7 skin cancers, one possible melanoma

[bob10]

Last year I had a squamous cell carcinoma cut out of my temple , 27 external, 26 internal stiches, 3 weeks of radiation treatment. Awaiting the biopsy reports on 7 more, plus perhaps a melanoma. It's difficult to remain positive, but hey, that's life.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Sing-Along - Monty Python - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrdEMERq8MA)

[V8Ian]

I thought it'd take a bit more than that to knock an old salt, like you, over.
Look after yourself Bob, get well soon.

[donh54]

We're all here for you if you need us, Mate

[SBD4]

Can't be easy getting that news, don't let it get the better of you. Wishing you the best.

[roverfj1200]

I have a few mates that have had a few cancers on the skin. One of them was pretty much told to prepare for the worst.. But he beat that sucker.

Wishing the best outcome for ya..

:spudnikwaving:

[gusthedog]

Geez Bob that's crap. Hope it goes well for you mate.

[JDNSW]

Eleven years ago I was diagnosed with a melanoma on my ear. Six hour operation, minus most of my right ear and a lot of lymph nodes in my neck - I'm still here. Another skin cancer removed from my leg a few months ago - can't remember the type, one of the less common ones.

[Slunnie]

Bob, my sincerest best wishes for a good end result. Its very scary and incredibly **** stuff, I hope you can let us know when the biopsy results come back.

[bob10]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm sure things will be ok. It's just I've seen too many mates fall off the perch with obscure cancers that it is very difficult not to fear the worse. Agent Orange is a dirty word. My confidence is back, I'm thinking positive about the biopsies, I'll be OK.

[cuppabillytea]

That's the way Bob think positive all the way. Best wishes.

[V8Ian]

Good on ya Bob, your ticket takes you all the way, still got a fair way to go yet. All stations to Shorncliffe, this is Northgate.

[bob10]

Well, got the call , only three need extra treatment. A stage 1 melanoma, and surface cancers on the forehead and bottom lip. Booked in Friday for the melanoma, Stage one means a satisfactory result, almost every time, the others will be treated with a special cream, which is activated by a heat lamp, which in effect, burns off the top layers of your skin, taking the cancer with it. This is done twice, for best results. I can't stress enough, everyone must get their skin tested every year. If I didn't have the first cancer cut out, I would not have gone in for a follow up, and who knows what would have happened then. Having a scare like this certainly gives one a fresh perspective on relationships, and life. LG!

[NavyDiver]

Last year I had a squamous cell carcinoma cut out of my temple , 27 external, 26 internal stiches, 3 weeks of radiation treatment. Awaiting the biopsy reports on 7 more, plus perhaps a melanoma. It's difficult to remain positive, but hey, that's life.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Sing-Along - Monty Python - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrdEMERq8MA)

I want "Always look on......" played at my exit party Bob. Insolar is a product my wife put me on. The very nice dermatologist I visit suggested it helps with 20% of rotten stuff so 80% could still bite me. My wife thinks the 20% reduction is the go.

Hope the Biopsy results are a negative mate


Oops- good result sir. That Burning process is a bit of a bugger according to my mates who have needed it.

[Pickles2]

Ya can't be too careful with this stuff.
Last year, Wifey had this small brown "bump" on her calf,....to cut a long story short, yep, a melanoma,..off to the specialist to cut it out,...only a little "bump" say quarter of an inch,.....but a six inch cut to get it out,..all good now,...because she found it in time.
Glad you're ok Bob.
Pickles.

[JDNSW]

Just as a cautionary tale - the melanoma on my ear was described as "not suspicious" by three doctors, including one skin cancer specialist, but he was persuaded to take a needle biopsy as it had been bleeding. Not all melanomas are easy to identify.

On the bright side, at my last checkup in June with the bloke who cut my ear off, he told me that the treatment of melanoma has advanced unbelievably in the last three or four years.

