momof2kids's Profile

I'm 31, and have 2 kids, ages 2 & 6, who I adore more than anything. I'm married to a wonderful man! I thankfully have all my family around for support. Just want to beat this damn cancer for as many years as I can. I can only hope it'll be 15+ years to see my kids graduate high school and be well on their way to their own future. I am devastated by this early diagnosis so early in my life, I don't know why this couldn't have happened in my 50's, I would have been ok with that! FU CANCER!

June 2011:
Had orange size melanoma removed from brain in June 2011, they left a small quarter size in my other side of my brain for future treatments at UPMC Presby in Pittsburgh.

Was told I had spots in my Brain, Right Lung & Liver.

July 2011 - Gamma Knife to treat remaining spots

Sept 2011 - Started 1st treatment for these problems below, IPI / Yervoy, for 1 spots in right lung & 2 spots in Liver. Scan of Brain in Sept 2011, showed spots were shrinking for now (leftover spots from Craniotomy & a quarter size spot).

More of an update:
I simply had a Craniotomy on my big brain tumor June 22 2011, and GAmma Knife on a smaller brain tumor / and on leftovers from craniotomy on July 18 2011.

I never had any prior health problems, cancer, melanoma, etc before this diagnosis. Had other moles removed that just were fishy looking, all them came back fine thru results in Winter 2011. Never once had the dermatologist tell me that I was at risk for cancer, melanoma, etc, which is why I was so shocked by it all!

Yervoy is my 1st drug/treatment for anything.

My 1st injection (3mg) was Sept. 2nd.

2nd Injection was Sept 23rd.

3rd injection was Oct 14th.

4th injection was Nov. 4th.

1st CT/MRI scan for results was Nov. 23rd 2011.

1st checkup after all 4 injection was Dec. 2nd.

Almost 5cm spot in Lung was barely visible.

Almost 6cm spot in Liver was down to 2cm.

I never experienced a single side effection, no inflammation (that I noticed) and no colitis/bowel problems.

Just in the last two months I have had some aching in my chest, near my armpits, and during my Dec. 2nd visit, the Melanoma doctor did say he saw my Lymph nodes were enlarged (or whatever they call it), so I"m not sure if that aching is from those lymph nodes. He said he is not worried about those. He also said my thyroid may become hyptothyroid at some point, as my levels dropped in that area this last time.

The only basic side effects that I ever experienced were being tired the days I came home from treatment, other than that, I was never worn out or in pain anywhere else in my body, no headaches, nothing.