We meet with Dr Edwin McClay (http://www.pacificoncology.com/content.aspx?section=yourteam&id=36385), melanoma specialist  in San Diego. He spent 2 hours with us explaining options and answering questions.  We will be doing immediate surgical removal of all the lymph nodes of that arm, followed by a 4 month clinical trial chemotherapy.  This is a Phase 2 Clinical Trial of 2 medications, Tamoxifen and Cisplatin.  This combination has a 5 year cancer-free rate of 65% and a 5 year survival rate of 80%.  While these are not perfect numbers, they are very encouraging. Once a month for 4 months, Leslie will recieve 2 days of IV chemotherapy followed by daily oral medications which she can take at home.  There will be side effects - fatigue and nausea among other things.  Leslie laughingly says "At least I won't loose my hair".  There is a possibility of adding a third medication to the regimen, Nexavar.  This does not add much in the way of side effects, but may improve the survival rate above the 80% mark.  We are investigating the possibility of freeze storing the tumor to be used to develop a "vaccine" if the different forms of chemotherapy do not work.  We are both very hopeful now.  I feel like a bulldozer has been lifted off my chest, Leslie is apprehensive about the upcoming surgery and treatment but looking forward to watching her grandchilren grow up and being married another 25 years.

Leslie and I go forward for prayer in church, the entire church follows us to the front where they lay hands on us and pray.  The outpouring of love is amazing, as well as the love and support from friends, family, and co-workers.  It's good to know God is in control.

Devastating news.  We met with the local oncolgist who says this is a metastatic melanoma.  Radiation and conventional chemotherapy will not touch it.  He refers us to a melanoma specialist in San Diego for "experimental treatment" but doesn't offer much hope.

More bad news.  The CT scan shows involvement of the lymph nodes in
Leslie's left axilla (armpit)

Final pathology report came back as a melanoma.  This is definately not good as melanoma is an aggressive cancer.  Leslie had a skin melanoma that was removed 2 years ago and was supposed to be gone.  Now we don't know if this is a spread from the original melanoma or if this is a new primary site, either is bad.  We take hope in the fact that it is well encapsulated, maybe it hasn't spread anywhere else.