Be prepaired on the road.

[elainefaith]

Hi everyone, the last time i was on this forum was late july, 08. i live on the florida keys are was leaving to drive out west in my truck camper. thanks for all the help with routes and campgrounds, but thats not really what this post is about.

While i was on the road i developed a little "blind pimple" on my cheek. saw several dr's along the way, everyone thought it was probably a benign cyst, but i should have it taken out by a plastic surgeon to preserve my beauty, lol.

My insurance co. helped me find a plastic surg. in Scottsdale, Az. he took it out and sent out for a biopsy, didn't expect anything, just checking to be sure.

Off i went to the grand canyon, indian lands in az and over to albuquerque where 10 days after the surgery the dr. called to say they finally found what i had and it was bad, a rare cancer called merkel cell carcinoma.

[elainefaith]

Me again, this was on a friday, the internet was priceless, over the weekend i did a lot of research, found a Dr. at Sylvested Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami and on monday i was on my way home. What had been a wonderful 6 week trip out west, turned into a 5 day trip home.

I now know why they call it "fighting cancer". I've had surgery and ratiation, hopefully they got it all.

The reason for this note is to say hello to everyone and urge you to look into your medical insurance policy, look it over with a fine tooth comb. The bills are outragious, but i'll get thru it.

Best to all, elainefaith

[utmtman]

Dang girl sorry to hear that. I hope you have nipped it in the bud.
No insurance is perfect and it heck finding one that covers all the possible problems out there. I hope all have some kind of health coverage to help them along the way.

[bridgestohealth]

Elaine,

Thank you for sharing your story. Merkel Cell Carcinoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. Merkel cells are located in the outmost layer of the skin (epidermis) and are thought to be associated with the sensory receptors for touch.

It is very important for campers (everyone really) as part of their annual physical, to get a skin check. The skin check is a head-to-toe visual inspection to look for moles, freckles, etc that might be suspect (cancer).

As a motorhome owner and a frequent RVer, my family and I are always in the sun. We always wear sunscreen at least 50 SPF and try to limit sun exposure to early morning or late afternoon.

When traveling remember to carry all of your important medical insurance documents such as ID cards, prescription information including prescription numbers, telephone numbers of doctors back home, and copies of your latest labwork or medical information, if you are currently being treated for a specific condition(s). This way if you have to be seen by a doctor while traveling he will have access to your immediate health records.

Elaine, I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. Did the doctor tell you what stage the cancer is in? That is important to know.

In health and wellness,

Dr. Mundorff

[elainefaith]

Dear Dr. M, thanks so much for replying. Funny thing is i know a lot about cancer, dealing with various family members. I just never thought to ask my dr(s) about stageing. After the diagnosis things just moved very fast. The good thing is the tumor was located on the face, right in the middle of the cheek. Pet scan showed that the ca hadn't spread. After surgery and radiation they all feel good about my prognosis, i'll be followed for 5 years by oncologist, plastic surgery 6 mo to a year later. I have a good support system and am planning my next camping trip, dogwood season in Ct in may. Elaine