Hi all,
All is good here. Arya's YouTube channel is up and running nicely now so I'm back here for a catch-up.
I had another mole removed recently and thankfully there is no evidence of melanoma this time. Phew!
It's cold here in New Zealand at the moment and we've had stormy weather and lots of rain.
That's all from me for today. Here's a pic to make you smile.
Here's Arya's latest video
This post has been shared with Saturday Critters
Have a great weekend.
Love KB
x
Hi everyone,
Recently, I've been working on having Arya's YouTube channel up and going. A few projects are taking up most of my time so if you want to check in with me, you can find me on YouTube until I return.
Stay safe and I'll see you soon.
Love KB
XXX
After a not-so-great summer, it's starting to turn colder here in New Zealand. Whitesnake takes Arya for a walk each morning but she really needs a coat when it's cold and wet. I mentioned this to my lovely neighbour and she gave me a couple of coats that her dog has grown out of. They're a little too big but will definitely do the job while we find something more suitable.
Arya's YouTube Channel has been active for a week and she's already received over 100 views. Obviously, we're not the only people who think she's a cutie. Check her out below if you are interested.
This post has been shared with Saturday's Critters.
Have a great weekend,
Love KB
xxx
Arya has been living with us for six months now. The dog pound wasn't sure how old she was at the time and she's grown more than we expected. She's an absolute joy and makes me laugh and smile every day.
Whitesnake and I decided to start a YouTube channel for her. Click on the video below if you're interested.
This post has been shared with Saturday's Critters.
Have a great weekend,
Love KB
xxx
I was diagnosed with Melanoma in May 2022. After surgery, thankfully my status is now NEC (no evidence of cancer). Being told you have cancer is quite the wake-up call and makes you assess your life. I promised myself that if I survived, Whitesnake and I would rescue a dog, (something we'd been putting off since our dog, Coco passed away) and take better care of myself physically, spiritually and mentally.
So, here's our rescue, Arya. She's such a good girl and a joy to have around.
Have a great weekend.
Love KB
xxx
This post has been shared with Saturday's Critters.
I feel like the last couple of months have been spent freaking out or waiting. It's been almost a month since I last posted and still I wait for my 'urgent' surgery.
Whitesnake and I spent an hour or so at Rotorua hospital on the 13th June having my pre op checks. My blood pressure was rather high but that's usual for me when I am anxious and stressed. Apart from that, all went well.
Now I wait for a lymph node test to see if the melanoma has spread and a wide incision surgery. I called the hospital last Friday and I was told they would call me back with a date by Monday or Tuesday but still I wait.
I feel like I am going through the stages of grief...shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I am mainly flipping between anger and acceptance at the moment. Thank goodness for the support of my hubby.
Anyway, I'll let you know when I have any news. Let the waiting continue.
Five years ago, I noticed my 'big mole', as I called her, looked different. I'd had her as long as I could remember so I made a note to mention this to my Dr. Next time I saw my Dr, she took a look at my mole, photographed it and ensured me it was nothing to worry about but we would could keep an eye on it. I took her advice and checked it every once in a while.
A few years later, I moved to a different town and therefore starting seeing a new Dr. By this time, the brown area of the mole had a small red lump in the middle of it. I mentioned this to my new Dr and he took a look and told me not to worry, it was a (I have no idea what he called it) and that it was not cancerous.
As you know, I recently moved again and at my check up with Dr number 3, she took a look at my mole (which was now a much bigger, red lump) and ensured me it was fine.
A few months back, my mole started to bleed. I presumed I had caught it on my clothing as it's located on my shoulder and does rub on my clothing. It healed up on its own and I remebered that the Dr said it was fine and didn't think much more about it. About two months ago, I woke up to find blood on my pillow, my mole was the source and when I took a look at it, it looked like it had changed colour too. I decided to go back to my doctor because I was really worried.
Drs appointments are difficult to book due to the Covid situation so I was seeing a different Dr again. She took a look and said it's probably just caught on your clothing and started bleeding. She said her husband has the same thing so it's probably nothing to worry about. She said she'd book me in for an appointment to remove it because it looked sore and send it away for testing just in case.
A week later, my mole was finally removed. 10 days later, the Dr who removed it phoned me and asked me if I was free for a chat. That was the moment I knew something was seriously wrong. He informed me I had melanoma, the most dangerous kind of skin cancer and I would need a wide incision surgery to remove more skin to remove the rest of the melanoma and probably a scan to see if it has spread. I don't remember much of the conversation after that. I was shocked, I have fair skin and burn easily so I always apply sunscreen, stay in the shade when possible and wear a hat if I am out and about in the summer. How could this have happened to me?
A couple of days ago, after 3 weeks of waiting because of cancellations due to staff being ill at the hospital, I met my surgeon. She is lovely and answered all my questions without sugar coating anything, which was great. She examined my lymph nodes in my neck and arm pits and checked my back. She took a biopsy of some skin I was concerned about too. I have a pre op check tomorrow to remove more skin around the area where my mole was to ensure all the melanoma has been removed.
That's my journey so far. I have experience a roller coaster of emotions, the first night, I was so scared I wrote a bucket list. I'm thankful for my husband who is wonderfully supportive and looking after me as he always does. A couple of friends have come forward with their melanoma stories which has been really helpful. I'm optimistic because now we have a plan, the waiting was doing my head in.
I'll keep you up to date
Love KB
xxx
