u/Impossible-Stop612

I've always kept up on yearly full body derm checks, since it's recommended and I come from a family of northern European skin types. I F68 5'5" and with no other health issues. I run outdoors and exercise 6 days a week with sunscreen when I'm outdoors, 148lb with a medium build.

My concern is that over the local clinic but I went to for years has become part of a dermatology network and probably less focused on skin health and more on offering cosmetic procedures.

At my last exam in March they removed three spots, one of them was diagnosed as 1A melanoma and another as a dysplastic nevis. Both have been excised and now I'm on a 3-month recheck schedule, is this the time to switch to a more medically centered practice?

I'm in Minneapolis area so there are plenty associated with clinic and hospital systemss to choose from.

Part of my reasoning is the extent of my last all over check, friends state the exams include between the toes well and skim through your hair. I barely removed my socks and got a cursory glance, had on nail polish and I was upright in a chair unless I was standing, the last two years. In previous years the exam chair was reclined flat as a table, seemingly making it easier to see close up.

Do I stay or do I go elsewhere now?

Thirteen years ago I had my craniotomy for a low grade tumor, a grade 2 atypical meningioma. Back then we used to remember and promote that May was brain tumor awareness month. I can't help think there are a few reasons we forget. Personally I even forgot my 13th Craniversary 6 days ago.

Sure, people don't want to make it political but back when I joined this sister/brotherhood there was a lot more going on. I would participate in 5K races, head to Washington DC, (NBTS Head the Hill) to educate and spread awareness to our elected officials.

We used to explain that very little had changed from 50 years ago in treatment options, available drugs and recognition of brain tumor/cancers.

Obviously our president at the time having lost a son to brain cancer was a big proponent of the "Cancer Moonshot" and we had hope that with federal funding that always came through, and government support of research, that we'd make progress, maybe even find cures starting with the worst of them, GBM.

Since my crani I've lost two close friends to brain tumors and some acquaintances in this unfortunate sorority / fraternity. I lost my grandfather as I am very young preschooler to I'm malignant BT, what I guess was GBM due to the fast progression of the disease.

My sister who's impacted by a different cancer has had the rug pulled out from under her, hoping to get into a trial that was canceled before it even started, for lack of promised funding from federal government.

I guess I should be thankful I've had no recurrence and keep up with my yearly MRIs to confirm that.

Happy Go gray in May, everybody 🩶💜🩶💜