[bob10]

Just as a cautionary tale - the melanoma on my ear was described as "not suspicious" by three doctors, including one skin cancer specialist, but he was persuaded to take a needle biopsy as it had been bleeding. Not all melanomas are easy to identify.

On the bright side, at my last checkup in June with the bloke who cut my ear off, he told me that the treatment of melanoma has advanced unbelievably in the last three or four years.


My GP had a look at the melanoma, and told me nothing wrong there. Not knocking her , she's probably the best I've had. The specialist, who took the cancer off my temple, took one look and said to the nurse " biopsy ". He also said the surgery on the melanoma would be more extensive than the other, I'm happy he is doing it, he is a brilliant surgeon, IMO. We are lucky to have such talented people in our health system. I used to think I was bulletproof, probably the military training to an extent. But I have felt so very vulnerable , lately. I look upon this as a learning curve, where I might be able to use my experience to help others in the same boat. As long as the boat stays afloat, all good.

[bob10]

Ya can't be too careful with this stuff.
Last year, Wifey had this small brown "bump" on her calf,....to cut a long story short, yep, a melanoma,..off to the specialist to cut it out,...only a little "bump" say quarter of an inch,.....but a six inch cut to get it out,..all good now,...because she found it in time.
Glad you're ok Bob.
Pickles.

Thanks Pickles, old mate. Happy for your wife. I found there is nothing to help us focus on what is important in life, more than that word, cancer. As my mate said, it's a word, not a sentence, and other helpful advice, like harden up, princess. Even offering a spoonful of cement. I guess that's what mates are for. Besides some one to put **** on.

[UncleHo]

G'day Bob.

Can you remember when the Aust.Govt. stated that the Agent Orange sprayed on the Aust. troops was different and harmless,shortly after the US Govt.admitted it was Carsanagenic on US troops,and started to grant service pensions to those affected,our Govt.held off on our Vets :thumbsdown:

cheers

[bob10]

G'day Bob.

Can you remember when the Aust.Govt. stated that the Agent Orange sprayed on the Aust. troops was different and harmless,shortly after the US Govt.admitted it was Carsanagenic on US troops,and started to grant service pensions to those affected,our Govt.held off on our Vets :thumbsdown:

cheers

Uncle Ho, a German Scientist at U. Q. carried out a series of tests which proved that the constituents of agent orange were passed over during the process of evaporation to produce drinking water on naval ships , which meant ships in the littoral had drinking water with many times the amount of "agent orange ", for want of a better word, than was recommended. This report was picked up in the USA, and was instrumental in having the " Brown water Navy " as opposed to the " Blue water Navy " of the USN considered for medical treatment. In Australia, it was instrumental in having DVA accept for treatment, many cancers associated with the constituents of agent orange. Not necessarily a medical pension, [ without a bitter fight ] , but most members are happy to have the medical treatment covered by DVA. It is a considered opinion amongst veterans of the brown water navy [ which includes those gun line ships that did the job in close] that we are walking time bombs, and it is just a matter of time. I have posted this report in the past, and if I can find it I will post it here.

[bob10]

Here it is, long winded. Ralph Spooner was a mate of mine, who passed away from cancer. Bet you haven't heard of agent blue.

http://www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/consultation%20and%20grants/healthstudies/nrcet.pdf

[bob10]

Some more.

Austrialian Navy Agent Orange Drinking Water Vietnam-Read - VBN (https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vets/austrialian-navy-agent-orange-drinking-water-vietn-t4448.html)

[NavyDiver]

Here it is, long winded. Ralph Spooner was a mate of mine, who passed away from cancer. Bet you haven't heard of agent blue.

http://www.dva.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/consultation%20and%20grants/healthstudies/nrcet.pdf

Cheers Bob. HMAS Hobart (2) RIP my favorite ship had traces of the stuff. I had asbestos on Vampire, Hobart and other ships which did fall on us when the big bang things went boom. Add, beryllium, AFFF or the foam they are currently chatting about at air force/army bases for lunch almost daily. Not quiet true. We used AFFF fire fighting foam mostly during training exercises only happily. I did not like blowing soot if down wind of a true oil burner. Getting upwind fast was possibly why I like running so much perhaps? beryllium was in our Jason Pistol rods and other locations. C'est La Vie.
We did a lot of painting upper decks in shorts and sandals and I went with out a winter for at least 3 year so visits to dermatologist is possibly one of my best self preservation strategies. Motor bikes I and many mates rode are the biggest killer or slightly less final impact on the 15-24 year old me but again very lucky for it not to be me hurt.

