CHRISTINA RINDERLE

Stage:Stage I

I recall that my family members mentioned the unusual mole several times, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. It wasn’t until my daughter insisted I have it tested that I began to be concerned. Being concerned and acting are two different things; I did not act until the mole began giving me the sensation of something crawling under my skin. I took a day off from work to have the mole on my ear biopsied and to see a specialist about the freckle on the retina of my eye. I was advised not to worry about the eye freckle because it was flat, but I learned a few days later that I had melanoma on my ear. I was away at a conference and my son advised me the doctor left a message to call him back regarding the biopsy results. That was a huge red flag to me as I expected either a letter with negative results in the mail or to hear from the nurse practitioner who performed the biopsy. I called him back on my lunch break and was completely blindsided when he told me I had melanoma. He advised me that he believed my prognosis to be good and that he would refer me to a surgeon immediately. My father had melanoma and has been cancer free for 10 years so I took the news in stride while I comforted my husband with the results. We didn’t tell our children; there were so many other uncertainties in our lives at the time so we waited until closer to the surgery date. On the day of surgery, we were told a large portion of the ear would be removed and a skin flap made where my ear could be “tucked into my head” until a secondary closure could be completed with a skin graft. I had googled images of the surgery so I would know what to expect and it wasn’t pleasant. The surgery was placed on hold because of an enlarged lymph node behind my ear that would need evaluation. Three weeks later, I left the hospital with a mini left ear, shaved hair near the operation site, and a 4 inch incision from the lymph node removal. Ear cartilage is very sensitive and my entire ear was reconstructed by a fabulous plastic surgeon oncologist. The margins were clear and the lymph node was negative. I am cancer free and have been for four months. I look at life differently now. I traveled this summer to the Grand Canyon, a place I have longed to see for many, many years. It was breathtaking and I balled like a baby. I kept thinking if my daughter hadn’t insisted I have the mole tested, I would have died without seeing this beautiful and amazing place. I expect to be cancer free for a long time and I show my ear to as many people who will look at it to bring awareness of Melanoma. I want everyone to know that early detection is the only real cure. A mole on the back of my ear was not something I would have noticed. I should have gone to the dermatologist for a full body check because of my family history, but I didn’t. My family saved my life. Now, I want to repay the favor by bringing awareness through my story. Pay attention to yourself, know your family history, get regular checkups and visit your dermatologist. Don’t blow it off if someone tells you to get a mole checked. It could save your life.