Melanoma Roar

There are countless blogs on the internet.  Some topics to name a few are decorating, cooking, photography, art and of course CANCER.  I, too, am now one of the several blogs about Melanoma.  It seems that Melanoma is all that I write about it.  Sorry, it’s all still pretty fresh!   I still cry, I'm still a little scared, I'm still sad for others that get it...I don't know if those feelings will ever go away.  I’m sure it’s getting boring to you – reading about Melanoma a few times a week - but for me writing about it, it’s therapeutic.  I need to release this crap. 

I’ve come across several other blogs about Melanoma and it astonishes me with the feelings that they can relay simply by using their fingers.  Some break my heart and absolutely have made me cry; some make me smile.  Most bloggers are people going through the disease themselves; others are family members telling their loved one’s story.  Some blog authors have passed; most are still fighting and blogging about their survival.  Actually, the other day I came across a blogger who recently passed. She had blogged about her four year fight once diagnosed with a later stage Melanoma.  She passed last month and her husband wrote the final posting for his wife titled: “She’s gone”.   I’m tearing up just thinking about it. 

Every single Melanoma blog that I have read tells a story of diagnosis where they were in complete shock that this disease could be so terrible.  After all, it’s just skin cancer, right?  They were shocked that they needed to see an oncologist.  They were shocked they needed to have surgery.  The fact is that people aren’t aware of what this actually is unless they, a family member or a close friend is going through it.  I, personally, had no clue.  The word 'malignant' is what initially worried me, not the 'skin cancer' part.  Once I researched Melanoma it scared the shit out of me.  Of course, I can laugh at it now – I was scared of cancer and I end up with a cancer on my largest damn organ.  Go figure.

The common denominator in these blogs is awareness.  I thought about “coming out” for a few weeks.  Should I stay silent?  Or should I tell people what the hell is up?  I chose to not be silent. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, right mom?  Speak up, tell your story.  Tell it to tan people.  Tell it to pasties.  Tell it to anyone that effing asks.  Make people aware of the fastest growing cancer in the US.  Since my surgery (at least on the weekends), I have only worn tank tops, halter tops or dresses that expose my back/pitter.  I want people to be curious enough to ask what those scars are from. 

I read once, and I am totally paraphrasing here: One voice alone is quiet, but a whole bunch of voices together is a roar.  I am proud to be a voice in the Melanoma Roar.