My Melanoma Story
by Lisa
April 19, 2002

My name is Lisa and i just turned 18 years old. I am finally getting over the death of my mother and my life seemed normal for once in 2 years. Since i was about 12 i had this little mole on my head and thought nothing of it. Recently in March of 2002 i had it removed. I thought it was just a cyst on my head and thought nothing of it. My dermatologist called my house and told me that my results were and that i should bring someone with my when i came in. I took my brother who is 26 and we were both blown away when i found out that i had Stage IV melanoma. I never even heard of the word before in my life, all i knew is that it was a type of skin cancer. I was never a sun bather of used tanning booths but once summer i did get sun poisoning and they think that is what triggered my cancer.

I just had my surgery on April 2, 2002 and after 12 hours all of the doctors were done working on me. They removed a huge chunk of my scalp and cut in front of my left ear and down my neck. They also found that i had a tumor in my neck. One sentence that runs in my mind and probably always will is what one of the doctors said "your life will not be the same after the operation"....boy was he right. Now if i want to go outside i have to make sure i have sun block on and that it is covering any of my sin showing. Also on the right side of my head i have a bald spot 3 inches thick and 5 inches long. Nice war wound. I do thank God that i was able to get through this and live to tell about it.
At times it does get my down but i look on the bright side that i am still alive and healthy...i also learned to live each day to the fullest for we never know what tomorrow may hold.