I was thought I had a mole my whole life and I didn't personally noticed how it change.
My mole is located on my neck and my friends are commenting that they haven't notice my
mole before but I knew I had it. So it made me think that possibly had gotten bigger and
more noticeable so that's when we went to my pediatrician.
And the pediatrician suggested that Valerie thought mole had changed or friends are commenting
on it that we should probably see a dermatologist. After talking with Valerie,
he said there's a good reason that he should take it off that she felt it was different
and or if it had change. And he removed it.
And I remember kidding, he was kidding about with Valerie, cause she wanted to take it
home. She wanted to take the mole home with a little vial and he said no we have to send
them out for pathology and honestly I forgot all about the pathology part of it.
And he called couple of days later and he said I am shocked to tell you that the mole
that removed from Valerie was malignant melanoma. He said I want you to see someone to
see with Valerie at Children's. And this was a Friday and he said I've made you an appointment
to see Dr. Ranalli on Monday.
The Melanoma part was so scary. I immediately got on the computer and started looking it
up but I was afraid that Valerie will do the same. And I didn't want her to worry
about it until she needed too. So Sunday night, the night before the Monday appointment at
Children's, when I talked to her and I told her that we were going to Children's the
next day to see a doctor about the mole that it was removed and she said, "Children's Hospital
mom, that's for kids who have cancer.... And then, she said "mom do I have
cancer?... that we got to find out more from the doctors at Children's.
At first, I kind of want to laugh cause it's so surreal and then I cried a little bit. I
didn't fully understand what it was. It's just, I associate cancer was scary. So, I
guess mostly I was scared. Dr. Aldrink and Dr. Ranalli when they discussed all of the
procedures of me, they are very comforting and they made me feel definitely safe about
it
The surgery was on a Wednesday. Dr. Aldrink had said that as soon as she knew any kind
of pathology report, she'd let me know, but she said that'll be probably Monday but she
called me on Friday. Dr. Aldrink said she had the pathology report back and that Valerie
was cancer free.
I had some friends over and my mom called me upstairs and I though she's going to yell
me for something. And the she told me that "I was cancer free.... Hug each other and
it
was great. Today I feel great, I definitely, I don't really think about the cancer that
much.
We're so blessed to be so close to Children's Hospital. It was... I know a lot of people
come from Children's from out of State and from other parts of Ohio and we don't have
to come far. And we were just so lucky and fortunate to be so close to such wonderful
doctors and a great facility. I would so highly recommend Children's. It was a wonderful
experienced aside from the cancer.