Mike’s Melanoma

2-30pm

Monday! Today Mike has an appointment to see the dermatologist. With fair skin and a youth misspent under the hot South African sun, it’s beginning to catch up with with him…he’s had 2 melanomas removed this year. Gratefully, both were caught early and were still in-situ, meaning they had not spread. Today he went for a check-up, just to make sure none of the other moles are suspicious. Melanoma is a potentially fatal skin cancer.

The most common type of melanoma is known as a superficial spreading melanoma.  Look out if a mole or lesion is flat and irregular in shape and colour. If it has different shades of brown and black you need to have it seen to. You are at risk of developing melanoma if you have fair skin, blue or green eyes, or red or blond hair. If you spend a lot of time in the sun you are at risk. Tanning devices don’t exempt you. Avoid them.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001853/

If you have a mole, this simple ABCDE will help you decide if you need to have it checked.

• Asymmetrical: One half of the abnormal area is different from the other half.
•  Borders: The edges of the growth are irregular.
•   Colour: Color changes from one area to another, with shades of tan, brown, or black, and sometimes white, red, or      blue. A mixture of colors may appear within one sore.
•   Diameter: The spot is usually (but not always) larger than 6 mm in diameter — about the size of a pencil eraser.
•   Evolution: The mole keeps changing appearance.

So watch out for those moles and things! You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve just got off the phone to Mike and the doctor says he’s all clear. There’s just one they will keep an eye on – and make sure it doesn’t change. Next check up in 6 months.

I don’t know if I ever mentioned on this blog that a year ago, Mike had bladder cancer for a week! Guys, this story is something to remember. He woke up on Tuesday 20th December 2011 and noticed blood in his urine. He thought it was odd, so he made an appointment to see our GP that day. The GP could not find anything wrong and wisely suggested he have an ultrasound of his bladder. We got an opening for the scan on Thursday 22nd December. The scan showed up a 9mm polyp inside his bladder. While waiting for the official report, we googled ‘bladder polyp’ and found there is no such thing as a benign bladder polyp. They are all malignant. I left Mike waiting for the report and hot-footed it across the hospital to Dr. Greg Webb’s urology rooms. They managed to squeeze us in the next day Friday 23rd December last year. Dr Webb looked at the ultrasound report and explained that even though it is a malignancy, it is very small. Then he said, ‘it just so happens that I will be operating on Tuesday 27th December 2011 (the public holiday). I have a patient whose polyp is 4cm it needs to come out asap, so you can follow him”. So on Tuesday, one week after spotting blood in his urine, Mike went in for the quick procedure. On discharge the Dr. said, come back for a check up in a year’s time. Last week, Mike did just that and has been given the all clear for that as well. We are so grateful.  Your health is something to appreciate and look after.

Psalm 103:2-4 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.

All of us will die some time. Today my heart is sad for dear friend and long time colleague Irmgard, whose husband, Peter, passed away just a few hours ago. He was always so friendly and supportive.  I’m so glad Irmgard was able to spend more time with him over the recent months and that they were able to take a few trips overseas in the last several years. He may be absent from the body, but he is present with the Lord.

In His Grip,

Helga xx