We all know and hear about the dangers of skin cancer, but that doesn't stop us from spending way too much time in the sun without taking the proper precautions.
For some reason, the fact that it is topical seems to make skin cancer less of a big deal to most people, however, that is definitely not the case. In fact, it's important to know about symptoms and prevention of this deadly and often heartbreaking disease.
Even if you know all there is to know about skin cancer, there's nothing that can quite compare to seeing it firsthand and hearing a victim's personal story.
Bethany Gambardella-Greenway, a mom who lives in Austin, thought her melanoma was a liver spot when she first showed her doctor.
Sadly, Bethany and the doctor were mistaken. Her diagnosis would be the beginning of a long journey toward recovery that still hasn't finished for good.
Fortunately, with wit and energy, this young mom is showing everyone that she's tougher than her disease. She's also encouraging others to keep an eye out for signs of cancer.
WARNING: Some readers may find the following content upsetting. If you do not wish to see images of graphic medical treatment, please click back to the LittleThings homepage.
On her GoFundMe, Bethany explains that she was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of skin cancer and has had to go through a long series of procedures and surgeries.
Unfortunately for Bethany, her road to recovery isn't done yet, but her sense of humor and tenacity have helped to make her battle more successful.
She even made a photo diary on Facebook, called Melanoma Photo Diary, where she shares her powerful story.
Bethany was brave enough to share her healing process with the internet. Cancer, of course, is the least funny thing in the world, but Bethany manages to make the best of it, laugh along the way, and invite others in.
She starts by explaining the subtle sign that something was wrong, a large liver spot over her left eyebrow.
She shares:
The center mole looking thing is a nasty form of skin cancer called desmoplastic melanoma. The surrounding liver spot area is just plain old melanoma. Yeah, this spot on my forehead showed up during the last bit of my pregnancy with Arabella then the moles in the center appeared about a year or less after she was born.
After emerging from her operation, Bethany revealed the dramatic yellow compression bandage she has to wear to protect the healing area, joking that it looked like the cartoon character SpongeBob.
She writes:
I can’t help but make a totally ridiculous face when my face is so much not my own. Silliness aside, my head hurt, this whole thing was not merely skin deep.
Sponge Bob was doing his job and holding things down so the miracle that I shall dub 'Beth glue' could begin to stick the skin harvested from my right thigh to my forehead.
In this super awesome Saw-meets-Nickelodeon state, I scared the crap out of the neighbor's kid. After seeing the look on her face, I decided I seeing anyone outside my close, inner circle would not be a good idea for my already waning mental health.
At my plastic surgeons office I couldn’t even look in the mirror after the bandage was removed. I was scared. I was afraid I would see the same look in my own eyes as the eleven year old neighbor had looking at me.
After a chat with the surgeon, I find out that he had to take the underlying muscle because those icky moles burrowed their way down past the skin. Not only have I lost my left eyebrow but I will never be able to raise its replacement.
At this point it's a small price to pay to watch my girls grow up.
According to my doctor, I’m healing well, the skin graft is taking and things are going well. Permission to shower from the neck down has been granted and I’m looking forward to feeling clean again. Happy day!
Hello bacon. Night before more skin removal. Wound care: lube bacon generously with aquaphor or vaseline then cover with gauze pad, adhere to forehead with tape. Can’t sleep.
As part of her recovery, Bethany is undergoing laser treatments to help obliterate any remaining cancerous cells. The side effects are not exactly glamorous.
The development of the day, my face feels like a roast chicken. My skin is crisp and firm, the underlying meat is juicy and tender, I suspect by the final day I’ll reach 160 degrees. My ear is definitely the wing and my face is the breast. I should be thankful that I’m only half to a quarter of a chicken.
To date, Bethany has had two surgeries to remove the cancer — and she's hoping to keep it that way.
If her doctor confirms that the removal of cancerous cells are complete, Bethany can begin planning for a cosmetic procedure to "help return her face back to as close as normal as possible."
You can help Bethany by donating to her GoFundMe.
The American Cancer Society recommends that you check your own skin for abnormalities once a month, and get a skin exam from a doctor during your annual physical. Keep an eye out for warning signs like:
- blemishes with irregular edges
- new marks or changes to existing marks
- marks that crack or bleed
- crusty or thickened patches of skin
Please SHARE this cautionary tale with your friends and family!
If you have any concerns about skin cancer symptoms, see your doctor, and learn more at the American Cancer Society.
