I have been diagnosed with melanoma, a malignant form of skin cancer. I have had 4 biopsies recently and all were cancer, three were Melanoma, one was basal cell. One of the biopsies showed stage 1 invasion.
An extensive outpatient surgery will be performed on the top of my head at the Rogel Cancer Center at the University of Michigan Hospitals in Ann Arbor tomorrow afternoon to remove a 3.5 inch patch of skin on the left rear of the crown of my head. The surgeons hope by taking this much skin they can arrest the progress of the cancer. They will then test what they remove to see if the melanoma has grown and/or spread. If either turns out to be true, they will develop a new plan of attack. I already have a second surgery scheduled and they will continue working the problem until it is resolved.
This is considered highly treatable. I am grateful to the team of doctors who are working through this with me. I may look a little worse for wear for a time but I expect to be able to continue carrying out my duties and eventually become cancer free.
This all started because my one sister Katie was diagnosed with melanoma in February and she suggested we all go get checked and so I did. Melanoma is caused by prolonged and unprotected exposure to sunlight and sunburns in one’s youth. Make sure your kids are lathered up with sunscreen when you are outdoors having fun this summer.
In the meantime, join me in asking for the intercession of St. Peregrine for me and all those who are facing various types of cancer.
I have known about this for some time but it was difficult to get the surgery scheduled. Once I knew it would be after my 25th Anniversary festivities I decided to get through that first before letting this be known so it would not diminish the happiness of that event and make it a sad occasion instead of a joy-filled one.
God who writes straight with crooked lines will bring good from this. May any suffering I have to endure be for His glory and the good of souls.
