, my Melanoma journey began in October 2012 (I was 34 with 2 children 12 and 8. It was my worst nightmare).
When I had a 2.45mm thick mole removed from my clavicle (this mole had been continuously checked and even when I insisted it was changing and sensitive to touch and I wanted it removed the doctor at the time told me he was 99% sure it was fine) and a 0.45 invasive melanoma removed from my right ear, no treatments were available to me so a wide resection was done and a PET scan which was clear and I was advised to watch and wait.
All was well. I had regular skin checks every year and life was good.
Then, in August 2019, a 10cm lump appeared on my left side. I went to a GP and he said it was a fatty lipoma. Fast forward to October 2020 and the lump had slightly increased and my bra was digging into it, so I went back to my regular GP and after multiple scans and a biopsy I was told it was melanoma. In November I was referred to an oncologist who ordered a PET scan and then informed me I had numerous tumours throughout my body. The scariest one for me was around 4cm and in my lung. He informed me I was stage 4 metastatic melanoma and the treatment would either work or it wouldn’t.
A week and a blood test later I commenced immunotherapy – ipi/Nivo combo. I got through 2 rounds of a possible 4 of this but it made me very ill with high fevers and after going to the ER twice I found I had hepatitis from the treatment, so treatment stopped. Steroids an immune suppressants began to calm my immune system down, but the good news was a scan showed an almost complete metabolic response meaning almost all of the visible cancer was gone. 3 months of steroids fixed the hepatitis and I recommenced immunotherapy Nivo only.
It’s been nearly 2 years that I have been on Nivo with clear scans and I have 2 more rounds of Nivo to go before my treatment can stop. I know I will be monitored for a long time and I will have to be vigilant for the rest of my life but right now, life is good and I feel very lucky to have been able to work and pretty much carry on with life throughout treatment. I have so much gratitude!
My advice is get a skin check every year, not just once. If in doubt, cut it out, trust your gut and stay positive.
