Hello I thought I would reply to you Lillie as no one else has at this time,  I have also had melanoma, notice I said HAD melanoma fingers crossed that’s the case! I had surgery on April 2018  and had part of my ear removed, also a W L E And had my lymph nodes removed, the results were negative so hopefully it hasn’t spread . I had a MRI and a CAT scan this week and am waiting on results now. I’m very grateful to have had the surgery as it has saved my life. Like your leg/knee my ear is also numb, as I understand it ,it can take months and months to heal after the trauma you can’t rush it, you need to be patient and im sure you will return to your fitness regimen when you have fully healed. It must be very frustrating for you not being able to get about the same. 

Best wishes to you. 

Thank you so much for responding to my posts. It’s so comforting to be able to chat to people who have a greater understanding of what I’m going through.

I am so lucky to have a supportive family and friends but it’s usually me doing the caring, supporting and giving advice and I think they’re having difficulty accepting that I’m not 100% at the moment.

Since I’ve joined this site and started to try and be a bit more ‘mindful’ I’ve been feeling more positive but my mobility is still poor.

I do hope your scan results are clear and that you stay strong and positive in the meantime.

Thank you again for your kind words,

Best Wishes xAx

I could have written this post! I am 2 weeks post op for wide resection and lymph node biopsy and I am still really struggling.  I too am normally very active.  I was expecting to be back cycling and swimming by now and am still struggling to get around or walk anywhere much. I hope your recovery went well and you are now fully back to normal. 

It’s been a year now and I’m happy to say I’m back to almost everything other than running now (but that’s really down to my RA rather than the surgery). I hope you recover soon too. I remember feeling just awful, a bit of a failure and a bit guilty ... I wanted to be one of those people who would be up and running straight away.

I’ve taken up yoga and find that really helps (always use 2 mats for extra padding). The only symptom left now is altered sensation and I’ve been told that may never get back to normal. It’s not painful but feels tight. 

Keep strong and try to go easy on yourself. It’s a big thing to go through and not everyone understands the impact it can have on your life. I hope you’re back on your bike very soon xxx

Hi Prescy72,

It's hard when you are an active person and you are hoping to get back to normality quickly. It will get better, it just takes a little longer than you think. This type of surgery is traumatic to the body so be patient and you will get there. Good luck with your results,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient)

Thank you Angie! Yes I need to learn patience! I really appreciate your response x

Hi

i had a WLE for stage 1 melanoma in May 2019, on the inside of my wrist. I had 30 stitches and it was very difficult to stretch the remaining skin over the wound. I am still in a lot of pain and have no sensation in many areas around the scar! The area is very tight and pulls, it will hurt all of a sudden like someone in stabbing me with needles! I’ve been told it can take years for the nerve endings to repair and some may ever do so. I have a smaller scar on my right breast also, from a second melanoma but that is tiny in comparison.  I’m okay though andalthough my arm is weaker and painful I get by! I’m sure in time your leg will improve. I now do t have to go back until november2019 but I have already found other sites I need checking. Best of luck to you. 

Hi,

For the skin around the wound have you tried massaging the area, and wound, with Bio Oil? If you do this twice a day it will start to soften the scar and surrounding area a little so that it doesn't feel as stretched. Unfortunately the internal tissues and nerve endings take a long time to settle down. I have a 15ins scar from my groin to my hip and after 10 years I still get the odd nerve pain, although most of the groin area is numb since the op. 

Angie

Hi thanks for your reply, yes I massage it about 3 or 4 times each day with either bio oil of moisturiser, as instructed by my consultant. I think it’s just the fact that I have skinny wrists and no spare skin so it is very over stretched and tight. I can’t bate things touching it lightly either. I’ve just accepted that it’s going to take time and will hurt for a while. It was a hatchett wound so is an odd shape too and unfortunately is right on the area where I would rest my arm. But all of this is better than leaving the melanoma in situ so I’m just grateful it was removed! 

Hello,

I had a wide excision on my leg and lymph node removed 4 weeks ago. Biopsy and excision were clear. Your posts resonated so much with me, so thank you for sharing your experiences! I thought I’d be back to full functioning by now. Today, my scar opened a bit and that was so scary! It’s been 4 months since the first biopsy and although I’m so happy about the outcome and hopeful about the future, I just feel very vulnerable. I thought it was just me finding it hard, but it seems that it’s quite common! All the best to all of you wherever you are in your journey.