I’ve had a mole on my left arm for a long time. Last year it got a bit dry and itchy. I scratched it and took the top off. Because I wanted to be sensible I went to the gp, who looked at it under a microscope and then prescribed hydrocortisone cream and said it looked fine. I have awful health anxiety, so I do try to take what they say as word so put it to one side and stopped worrying. It was on Friday night I was speaking to my friend who had been to the go about some moles and so to reassure her I showed her mine and said this one bled but dr says it’s fine. She said she thought I should go back and get it seen again. So yesterday morning that’s exactly what I did. Saw the same gp. Only this time, he looks at it through the microscope, measures it and says it should be looked at by the dermatologist. Now obviously it’s good to be vigilant and I’ve got an appointment on Monday thanks to my health insurance. But I am terrified. Terrified that it might have been cause for concern a year ago and he misdiagnosed. I’ve a friend whose terminal bowel cancer wasn’t diagnosed until her bowel ruptured despite numerous trips to the gp. My Nan was told for ages that she had reflux and was prescribed gavsicon. She was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in May and died in November. I am terrified. My mole doesn’t even look that odd to me. If it has changed over time it’s  been so gradual I’ve not noticed it. I don’t think it’s changed at all since last year, yet I’m convinced of a worst case scenario as it doesn’t really resemble anything other than a benign lesion or a couple of pictures I’ve seen of modular melanoma. I literally can’t think straight at the moment. I keep thinking if it was something awful it would have grown or changed shape or size this past year. I know there’s no point worrying but I can’t help being scared. It’s my little boys birthday this weekend and all I can think is I have to smile and go through the motions when inside I’m a mess.