Add sharks, crocs, actions stations, Missiles, BIG guns and little ones some times pointed at me, Driving on the wrong side of the road in some of the roughest or most beautiful places in the world and I volunteered and got paid for it[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin] I am very very lucky mate.


Lots of life tries to hard to or has the potential to kill us at times. Fight on, never give up and always enjoy and appreciate what we have is my rule.

[bob10]

Cheers Bob. HMAS Hobart (2) RIP my favorite ship had traces of the stuff. I had asbestos on Vampire, Hobart and other ships which did fall on us when the big bang things went boom. Add, beryllium, AFFF or the foam they are currently chatting about at air force/army bases for lunch almost daily. Not quiet true. We used AFFF fire fighting foam mostly during training exercises only happily. I did not like blowing soot if down wind of a true oil burner. Getting upwind fast was possibly why I like running so much perhaps? beryllium was in our Jason Pistol rods and other locations. C'est La Vie.
We did a lot of painting upper decks in shorts and sandals and I went with out a winter for at least 3 year so visits to dermatologist is possibly one of my best self preservation strategies. Motor bikes I and many mates rode are the biggest killer or slightly less final impact on the 15-24 year old me but again very lucky for it not to be me hurt.

Add sharks, crocs, actions stations, Missiles, BIG guns and little ones some times pointed at me, Driving on the wrong side of the road in some of the roughest or most beautiful places in the world and I volunteered and got paid for it[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin] I am very very lucky mate.


Lots of life tries to hard to or has the potential to kill us at times. Fight on, never give up and always enjoy and appreciate what we have is my rule.

Being a tiffie, asbestos exposure is a given. Throw in boiler cleans, and funnel cleans. Crawling around in the bilges, soaked in FFO,and to think we enjoyed it. You didn't have to be mad, but it helped. Vampire was my favourite ship, although I served on all 3 DDG's. And then there were those angry little Asian people who were always trying to do us harm, not that I blame them, really. We were at War. It's easy to say fight on, when you are a young man. But it is the only thing to do, keep picking yourself up, one foot after the other, it's family that keeps you young.

[ATH]

I typed out a big answer to this re the L3 melanoma I had cut out years ago and then the damn website timed me out and it didn't get posted.....
Anyway, way back when working in the bush we all thought a good tan, a covering of dust plus a heap of beer after shift end meant you never got skin cancer. We rarely covered up not like nowadays and hardly ever even wore a hard hat unless directly under machinery.
But I found out different when the Doc. took an itchy small mole off my gut and sent it for testing and I've now got a large scar there but at least I'm still here annoying the Cook. :-)))
That bit cut out took over 6 weeks to heal (including the internal stomach wall) and the worst bit was waiting for 10 days to get the all clear. Not the best time of my life.
We all love the sun but it kills so many a year but we still see people laying down the beach for hours making themselves look "desirable"..... one girl I got to know back then used to have slabs of her facial skin peel off (she looked so old and she'd been a raving beauty before that) and had the back of one of her arms cut off to remove a melanoma.
Good luck.
AlanH.

[Fatso]

Being a tiffie, asbestos exposure is a given. Throw in boiler cleans, and funnel cleans. Crawling around in the bilges, soaked in FFO,and to think we enjoyed it. You didn't have to be mad, but it helped. Vampire was my favourite ship, although I served on all 3 DDG's. And then there were those angry little Asian people who were always trying to do us harm, not that I blame them, really. We were at War. It's easy to say fight on, when you are a young man. But it is the only thing to do, keep picking yourself up, one foot after the other, it's family that keeps you young.


