New Melanoma links

Here are some new links about advances in treatment for Melanoma:
positive recommendation from Canadian regulatory body

diabetes drug may fight cancer

Advances for skin cancer

melanoma rates jumping among young adults

The last article does not surprise me at all.  With the constant use of tanning beds, among people in my age group, it is not shocking that Melanoma rates are going up.  PEOPLE: pale is healthy, tan is not.  Please don't tan.  If you fell that your skin has to be dark, use a self tanning lotion, or spray tan.  It will probably be cheaper and you will cut your risk of Melanoma and other skin cancers by a large amount.

checkup

Had my checkup yesterday and everything is fine.  Chest x-ray and lab work looks good.  My shoulder has been bothering me for a little over a week, so the doctor pressed on the skin all around my shoulder to make sure that there wasn't any strange bumps or anything, which thankfully there wasn't.  He didn't give me an option on what could be causing the pain, but I think that it's tendonitis caused from all the stretching out the drive-thru window at McDonald's.  If only these people would pull close enough to the window, or at least make an effort to reach for the stuff, then maybe I wouldn't be stretching my arm and then maybe it wouldn't hurt. I really wish I could find another job, but at least the Melanoma is still gone and there are no signs that it coming back.  i have another appointment in 6 months, and the doctor said that if everything is good, then I can probably go down to once a year.  6 months will take it to three years since the diagnosis.

I did forget to mention this tiny red mark on my neck, but it hasn't changed since I first saw it, so I don't think it is anything serious. I'll keep an eye on it and give it a few months.  Hopefully it will go away, if its still there in June or July I call the doc and get it looked at.

Melanoma Drug May Extend Survival

Melanoma Drug May Extend Survival

A new study of Zelboraf (vemurafenib), a drug I have previously mentioned on this blog, showed that many Stage IV melanoma patients who received the drug had a survival period to sixteen months.  Previous drugs have shown a survival period of 6-10 months.

Researchers say that this drug was only tested in patients with advanced Melanoma, but "if we use it in an earlier stage, then we are hoping to cure patients who would not be cured otherwise," said lead researcher Dr. Jeffrey Sosman, a professor of medicine at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn.

This is good news for me.  I am still cancer free, but there is always the chance that it will come back.  I am glad that there are advances that could help me fight if it ever returns.  Hopefully there will be a cure in my lifetime.

Politics/Healthcare

I am so sick of all of these commercials telling people that Obamacare has to be stopped.  What about the people who want it?  A majority of Americans want health care reform!  We are sick and tired of paying so much extra money for medical procedures and doctor visits.  And that is those who actually have adequate insurance. What about everyone without insurance, or people like me who have limited health insurance that only covers some things. but doesn't help if you have a major diagnosis?  What do you do when you get diagnosed with cancer and don't have any way to pay for treatment?  If the republicans in Congress have their way, I guess you just die.  If you don't have money then too bad. I am just so sick of the political rhetoric.

Sometimes, I just wish these politicans would get a taste of real life. Maybe lose their insurance and then have someone they are close to get diagnosed with a serious illness.  Let them decide what is more important, medicine, food, shelter, etc.  Wouldn't it be nice to see what their reactions would be?...

Even IF I agreed with everything else the republicans preached, and I don't, I could never vote for someone whose main goal was to repeal the healthcare law.

ObamaCare

My comments posted to article about Employer's possibly dropping health insurance coverage under President Obama's health care plan.
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/08/25/employers-consider-dropping-health-coverage-under-obamacare/#idc-cover

As someone with a pre-exsisting condition who gets very limited health insurance through my job, I completely support a universal healthcare plan. Even if I had to pay more in taxes at least maybe I would be able to afford to go to the doctor to keep an eye on my condition. Since my specialist is not in my plan I would have to pay hundreds of dollars up front just to see him, let alone all of the tests I would need since I haven't been to the doctor since I got this insurance. Something has to change. We need healthcare for everyone. My life, and many others could hang in the balance. Sometimes I wonder what these Congressmen would do if they lost their coverage (or someone in their family lost theirs) and then they got diagnosed with cancer or some other serious disease. How would they like it?