Back for scans in preparation for clinical trial

So on Friday I will go back to Huntsman and have another MRI scan in preparation for the clinical trial. The clinical trial will start, if everything gets approved, on the following Wednesday. It will be nice to start treatment, even if it is the placebo.

My face is healing pretty well. I went back to the doctor because I had two lumps in my cheek. The one lump was full of fluid and the other was full of blood. They are going to test the blood just to make sure.

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Finished the Clinical Trial!!

So it is done! I finished the clinical trial this month!!! It has been three years and now it is complete!! My scans were clear!! Dr Grossman even said that he was surprised how clear my scans were and how well I have been doing!!! We did talk about the future. I will go back and see him in 3 months and get scans again in 6 months. I will see him every 3 months for 2 years but will only get scans every 6 months. We talked about risk of re occurrence. I take this for what it is, statistical, because of going 7 years before re occurring. Statistically speaking, things look very good for me!!! What I do know is that melanoma is a monster and can come back at any time and disrupt life!!! The good thing is I know now some of the things that create a greater risk than others and can mitigate those risks as much as possible. The good thing is that this bout has not slowed me down. I play basketball twice a week a...

Still Clear and Loving Life!

As many who have had a bout with melanoma know, it is not something that is "cured". As I have experienced with my 2 bouts is that is can come back at any time and without any warning. One of my big reasons for doing the clinical trial was because I wanted the best chance to catch the "next" melanoma as soon as possible. As part of the clinical trial, I have regular visits with my doctor and regular scans. Though I have had a few scares, luckily I have had clear scans now for 4+ years. As the doctor at Huntsman told me, I am currently the patient who has been in the trial the longest at Huntsman. It is to the point now that I it has been recommended that I return to seeing a dermatologist and my visits to Huntsman will not be as frequent. Though the news is great I still have in the back of my mind the question of when the "next one" will surface. Because I have decided not to worry about what I can't control, I am moving on cautiously but not ...

This treatment I felt like a pin cushion!

It's been about a week since I completed my latest round of treatment. Of course I went up on Thursday for blood draws and CT scans. About three weeks ago, I was at UVRMC getting an MRI of my back. During the last three months, I have experienced pain in my hip especially if I sit down for more than about a half hour. The pain will radiate down my right leg. Nicole spoke with Dr. Reichman about it and he wanted the MRI. So, I tell this because I was given contrast during that MRI and had to have an IV started. When I went to HCI on Thursday, I went to the lab to get my blood draw. Normally, to prevent getting "stuck" multiple times, the lab will leave the IV in until I come back on Friday and get the infusion. After leaving the lab, I went to CT. In CT, I was told the IV I had would not work because it was in my hand and the test that was ordered required a larger needle and the IV to be above my elbow. Unfortunately, the tech missed the first IV, in my left ...

My Life's Journey with Melanoma

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