Category Archives: melanoma

May1

Melanoma Awareness Month

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Sunday 1st May 

Wall to wall sunshine, bodies on the beach 
Cooking away nicely, "Sunscreen!" I beseech 

Vitamin D is necessary, please don't get me wrong 
But frying like a lobster, damage could be life long 

So many burnt shoulders, peeling, unsightly skin 
D'you know what you've done? What's going on, within? 

Melanoma; skin cancer, might not happen today 
But a few years down the line, it'll be nothing to downplay 

You can't just cut it out, for it's a sneaky beast 
Lying dormant, then, like a devil, released 

Taking over your life, biopsies, skin grafts 
Scans and appointments, normality's in the past 

Just always worrying, asking when it will return 
Scanxiety, melanoia, a real cause for concern 

So slap on some sunscreen, and wear a big hat 
Seek shade when it's hot, prevention's where it's at 

Melanoma awareness throughout the month of May 
But it mustn't stop here, care for your skin everyday. 

Love you both so much 
My darling sons 
xxxxx
I wrote this two years ago, but wanted to post it again as May is Melanoma Awareness Month
May2

The Alien Blob

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Sunday 2nd May 

And so it was 
Eight years ago 
The Alien Blob 
Removed from my toe 

I liked the sun 
I'd tan my skin 
Didn't realise 
Problems begin 

That changing mole
Upon my toe 
Biopsies later 
It's cancer, y'know 

A diagnosis 
Of melanoma
And suddenly 
Dark clouds came over 

More surgeries 
And all those tests 
The right path to take 
Oncologists know best 

It metastasized 
Moved through my body 
Infected lymph nodes 
I felt quite groggy 

Now eight years later 
I am N E D
No Evidence of (that
Beastly) Disease

But on a trial
Adjuvant treatment 
Regular checkups
And scans quite frequent 

Now I am vigilant
Protecting my skin
Don't want the cancer
To spread within

Living my life
Enjoy the outdoors 
Spreading awareness 
To you and yours 

........ 
And thinking of you 
Beloved Angel son 
Every single day 
Now forever young 
xxxxx
Porthmeor Beach this afternoon
Chilly and bright
A much more sheltered harbour
Many enjoying the sun
Looking towards Hayle Towans
Looming clouds above the land
May1

Melanoma Awareness

Posted on by
Standard
Saturday 1st May 
. 
Wall to wall sunshine, bodies on the beach 
Cooking away nicely, "Sunscreen!" I beseech 

Vitamin D is necessary, please don't get me wrong 
But frying like a lobster, damage could be life long 

So many burnt shoulders, peeling, unsightly skin 
D'you know what you've done? What's going on, within? 

Melanoma; skin cancer, might not happen today 
But a few years down the line, it'll be nothing to downplay 

You can't just cut it out, for it's a sneaky beast 
Lying dormant, then, like a devil, released 

Taking over your life, biopsies, skin grafts 
Scans and appointments, normality's in the past 

Just always worrying, asking when it will return 
Scanxiety, melanoia, a real cause for concern 

So slap on some sunscreen, and wear a big hat 
Seek shade when it's hot, prevention's where it's at 

Melanoma awareness throughout the month of May 
But it mustn't stop here, care for your skin everyday 
. 

Thinking of you sweetie 
Beloved Angel son 
xxxxx
I wrote this last year, but wanted to post again as May is Melanoma Awareness Month
Nov25

To Exeter

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Wednesday 25th November

.

To Exeter! To Exeter!

To dermatology

The removal of a dodgy mole

Cut it out of me

.

A two week wait! A two week wait!

For histopathology

Let’s hope it’s just simply benign

And all is right with me

.

Thinking of you

Precious Angel son

xxxxx

An early morning drive to Exeter

On the A30

Hawks Tor, China clay pit

“The nearly there” trees, Cookworthy Knapp, near the Devon/Cornwall border

A ‘sundog’

Nov3

Seven years now

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Tuesday 3rd November

.

