optical melanoma

dawn123
dawn123 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Skin Cancer #1
My mother was just dx with optical melanoma. She has not been staged yet. The size is 16mm and she was told that her eye would have to be removed. We are looking for support from others out there who have been through this. She is so scared and is in need of support.

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
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  • Carvs
    Carvs Member Posts: 30
    #3
    Hi Dawn,

    I am sorry that your mother is going through that. I have Stage III melanoma which started as a cutaneous lesion that spread to a lymph node. There is an online site with active melanoma survivors at http://www.mpip.org/bb/bbindex.html . You might want to try posting there as I feel like I've seen others posting on that site with ocular melanoma. Also, I believe there is a mucosal melanoma web site which has ocular melanoma survivors. Best wishes to you and your mother. As ever, Carver
  • CharlieB
    CharlieB Member Posts: 9
    #4
    Dear Dawn 123,
    I am so sorry to hear about your mom. I was diagnosed with chordial melanoma in September of 2004. The tumor in my right eye was 2 cm and my eye was enucleated. I had no metastisis (a miracle)and just celebrated two years of being cancer free. I was fotunate to be diagnosed and treated by Dr. Carol Shields at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. First, it is important that your mom receive care from someone who is at the top of their game. Also, I spent a lot of time worrying and drove myself into a deep depression. I don't know your moms age, but a little anti-depressant may go a long way. Melanoma is serious business, but try not to let the worry consume either of you. Get the best care you can and take it one day at a time. Be careful of spending to much time on the web doing "research". I have found that most survivors tend to distance themselves from the disease to the point that they avoid support websites. Therefore, you'll read far more horror stories than you will stories of success like mine. I still go to Wills Eye for checkups. Trust me, there are hundreds of survivors that are doing well - I see them there at my appointments. God bless. Let me know if I can help further. Dr. Charlie

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