Funnel cleans on the Troopy HMAS Sydney were not much fun , no breathing apparatus back then ! only a rag over you face and endless soot to shovel out over what seemed like mile long tunnels . lagging steam pipes was another crapp job using asbestos and sleeping under asbestos coated deckheads in hammocks were a recipe for latter on in life problems , so far nothing to worry about yet !! touch wood .

[bob10]

Funnel cleans on the Troopy HMAS Sydney were not much fun , no breathing apparatus back then ! only a rag over you face and endless soot to shovel out over what seemed like mile long tunnels . lagging steam pipes was another crapp job using asbestos and sleeping under asbestos coated deckheads in hammocks were a recipe for latter on in life problems , so far nothing to worry about yet !! touch wood .

My first sea time was 6 weeks on Sydney back in 1964. It secretly pleases me to know I served in the days of lash up & stow, and the old Ensign, if only for 6 weeks. Regarding asbestos, if you have any worries at all, see your local Advocate, he can organise a chest x-ray, mine showed pleural plaques [2] which I didn't know I had, then you go and get tested, lung capacity etc. and if all is ok, you go on the asbestos watch list, which just means every 2 [ I think] years you go for another test. Sure beats any nasty surprises.

[Fatso]

My first sea time was 6 weeks on Sydney back in 1964. It secretly pleases me to know I served in the days of lash up & stow, and the old Ensign, if only for 6 weeks. Regarding asbestos, if you have any worries at all, see your local Advocate, he can organise a chest x-ray, mine showed pleural plaques [2] which I didn't know I had, then you go and get tested, lung capacity etc. and if all is ok, you go on the asbestos watch list, which just means every 2 [ I think] years you go for another test. Sure beats any nasty surprises.


I was Drafted on Sydney Dec /62 to 3/64 , It was out of Comission over at Athol Dolphens near the ZOO and we were placed on there to get it up to speed for re-comissioning along with the dockies , it was a great job as the senior bloke was a CPO , lived like kings untill it was comissioned and fully crewed then back to normal pusser living . So spent a lot of time in some real out the way places , bilges etc and you would not believe the amount of rust that held the old Sydney to-gether , but she was a great ship and crew we got 26 Knots out of the old girl on its first sea trails out side Sydney Heads . The first load of Pongo,s who did a test run to Q/land fully loaded for am exercise did not like it much though , bit cramped for them .
All good on the lung area so far . Al

[bob10]

Melanoma gone! In at 1100, out at 1215, minimum of fuss, great nurses, fantastic doc., and he is a land rover driver. D4, doing the territory soon. Promised me a macho scar to frighten the Toyota mob. [ just kidding. ] And the icing on the cake? I can't lift heavy things, or mow lawns, for a while. Went & got a 30 pack, the good wife [ as opposed to the bad one when I stuff up] carried it to the car, and to the fridge at home. I really think I will pay for that, though. LG.

[NavyDiver]

Great to hear Bob, Chill for a few days mate. The burn bits do not like movement according to our fellow matlows who have been there before you[bighmmm]

Hope the 30 pack has a dent in it. Cheers

Joined the RSL today. Tried a few months ago but was stumped by proof. Being a reformed ships diver Underwater control my very old documents were burried deep. I did not even have time to stop and enjoy an ale[bigrolf]

[bob10]

Great to hear Bob, Chill for a few days mate. The burn bits do not like movement according to our fellow matlows who have been there before you[bighmmm]

Hope the 30 pack has a dent in it. Cheers

Joined the RSL today. Tried a few months ago but was stumped by proof. Being a reformed ships diver Underwater control my very old documents were burried deep. I did not even have time to stop and enjoy an ale[bigrolf]

Rugby league on the TV, the 30 pack is getting dented, albeit a lot slower than back in the day. The pain has kicked in, not as bad as I expected. Nothing Dr XXXX can't fix. Get to know the RSL sub branch advocate. Just in case. Keep smiling, don't save the smiles for a rainy day, they are too precious.

