melanoma

Hi
I'm sorry you're having to go through so much. Treatment is difficult and when you have no one to compare notes with, it seems you're very alone. I don't know about the treatments you are having because I was very lucky with melanoma (so far) in that I had the reexcission and sentinel lymph node biopsies and didn't have to have further treatment. When I was diagnosed with melanoma last year, I was a 3 year survivor of breast cancer and was, to say the least, pretty devastated that I might have to go through more treatments -- but I didn't have to do anything further, so I am VERY grateful.

What I have found with my melanoma experience, like you, is that it's a lonelier disease. There just aren't too many survivors around. (Although they say there are more and more cases of it.) It's definitely talked about less than breast cancer.

I don't know if you have ever tried the "Melanoma Patients Information Page" (MPIP) at www.melanoma.org. Now, that seems to be where melanoma survivors congregate on the internet (maybe there are other places too). If you write your question there, I would bet you'd get a response from someone that has been through something similar to what you're going through.

Take care.

my brother is in stage 3 and starting a cancer vaccine treatment in Indiana. Was your fist diagnosis in stage 4?