I think my OH has skin cancer.
He had a mole removed from the front of his ankle a couple of weeks ago. It appeared a couple of months before Christmas out of nowhere, and although small, (only few mms wide), perfectly round and not too raised, it had a very dark circle round the outside and didn't look quite right. Now we know many people have moles that change all the time and it would need to be removed and examined just to be sure but probably be ok. So he went to the doc's before Christmas who referred him to the hospital to get it removed in early Jan. He had the stitches (4) out yesterday. When they cut it out at the hospital they said it would be sent off to be checked to make sure it's all ok. They said if not, someone would call in 2 weeks and if all was ok he wouldn't hear anything and would receive a letter confirming within 6 weeks. Two weeks was up yesterday when he had the stitches out and we hadn't heard anything so we breathed a sigh of relief. Then today he received a letter from the doc's/hospital (knew it was as it was marked Private and Confidential, which I opened for him with his permission as I thought it strange to get a letter this soon). And it said 'as per our telephone conversation, this is confirm your appointment on ____ at ___'. The appointment is in the dermatology dept again next Tuesday. I spoke to OH and he hadn't received a call so phoned the hospital and they said sometimes you don't get a call but the letter said that as it's standard (I mean WHAT?!!) but yes he's got to go in next tues. I Googled the lady's name on the letter and she deals with Skin Cancer.
They didn't say anything else on the phone. It's obviously bad as otherwise he wouldn't have to go back in. I've been looking it up and basically it will either be malignant melanoma, or a non-melanoma skin cancer which we will hope for as this is more common and higher survival rates. The malignant one is rarer but survival rates aren't as good. Websites talk about one year/five year/ten year survival rates, but it all depends on thickness and how early it's been caught etc.
Obv we can hope for the best but that doesn't mean we will hear the best. I am so worried sick I have hardly been able to stop crying today but trying not to for Jack of course.
You may think I'm jumping the gun but they're not going to have called him back in for anything other that this. I don't know what i would do if something happened to him. I actually feel like I'm in a bad dream waiting to wake up

Sorry to vent this all here but need to get it out as I can't talk to anyone I know yet as OH might not want me to. He won't be home til late.
Does anyone know of anyone who's been through this?

_________________

Aww hun try not to stress out too much although I know that's easier said than done. If it is skin cancer I'd say it's been caught early as he did something about it, some people wait until it's too late through fear of ' what if '. Hopefully the letter is just a standard letter sent out to everyone that has moles removed and they just want to check everything's ok. Remember you were told he'd get a letter within 6 weeks, not in 6 weeks. Personally I think if it was bad news they would have called. Hope everything's ok hun xxx

_________________

Thanks, I know I should try not to worry but they said the letter to be received in 6 weeks would say that there was nothing wrong with the mole and not that he would have to go back in. If he was to hear from them within 2 weeks it would mean they had found something and the letter was sent out before the 2 weeks was up.
This has made him an appointment with a skin cancer specialist. I'm pretty sure it's not just to check everything's ok as that's what they sent the mole away for. I think they were meant to have called, as the letter said, as per phone conversation, but somehow they missed actually doing that part.
Anyway will just keep fingers crossed and see what happens Tues x

_________________

Firstly, dont apologise for venting!
Like you said, he went and got it checked as soon as he realised it didnt seem normal, so if it was anything nasty, it must have been caught in the early stages. Hopefully the hospital just want to check up on the healing etc, I understand you being worried though, I think anyone in your position would be. Thinking of you all x

_________________

Aww hope your ok, must be an awful time for you's all.

My grandad has had lots of moles removed from his back, some have had to sent away to be looked at. All of them have always come back as malignant and not benign. Fingers crossed for you that it's just to check healing etc and see how everything is going. He's also been very sensible and had it looked at as soon as he noticed that something wasn't looking right.
Thinking of you and try not to worry- easier said than done but sometimes you chew yourself up so bad when you think along the what if lines.

Hope everything is ok on Tuesday.

_________________

Went to the hospital this morning, and thank god it's good news overall. He had what's called an 'in situ melanoma' which is melanoma in its ealiest stage and hasn't spread. Luckily it was all cut out when his mole was removed as it was all in the top layer of skin and hadn't spread to the deeper layers.
We breathed a big sigh of relief!
He hasn't got to go in again as it's unlikely he'll get it again in the same area but is at a higher than average risk of getting it again somewhere else so we just need to check moles regularly.
We consider ourselves very lucky and thank god for the heatwave in Oct or he would never had got his shorts out and noticed it!

_________________

Have been thinking of you Sarah so am really pleased that everything's ok.

If there's ever another 'health scare' though in your house DON'T Google it! Google's great I know but it can scare the living daylights out of you too!

Thank you

hahah I know Google can be a nightmare at scaring you but saying that I learned a bit about skin cancer that I didn't know before and will def make sure I never ever burn in the sun again! Factor 30 for me and OH all the way! And of course total block for Jack! It's nice to have a tan but then I haven't had a tan for years as don't get to sit in the sun much anyway

_________________

Thank God for the great British weather!

_________________

That's great news!

It must be such a relief for you! As for google, sometimes it's good and others it scares the living daylights out of you lol!

_________________