Cancer

Not what you want to hear your doctor say….

I have a mole on my leg (since birth) that has changed over the past 6-7 months. I had it checked out today, and the doctor said that it might be a melanoma. My family has a history. I’m supposed to call the specialist first thing on Monday morning, to go and get a biopsy done this week.

Worst case, I go in for surgery to have it removed ASAP, along with exploratory to make sure it hasn’t involved the lymph nodes as well. Always best to plan for the worst case.

Best case — my father just told me that he’s had something similar on his calf (a mole that changed, and he describes the appearance as pretty much exactly what I’ve got), which he’s had checked regularly since 2002 or so, which 3 different dermitologists have told him is non-cancerous (his current derm in Maine jokingly refers to it as a “barnacle”).

Nothing like a little bit of terror for your weekend.