The Parallel Universe of Cancer

We are approaching one year since Mike’s mole was removed at the dermatologist. So far there has been no evidence that the melanoma has spread to the rest of his body. Scans are done every 6 months to check for tumors. A PET scan was done last Friday and we are currently waiting for the news on Tuesday. The docs have warned us that with his stage the highest chance of developing new tumors comes after 12 months. So the longer we get out from his initial diagnosis, the scarier these scans get.

It is pure torture waiting for this news. The results of these scans could force us back into the parallel universe of cancer. This is a place where you are forced to give up the normalcy of your every day life and face the reality of life or death. We haven’t been back to that universe for almost year a now and we like it that way. Our friend who also has stage 3 melanoma just had her scans and they found lung mets…this in an incredibly fit young mother of two who has no symptoms. Now she must give up her normal life and swap it with one full of doctors visits, research, and the hardest part of all with stage 4 melanoma…deciding on a treatment. We are following every thing she does very closely as this could very well be our reality down the road. Hopefully it won’t – but you just never know with this disease. That’s what makes it so scary. That’s why they call it ‘the beast’.

Mike and I were watching Showtime last night and saw a trailer for a new series. The show is called “The C Word” and it premieres on Aug 16. It stars Laura Linney as a divorced young mother who is diagnosed with melanoma. It is a dark comedy (which is kind of like our life right now). Of course, we can’t wait to see what happens to her as she enters the parallel universe of cancer (well at least how it is depicted on TV).

July 7, 2010 | Categories: Melanoma | Tags: cancer scans, Melanoma, pet | 3 Comments