It made me very sad when you referred to your own ignorance and stupidity- you are most definitely not stupid - I am a health care professional and I hadn't realised that you could get melanoma of the nail, if people come to me with a discoloured nail, my first thought is Fungal Infection. Like most people, I thought melanoma only occurs on the skin.

But not any more, there needs to be more awareness of this condition. 

But hopefully yours will turn out to be a non-malignant diagnosis ( I have just experienced that after a tongue biopsy - the relief!!) 

So don't worry unnecessarily, I know that is difficult, but until you get a firm diagnosis, worrying is just futile.

And should the worst happen, there will be lots of support for you and your family. 

But stay positive, there are some threads on here if you search Nail Melanoma.

What you are feeling is pretty normal for a Mum with young children but keep busy and try not to think the worst as it may never happen.

Hi HK,

Bless you - firstly, take time out to breathe deeply and slowly. Your fears and anxieties are running away with you and you need to slow down and take it a step at a time.

Righr, you have been referred for a biopsy on your nail. Subungal melanoma is one of the less common forms of melanoma but it is treated the same as all other melanoma - surgical removal and, dependant on the results, immunotherapy or targeted drug treatment. It's a shock to get a cancer diagnosis but melanoma treatments are improving all the time so don't immediately think you won't be around for your children. You have every chance of getting through this.

You may have had this nail problem for some time but it doesn't necessarily mean it's spread and don't think you are to blame - most people with a nail problem wouldn't think it was anything serious. So don't look back, it won't change a thing, deal with the present until you know what you are looking at. The waiting is the hardest because you have no control over what's happening to you so you have to find a way to deal with the waiting. Distract yourself with work, spending time with your family and filling every spare moment. Meanwhile, try listening to a meditation or mindfulness CD or, if you have a local Macmillan or Maggie's Centre arrange a massage or some counselling. 

You can do this,  a step at a time. You have found this forum which will help and don't be afraid to post here at any time. Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Angie (melanoma patient)