Cancer - Now Part of the Journey

On Wednesday, February 24, I had a small lump (dime size) removed from my chest just underneath the skin (no visible mark on the skin). Before the doctor went in to get it, he thought it was a cyst. When he opened it up, he thought it was a fatty tumor. I could tell he was a little more concerned when he mentioned that it had a blood supply.

The doctor called me Thursday morning, February 25, and stated that he was not happy with a preliminary report he had heard from the lab. The technician had said, “If I had to say, I’d say it was a melanoma.” So Dr. Smith wanted to see me the very next day, Friday, February 26. On that day he took a look at all my moles and examined some lymph nodes – no signs of anything. He did tell me it was definitely cancer. I had two main questions. Number one: Since you have already talked to an oncologist, are you cautious or alarmed? Answer: Both (I expected that one). Number two: Are we early? Answer: I don’t know (Wrong answer, Doc. Try again. He declined the opportunity).

What makes this complicated—for me—is that I have never had a skin surface melanoma, but that is the typical way melanoma works, and a tumor like mine usually has a primary source—meaning this would be a metastasized tumor. That, of course, is not a good thing, because it could have also spread somewhere else. Dr. Smith did say that about ten percent of the time, they never find the primary source for melanoma.

I got a final report early afternoon, Wednesday, March 3. Dr. Smith’s words were: “It is almost certainly a melanoma” (My interpretation: It looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, smells like a duck. It must be a duck. But it’s kind of a funny-looking duck).

The next step is a PET scan on Thursday afternoon, March 11. I will see the oncologist Friday morning, March 12, then back to my surgeon, Dr. Smith, that same day when he will likely excise a little more tissue around where this tumor was—normal procedure.

As for me, I feel fine. No known physical effects from anything, and I am working as usual. I appreciate your prayers, especially for Beth, since, as many of you know, she is still in Mississippi teaching till the end of the school year, and I am pastoring in Tennessee. All of this medical treatment is taking place in Tennessee—Nashville area. Of course, our dual locations complicate things somewhat. Beth is planning to be with me next week.

For those of you who are interested, this will be my place for updates. Hopefully, there will not need to be many. No matter what, God is good all the time! Thanks again!