[ATH]

Good news mate. I too have been tested for asbestosis having worked with a company that made products from crushed stuff...... air was thick with fibres, but all clear.
Testing was because I had bad pleurisy and severe right lung problems.
Now the hairs a bit thin (actually it's nearly non existent) I get solar keratosis on the scalp which the Doc. burns off just in case. Have to wear a hat whenever I go out in the sun now.
AlanH.

[incisor]

just heard a mate has been given his marching orders, less than a month to get his affairs in order.

i am increasingly having greater difficulty getting my head around the fact that the good ones seem to be taken early and all the arseholes are left to take advantge of those others in the queue

one can only hope his path to the exit is an easy one...

melanoma is a bad bad piece of kit...

[cuppabillytea]

just heard a mate has been given his marching orders, less than a month to get his affairs in order.

i am increasingly having greater difficulty getting my head around the fact that the good ones seem to be taken early and all the arseholes are left to take advantge of those others in the queue

one can only hope his path to the exit is an easy one...

melanoma is a bad bad piece of kit...

It's a shame that most arseholes need everyone else to do everything for them, including being shown to the Exit. [bigwhistle]

[ATH]

Horrible bad news and I feel for all concerned. Most of us love the sun as it gives us so many things good about our way of life, but it really is a silent killer.
Here's hoping that the message gets through and people really cover up early in life.
AlanH.

[cuppabillytea]

I'm sorry to here about your mate Dave.
All of these stories are making me think that having a check up is more than just a good idea. It's a must.
Blokes in particular, are usually reluctant to seek help, especially medical help, until it's too late.
I personally haven't hat a CT Scan for 13 years or any kind of check up for 2 years.
I'll be calling the Doctors on Monday.

[ATH]

I was just having a bit of a scratch and found a new mole.... but I'm not getting paranoid about it but will also just get the Doc to have a look when I next go there. 2 minutes of his time is worth it.
Actually not only will too much sun kill you it does the most terrible damage to our skin. Met a bloke in Carnarvon and his wife has the most shocking skin damaged face I've ever seen. It is horrific, the stuff of nightmares.
For a woman I think it's worse than for us he-men....
AlanH.

[bob10]

just heard a mate has been given his marching orders, less than a month to get his affairs in order.

i am increasingly having greater difficulty getting my head around the fact that the good ones seem to be taken early and all the arseholes are left to take advantge of those others in the queue

one can only hope his path to the exit is an easy one...

melanoma is a bad bad piece of kit...

Find it early. The only way. Mine was a tiny red mark, about a match head. Still needed over 20 stitches to close up. I don't recommend GP's to do the searching. Go to a specialist health clinic . Don't put it off.

[NavyDiver]

I like my GPs. (I work with Four). They agree with you Bob and send lots including me to Dematologists who are the Skin specialist doctors. Not to be confused with some (but not all) Skin Clinics . If they are run by a Dematologists they will be ligeitmate. If not they 'might' be run by doctors not smart ennough to be General Practioners.

I could have easily brought some of the cool gadgets in all of the Skin cancer clinics. It would be a money spinner for me if I was greedy and unethical. Not saying all Skin places are greedy and unethical but I hear from Medical types that many are[bigwhistle]

[ATH]

My daughters just had suspect mole cut of a leg and has 11 stitches now. Other possible melanomas have been burnt off. Now she has to wait nearly 2 weeks for the path. lab results to come back.
I found that was the worst part when I had the L3 cut off.
My GP referred me to a dermatologist for the suspect moles on my scalp and I've never ever been rushed in and out of a Docs. surgery so fast....... and he missed burning off 2 things I'd pointed out to him!
I told the GP he gave the impression he just wanted to push as many through the system as possible. At about 200 bucks a throw.....
AlanH.