I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021.  For those of you who have been following my cancer journey, you know that I am a surgeon who became at patient and then documented my journey in this blog.  After undergoing surgery, I completed a yearlong treatment plan of chemoimmunotherapy infusions, having completed my last infusion on June 29, 2022. This blog recounts my story with a focus on a surgeon who became a patient, melanoma awareness, and the intersection of medicine and faith.

This blog was started to keep my patients informed of my progress. As I have continued to feel better, my surgical practice has ramped back up to normal. And I have taken on some additional work responsibilities. I was elected as the Secretary of the Private Practice Section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery.

But as is typical of any major health crisis or really any major life crisis that effects behavioral changes for the better in our lives, it is easy to get busy with work and fall back into old habits. I have not been updating my blog lately, but plan to keep it more updated. Also, when one feels better physically and spiritually, it is easy to drift into old habits. I teach a young adult group in our home on Sunday nights. I always tell my group that you never drift into good habits, only bad ones. Anything you do to improve yourself is intentional, not something into which you drift. So in this new year of 2024, I have tried to refocus on wellness to help my body continue to battle this melanoma. I have been intentional on getting enough sleep. I have been working out more regularly and giving up sweets. Lastly, during the Lenten season, I have tried to refocus spiritually.

Things we can control such as our sleep pattern, our diet, our exercise pattern, our stress level, and our spirituality can work together to reduce chronic inflammation in our bodies. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, science has shown that chronic inflammation in the body aids and abets tumor biology, helping tumors either develop or progress more rapidly. Some of the inflammation caused by tumors is from genetic mutations and intrinsic factors of the tumors beyond our control. But a lot of extrinsic factors can also cause chronic inflammation such as chronic infections, an inflammatory diet high in sugar, autoimmune diseases, obesity, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption.

My last two rounds of laboratory work up and extensive imaging were in May and November of 2023. They revealed that I continue to have no evidence of recurrent melanoma cancer. Because of the stage of my melanoma and the tumor biology (acral type with high mitosis and ulceration), I remain at very high risk for recurrence. My type of melanoma tends to be very aggressive and many do not survive the first three years. However, the risk for this type of melanoma is more “front loaded,” meaning that as time goes on, my risk starts to drop. I have another round of imaging on May 2, 2024. I am praying for continued good news, because that is near the three year mark, when my risk begins to drop some, and my prognosis improves.

I am planning a big celebration that weekend if all is good…more on that later. I pledge to keep all those who are following more informed! And let’s all focus on wellness. Let me know if you want me to start writing about more specifics.

Lastly, for those in the Nashville, Tennessee, area and beyond, feel free to tune in to Morningline with Nick Beres on Monday, March 18, as we do a one hour live show discussing Springtime allergies and impact on our health. (https://www.newschannel5.com/plus/morningline)

I appreciate all the love and support!