Father In Law Passed Away 6/2/06

My father-in-law, Richard, diagnosed 12/05, passed away on 6/2/06 at the age of 74. They diagnosed him w/melanoma end of 12/05, had 2 surgeries, one under the armpit and the other under his collar bone. March 12, the melanoma wrapped around his spinal cord and paralyzed his right arm and both legs. He laid in a hospital bed at home until the very end. He stopped drinking and eating, his hands swelled so much they were splitting open and liquid was coming out of them, his feet turned purple. He opened his eyes one last time and 20 minutes later he was gone. My mother-in-law cannot believe he is gone. She hasn't sat once since we buried him. I feel for all of you out there who are experiencing the same thing. Rest in peace Dad.

My father just had some biopsies done one on his stomach and the other on his leg. The one on his stomach was benign. But the one on his leg is melanoma, I am not sure what stage. He has an appt. with the surgeon on 6/21 and then he should know more.
My dad is only 42 and I have 2 small kids that absolutely adore him they are 6 & 2. I am so scared and feel so alone. My husband has tried to say all the right stuff but he has never had to deal with a sick family member.
I just lost my grandfather that was a stroke/diabetic/amputee. He passed in 9/05. I watched him struggle and fight for evrything even to breathe at times and I just don't know if I can do this again so soon.

I lost my husband in 11/05 from melanoma. He was diagnosed in August with stage 4 and died in the early part of November (only 3 months). I cried when I read your message because I pictured the scene so vividly (having lived thru it). Was he in alot of pain? My husband did not have any pain, but just got weaker and weaker and went to sleep. I am so sorry for your whole family--I know what your mother in law feels after 44 years of marriage. Our daughters and grandsons miss him so much also. We try to keep him in their memories by talking about the things he did. He was only 68.

After I read your message I began wondering about how long it takes melanoma to spread.

My Father in Law (89 Yrs) just had another melanoma removed from his left forearm. He had one on his back taken off in Dec 05 and one on his neck shortly after. They went in and did another surgery on his back to remove more tissue when the biopsy came back as melanoma.
The doctor said that if he was younger they would be giving him Chemotherapy but he isn't well enough to make it through that kind of treatment.
He has been having some swelling in his abdomen lately and not eating alot. Says he's getting fat. . .which he is in a wheelchair and can't move about alot. . .However, I was wondering if
this could be something to do with the melanoma. We don't find out until the end of the week from the Doctor just what stage we are dealing with. He also has some black spots beneath his toenails. I worry.
I felt so sorry for all of you after I read this post. . . wondered if this is whats coming for us. . .

My father had his surgery to remove the melonoma on his leg. Everything went well thru the surgery. They had to take a piece of tissue the size of a dollar bill from his shin. They also had to do a skin graft. But they got all of that one. He now has 5 spots on his stomach area they are going to remove an biopsy. I am just keeping my fingers crossed.

I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but if he is really sick and everything is just not good news. I hope he goes quickly and painlessly. I am under so much stress thinking about watching him suffer the way my grandfather did. I just hope that there is enough time to have the rest of the year together, just one more thanksgiving and christmas. At least for my kids with their pawpaw. This is going to hurt my six year old son so much if he looses his pawpaw right now.