05/15/2025
Stage 3b melanoma wasn’t anywhere on my vision board...but here we are.
Two years ago, I noticed a tiny freckle on my backside.I was told it’s “just a skin tag. They happen as we age.”
Melanoma can become life-threatening in a matter of weeks, and the spot she once said was “just a skin tag” had been there for months.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer—responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths, even though it accounts for only about 1% of skin cancer cases.
Melanoma can hide in places that rarely see sunlight—like under a nail, on your scalp, or, in my case, on my backside. That’s why it’s so important to know your body and speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
To anyone reading this:
Protect your skin.
Know your body.
Speak up when something feels off.
That little freckle didn’t look like much—
but insisting it be removed changed everything and hopefully saved my life.
So far, my scans have continued to come back clean—meaning no new spots, which is a huge relief. But Because my lymphatic system was affected, every scan brings a new wave of concern.
I’m incredibly grateful to God for each clear result. In just a couple of weeks, I’ll have another full-body PET scan, and I’d be so thankful if you’d join me in praying for another clean one.
My hope is to make it to September with nothing but clear scans. That would bring such peace—and make this big diagnosis feel a little less scary.
Today, I still don’t know what the future holds, but I know the One who holds me—and He has given me peace that surpasses the diagnosis, great joy in the midst of sorrow, strength when I’m tired to my bones, hope that never disappoints, and sweet winks from Him along the way. Only God can do that.