Paradigm Shift in Thinking

I attended a full day Melanoma Excange Patient Forum webinar this past Wednesday that offered some encouraging as well as sobering facts. Such as advances in OS (overall survival) has improved enormously from 2011 when prognosis was approximately 6 months for metastatic melanoma to greater than 6 years - or more - today. I also learned that melanoma has the greatest risk of metastasis to the central nervous system than any other cancer, but that is why ongoing surveillance is so vital.

In any event, I came away with a profound shift in my way of thinking. That is: I don't view myself as HAVING metastatic melanoma, I am LIVING with metastatic melanoma. To some that may sound like a subtle difference in semantics, but it's big shift in perspective of dealing with a chronic condition. The former may tend to weigh one down, define who we are. I refuse to be defined by a disease process. I am still who I am, enjoying activies that make me happy and whole, interacting with people I enjoy being with. I am living my life and even if side effects or adverse effects interfere on occasion, I will not dwell on them - I am grateful for the medical advances that have been made to allow me to contine to thrive. That is my focus and for that I am grateful.