I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma a few years back. It was removed and cut out. It happened on April 19, 2001. Dr. Kenny Barraza did an amazing job. It has healed beautifully. Yes, there is a scar on my stomach. It’s not too noticeable. The scars from the 75 moles that I had removed are not noticeable. Dr. Barraza does wonderful work. External scars are gone. What about the internal scars? They took longer to heal. I was affected by anxiety for many years after being diagnosed with cancer. Although it has since subsided, I still experience fear for other reasons. But I’m not a victim. It’s far from true. I’m lucky and blessed. It took me a while to get that mindset. Today? I am grateful. I am very grateful. It was so simple to remove a small part of my back. It had not spread and did not require any further treatment. Amy managed to keep me together even though I was falling apart. It gave me the opportunity to spread awareness and help others get tested and treated. It is a blessing to be alive. Melanoma can be likened to a crack in your windshield. Catch it early and you will be fine. You can lose more than your windshield if it spreads. 18 years ago, I believed that if I could live ten years, there would be a cure. I was wrong. Although there is no cure, there are many promising treatments. Immunotherapy is the next big thing, but it is not the only option. You should get your mole checked if it is unusual looking, black, two-toned or irregular in shape, large, bleeding, itching, or both. Early detection is key. Some days, I don’t think about the scar and its meaning for long periods of time. Some days I’m not grateful, and sometimes I don’t even see the sunrise. Most days, I realize how fortunate I am. All of us die from something. I’m just thankful that I was given another 18 years of life. My boys have grown up, and I know that they would remember me even if I was diagnosed with cancer. I was able to obtain life insurance to cover Amy and my boys. This morning, my scar was red. I was surprised that it hadn’t happened in a while. It was probably just the Lord reminding me that every day is a blessing. This is something that we should all remember.