Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:If I may ask... (you can always just hit me up in a DM if that's easier)...
It was the PhD classification based on Clark / Breslow that we were looking at...
2. So, where exactly was the surgery done and who was the surgeon...
Why not... 😉:
Clark/Breslow classification: 1 b...
I had my surgery over at KB Dubrava with Dr. Vlajčić...
Dr. Šitum, the dermatologist over at St. Margaret's Hospital...
Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:I don't mean to scare you or rain on your parade, I really don't... but when it comes to melanoma, you’ve got to be incredibly careful. It’s easy for doctors here to just tell you everything is fine and that you don't need further treatment, mostly because they simply don't have much more they can offer you in this system... though, I guess when it's melanoma in situ, they might actually have a point in how they approach it...
Thanks for the reply. I know exactly what’s going on here, and honestly, I was just thinking about my last post and how I didn't really lay it all out quite right... It probably looks like I'm being way too optimistic, but I've actually done my homework. I've been talking to people through some old connections—friends who have gone through something similar and even some buddies who are doctors—and they've made it clear that I need to be incredibly careful. That's why I'm sticking strictly to my checkups every three months, plus the mandatory sun protection, wearing UPF gear, and all that...
Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:I'm not sure if you've had a chance to catch my older posts... about seven years ago, my husband had a mole removed, and they ended up doing this extensive local re-excision and an inguinal lymphadenectomy. Everything looked fine back then, and the doctors told him he was all clear and didn't need any more treatment. But now, he’s at Stage IV, most likely with metastases in his lungs... and he's only 26, by the way...
I haven't yet, but I will... I am just so incredibly sorry to hear about everything your husband is going through right now... 😢.
Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:If only my doctors had told me seven years ago... truth...So, they basically told me there's a 50/50 shot at long-term survival... and that we could potentially try using interferon as a preventative measure after the surgery is over... It’s all on us, honestly... if I had actually understood what I know now about how much immunity, diet, and overall lifestyle matter back then, maybe we wouldn't be standing in this exact spot today...
I’ve already overhauled my diet and way of life since my first bout with cancer, so facing this melanoma just feels like a confirmation that I’m sticking to the path I started on four years ago...
I’ve heard things about preventative interferon, but man, the cost that comes straight out of our own pockets is just... 😠.
Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:Maybe I'm misreading things, but it feels like you might be taking this whole melanoma situation a bit too lightly—just like we did. I really hope I'm wrong and that you actually have all the info you need regarding everything this diagnosis truly implies...
I actually have a ton of information, and not just from our doctors here, but from some specialists abroad too, so I'm hoping that's enough for me... at least for right now. But you can never have too much info, so please, "shoot" if you think I'm missing something😉.
Anyway, thanks for sharing the info, because you can never be too careful, and just being able to swap notes like this can be so incredibly helpful sometimes...
Wishing you and your husband nothing but the best in your shared fight against this hateful enemy🙂.