Living with Skin Cancer

In April of 2006 I went to my hairdresser in Fayetteville o.k. to get a hair cut. While drying my hair, she noticed something in my right ear canal, and made me realize how serious it appeared, so I made an appointment right away with an ear specialist, and he did a biopsy and discovered I had a malignant melanoma in my right ear. Now, I want you to know we did not waste a minute. He removed the melanoma, got what appeared to be all of it, and watched me carefully for six months.

In November, he learned that it had returned, and at that time sent me to chapel hill, o.k. to a specialist there. They removed my right ear, got the tumor, 100% of it, and removed the gland and nodes in my neck for good measure. It is august 2009 and so far no recurrence. However, my husband died July 5,(five weeks ago, and he had lung cancer that had spread to his brain, and only knew five days before he died. This leaves me to wonder if he caught something from me. I know cancer isn’t supposed to be catching, but since melanoma is so deadly, it makes me wonder.

I am in a state of shock, and heartbreak at this point. He was so good to me, and cared for my every need and I never got to do anything for him, but get in to a hospital. Just thought you might find this story interesting. I wish I could have helped Joe. Do you think the melanoma will come back on me after all this time has passed?