Nothing Was Wrong… Until Everything Was
A Routine That Felt Safe
For ten years, I trusted my dermatologist. Ten years of routine checkups, skin scans, and familiar small talk in that bright, sterile room. I never imagined that one visit would turn my world upside down. Nothing felt wrong—no pain, no symptoms, not even a visible mark.
An Innocent Observation
It began innocently. My boyfriend mentioned he’d noticed something on my back. At the time, life was in full swing: deadlines, filming, clients, and family gatherings. In hindsight, that’s what made the moment so surreal.
The Spot I Couldn’t See
The “spot” was on my upper back—a place I rarely thought about and couldn’t see or touch. That night, after looking at a photo of it, I decided not to wait for my annual exam. The very next morning, I scheduled an appointment. Within a week, a biopsy was taken. I expected the usual: benign results, maybe a follow-up. But two weeks later, it felt like a ticking clock had been strapped to my chest.
The Diagnosis That Didn’t Make Sense
My dermatologist called. The same doctor had frozen that exact spot two years earlier and had never mentioned it the previous year. Now, he was telling me it was positive for melanoma. Not stage 1. Not “let’s monitor it.” Terminal stage 4 skin cancer.
A Body That Felt Fine—But Wasn’t
The words didn’t land all at once. They floated above me, circling like vultures. I was too stunned to cry and too confused to ask the right questions. How could this be? I felt fine. I hadn’t lost weight—in fact, I’d gained some. I had no pain, and all my bloodwork was normal. It was as if my body had been hiding a secret, and I was the last to know.
The Moment My World Collapsed
Then came the referrals: a surgeon and an oncologist. That’s when the walls crumbled. I wasn’t okay. I was dying. At 56, I had just been handed an expiration date.
A Stranger, a Salve, and a Spark of Hope
The following week, while traveling and filming in California, my Hail Mary appeared. I met a gentleman who suggested I try bloodroot salve. He had successfully used it to treat melanoma on his forehead. I immediately knew I had to give it a try.
Choosing a Different Path
I researched, ordered, and waited. When it arrived, I needed help applying it—I couldn’t reach the spot. For two weeks, I used the salve. Out of disbelief more than hope, I scheduled a second opinion. The new doctor performed a punch biopsy. The wait was excruciating.
The Words I Never Thought I’d Hear
Then, the results came in. “ALL CLEAR – No evidence—No sign.” The stage 4 melanoma was gone. When the Body Speaks—and Then Whispers. The bloodroot had pulled out one of the most aggressive, deadly forms of skin cancer. My body had once screamed “catastrophe.” Now, it whispered, “hope.” In an instant, I went from living with a death sentence to dancing with gratefulness. I could breathe again—but not without emotional and physical scars.
Betrayed by Trust
How could a decade-long relationship with a trusted doctor end with such a devastating misdiagnosis? That question haunted me for months. This mistake cost me deeply, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I cried oceans. I faced my own mortality.
Awakening Through the Pain
But through it all, I woke up. This experience forced me into a deeper awareness. I had lived in a state of assumed safety. I trusted my doctor. I never missed an annual exam. And yet, I had no defense against a critical error.
Becoming My Own Advocate
Now, I pay attention to my body in new ways. I advocate fiercely for myself. I ask questions. I seek second opinions—without guilt. I’ve also begun exploring emotional healing. I brushed against death. Although I survived, something inside me has been forever changed.
The Invisible Aftershocks
Family and friends had mixed reactions. What they couldn’t see was the silent aftershock. The fear didn’t vanish just because the diagnosis did. I still have to scan the rest of my body. This journey isn’t over—it’s simply shifting.
Your Story Is Yours to Create
If you’ve ever been misdiagnosed, you know the world doesn’t look the same afterward. You stop assuming you’re safe. Doctors are experts, yes—but you are the authority and creator of your life experience.
From Survival to Empowerment
I share this not to condemn the medical community, but to advocate for proactivity. Ask the tough questions. Listen to your intuition. Trust your instincts. Take action—decisive, uncomfortable, necessary action.
Living With Eyes Wide Open
Today, I live with clarity. Not fear, but vigilance. Not distrust, but discernment. I still see doctors. I still go for checkups. But now, I ask the questions I once held back, worried I’d seem overdramatic or disrespectful. Nothing was wrong until it became everything.
“It was as if my body had kept this secret from me—and I was the last to know.” – Susan Shatzer
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