Seven years now

I’ve been on a trial

Adjuvant treatment

It’s been so worthwhile

.

It’s not just skin cancer

Melanoma is vile

Spreading to the lymph nodes

Surgery changed my lifestyle

.

So, vigilance is key

Can’t be in denial

Up at five this morning

Hospital arrival

.

Scan then dermatology

Service with a smile

Found a small alienblob

Removal is vital

.

Excision in two weeks

Health to reconcile

I’ll be left looking like

Been bitten by a crocodile

.

Always thinking of you

My darling Angel son

xxxxx

Jul30

A trip to Exeter

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Thursday 30th July

.

A trip to Exeter

For dermatology

Seven years of stripping off

Checking over my body

A melanoma exam

Suspicious moles, anything dodgy

Just seborrhoeic keratoses

I truly think they’re ugly

So relax, all is good

Really, nothing to worry

.

Thinking of you

Beloved Angel son

xxxxx

May31

Wall to wall sunshine

Posted on by
Standard

Sunday 31st May

.

Wall to wall sunshine

Bodies on the beach

Cooking away nicely

Sunscreen! I beseech

.

Vitamin D is necessary

Please don’t get me wrong

But frying like a lobster

Damage could be life long

.

So many burnt shoulders

Peeling, unsightly skin

D’you know what you’ve done?

What’s going on, within?

.

Melanoma; skin cancer

Might not happen today

But a few years down the line

It’ll be nothing to downplay

.

You can’t just cut it out

For it’s a sneaky beast

Lying dormant, then

Like a devil, released

.

Taking over your life

Biopsies, skin grafts

Scans and appointments

Normality’s in the past

.

Just always worrying

Asking when it will return

Scanxiety, melanoia

A real cause for concern

.

So slap on some sunscreen

And wear a big hat

Seek shade when it’s hot

Prevention’s where it’s at

.

Melanoma awareness

Throughout the month of May

But it mustn’t stop here

Care for your skin everyday

.

Love you forever

Beloved Angel son

xxxxx

May2

Seven years ago today

Posted on by
Standard

Saturday 2nd May

.

Seven years ago today

Alien blob was cut away

.

Melanoma diagnosis

Quite a fair prognosis

.

More surgery to lymph nodes

And that really hurt loads

.

Biposies, skin graft and scars

All added to my memoirs

.

Started on a clinical trial

Bloods, obs, scans and checks worthwhile

.

Lymphoedema a side effect

A small price to pay, I suspect

.

Sunglasses, big hats and sunscreen

Now preventing the unforeseen

.

Living with vigilance

To reduce the incidence

.

Thinking of you my darling

Precious Angel son

xxxxx

Broom from the garden

Porthmeor, West End

Looking towards the Island

Quiet in the harbour

No waves at all

Nov14

More hospital visits

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Thursday 14th November

.

More hospital visits

My twice yearly check-up

Dermatology, oncology

Blood pressure could ease up

.

But currently

“N E D”

So very happy

All’s good, you see

.

“No

Evidence

Of

Disease”

.

Scans and biopsies

Show all’s well

See you in a year

Fears to dispel

.

Six years post surgery

Life takes on a different persona

Melanoia and scanxiety

With metastatic melanoma

.

Thinking of you always

My darling Angel son

xxxxx

Snow on the sides of the road in Oakhampton

Golden, autumnal colours in Exeter

May2

Six years ago

Posted on by
Standard

Thursday 2nd May

.

Six years ago today

On the second of May

Surgery began

Because I liked to tan

.

A mole upon my toe

Started to grow and grow

It was melanoma

Changing my persona

.

It’s not just skin cancer

Deadly, I found out after

Spreading to my lymph nodes

Anxiety overloads

.

But six years down the line

I sort of feel quite fine

No Evidence of Disease

I’m here; the day to seize

.

Feeling thankful

Living with vigilance

Wearing sunscreen

Melanoma Awareness

.

A post from six years ago

A chilly Porthmeor Beach

Grey skies over the harbour

In need of colour!