melanoma of the eye

I was diagnosed in 1999 with choridial melanoma in my left eye up against the optic nerve. I myself had never heard of it, it is so rare , but I learned alot about computers, and got educated on this disease. I live in Callahan,Florida, and went to Tampa,FL, to North Florida Retina Specialist,(Dr.Mark Hammer, and Dr. Grizzard) they are wonderful and compassionate Drs. They did a radiation implant on my eye, that stayed in for 5 days and then was removed. They did not want to remove my eye due to location of the melenoma and possibly the tumor metastasing. But I have been blessed to have found my doctors and that it did shrink the tumor without metastasing. I go 2x a year for follow-up and have A-scan,B-scan, to deterimine the size and elevation of the tumor,pigmentation of the tumor, and a metastis workshop done once a year now, it was two x a year for the first 2 years. Mine could come by full blown at anytime that is why i go 2x a year for follow-ups. I have blurred vision in that eye from radiation but I can still see, my outlook on the whole is if I had or will have to lose my eye, one eye is better than not being here at all. I have a now 26 yr. old daughter, and I want to experience being a Granny one day soon. Positive thinking is 85% of the battle. Last Feb., I also have had a bout with Breast Cancer, had a mysectomy,chemo, and all the after effects of this cancer. I will keep you in my prayers, and I hope by now you have located a good doctor and have dealt with your melenoma.