Am I a member of the club?

[missdiane]

I follow my new dermatologist on FB, the one that excised my pre-cancerous mole and will be doing regular checks. She or her admins posted this thing this morning
June 2nd is National Cancer Survivor Day. Shout out to all #melanoma and other cancer survivors out there! You are so strong and amazing!

I wonder. Does my little mole removal count for me as being a "cancer survivor"? Yeah, I do have a scar and when I raise my arm, you can see a pretty darned funky looking dimple but in the grand scheme of things, it's nothing compared to someone that's had real, invasive surgery and/or radiation or chemo. It's so small and I was very lucky to have caught it before it became "real" cancer.

I certainly don't feel brave or at all worthy of any accolades or credit (aside from getting off my pale ass and finally getting checked out). When I saw things like that before, it was foreign to me. Now it's familiar but not.

Don't know if I'm making any sense here. :/

Comments

[threecee.livejournal.com]

I understand. I had half my thyroid removed because it contained a very small cancerous tumor. It was just outpatient surgery and was sent home as soon as I was awake. I have a small scar at the base of my neck that you have to get very close to see and I get an ultrasound every few years. I don't really think of myself as a cancer survivor compared to my dad who had surgery and a year of chemo for colon cancer or my cousin who had a double mastectomy, radiation, and a year of chemo for breast cancer.

However, you did have the courage to get it checked out and treated even though it was very scary, so congratulations on that!

[njlorelei.livejournal.com]

Well to me you wouldn't be a cancer survivor since you were not diagnosed with cancer. However I'd call you a previver. You had a procedure done to prevent cancer. 😃

[missdiane.livejournal.com]

Darn, when's National Nearly-Cancer Survival Day! I need to buy my cake!

[missdiane.livejournal.com]

Do you have to take meds now that you're thyroid-less?

My Dad had the radiation seeds done for prostate cancer and regrets bothering doing it since it was only diagnosed initially via his PSA levels

Interestingly I wasn't too frightened about getting diagnosed or even finding the results and getting it excised (though DANG she took out a chunk o' flesh!). It was a relief to no longer be in the dark and wonder.

[threecee.livejournal.com]

I'm on thyroid replacement pills once a day, since the remaining half won't pick up the slack. I think both halves were slacking off  because I had a lot of hypothyroid symptoms for a long time, despite testing just within the normal zone. After the surgery, I convinced my doctor to give me a dose that brought me into the middle normal range - feel much better!

[veganhothead.livejournal.com]

Maybe a junior member? I'm more and more concerned with the health of my skin these days. I'm applying my sunscreen a lot thicker and wearing a hat ALWAYS.