The Discovery:
I was always on top of my annual skin checks, but life got pretty crazy when my daughter had to go to the hospital multiple times after we moved back to Dallas. With all the chaos, I totally put my own health on the back burner. It wasn’t until September 2022, while hanging out with my dad during his Mohs surgery, that I realized I was way overdue for a mole check.
I quickly booked an appointment for the next week with Dr. Lisa Pruett at Revival Dermatology and she evaluated a few of my moles, including a new one on my arm that didn’t seem too concerning. She took a portion of that mole and sent it off to be sure and a few days later, Dr. Lisa hit me with the bombshell: Stage 1 Melanoma on my bicep. I was just 44 years old.
The Treatment:
At the treatment appointment, Dr. Lisa had to remove some of the margins around the mole to get rid of all of the cancerous cells. Then she spent time adding multiple layers of stitches to ensure the wound would heal properly. It did heal properly.
Following that appointment, I made sure to have my skin checked every 3 months for the first year post-diagnosis, and now I stick to 6-month check-ups to catch anything even the slightest bit “iffy”.
This whole ordeal was a reality check, reminding me to take care of myself and urging others to keep a close eye on their health without putting off necessary check-ups. My experience with early detection and successful treatment really drives home how crucial it is to jump on health concerns ASAP.
Hopefully, my story encourages everyone to stay on top of their skin’s health and be bit more diligent about protecting themselves from the sun.
