Have you ever had that moment when something just took your breath away? Well, in my short life, I have had quite a few of those moments, but most recently happened on May 27,2015.
My mom was out bathing suit shopping with Mike to go to a trip to the beach, and noticed a strange looking mole on her back. My mom is covered in moles, but she knew this one looked a tad bit different. When I went to her house a couple of days later, she asked for my opinion and I told her that yes I agreed that she needed to set up an appointment with the MD, because it did indeed look like skin cancer.
When that appointment was over, they tested my moms mole and tried to remove as much as they could for the most accurate result, and it came to be positive for skin cancer. She was diagnosed with Superficial spreading melonoma which is “a form of melanoma in which the malignant cells tend to stay within the tissue of origin, the epidermis, in an ‘in-situ’ phase for a prolonged period (months to decades). At first, superficial spreading melanoma grows horizontally on the skin surface – this is known as the radial growth phase. The lesion presents as a slowly-enlarging flat area of discoloured skin.
An unknown proportion of superficial spreading melanoma become invasive, i.e. the melanoma cells cross the basement membrane of the epidermis and malignant cells enter the dermis. A rapidly-growing nodular melanoma can arise within superficial spreading melanoma and start to proliferate more deeply within the skin.”
She then was referred to a dermatologist in order to make sure the skin cancer would be effectively removed and tested other suspicious areas on her body as well to make sure that the cancer was not spreading. They took out a good three inches of skin and dug deep in her tissues to remove all of the cancer cells, and they sent my mom home to recover and told her that they would call with the results to see if the cancer was in the other spots they sent for testing.
Well, needless to say a few days later the results came back that no those other spots were not cancer and that it had not spread throughout, because my mom caught it so early on. You know that phrase “everything happens for a reason”? Well, I used to it because so many bad things were happening to me and I never knew why, but I know in my heart God showed her that mole, at the right place, and at the right time.
I am happy to report that my mom is now cancer free!! This past month has been so stressful planning Brielle’s party, praying for healing for my mom, and just trying to keep moving forward every day. I told very few people about this event, due to my moms safety and privacy and I did not want to speak out before she did. So, for all of those people who have been there for me, thank you so much! Our family definitely appreciates it.
FYI: If anything looks abnormal, or “weird”, or just seems like you should get something checked out, please do so. Waiting too long could potentially be harmful. Oh and ALWAYS wear SUNSCREEN!!
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