Remember in my past post I said how I could diagnose myself and what good were the doctors? Well I take that back! I got the results of my thyroid biopsy last week and found out that my lovely lady lump is cancer. Can you believe it? I am still in a bit of shock. How can it be cancer when it did not show up in my blood tests, run in my family, or that I don't have any symptoms? I am glad it was caught early and that I didn't have to be in the stage of not knowing what was wrong with me. I think that would have been a lot more frustrating.
The next step is to have surgery to remove my thyroid on May 8th. It's an out patient surgery but I will need to take a week off of work and a 2 week break from any physical activities. I just found out that I'll have to take a week off of work and it was quite a shock. I thought since I would be in and out w/ the surgery that I would be back at work on Thursday! Then I realized that I might not even be able to shower for a few days. Could you imagine if I showed back up at work w/ a huge bandage on my neck lookin' all greasy? My co-workers would have really wondered where I had been!
After surgery I will have to take medication for the rest of my life to compensate for the missing hormones. That's not too bad. I know it could be worse. I do know online it says that some people have to go through some radiation to make sure all the cancer cells are dead, and I'm not sure if I wil have to do that or not. I have a pre-op appointment with my doctor the week before where I will get to ask all of my questions.
The doctor told me that 95% of thyroidectomies remove all of the cancer, which is really good news. He also told me that if my tumor was over 5 cm and if I were older there would be more risks. (My tumor is only 2.6 cm.)
Even though I know everything will be ok, it's still Cancer. There is a lot of baggage that goes along with that word. Emotionally I kind of go up and down of knowing it will be ok, to being scared. I do think about it all the time though. I asked the doctors office to let me know if they can get me in earlier, just to I can get it over with and stop having to think about it. John is doing ok too. I think he's more scared then he lets on, which I'm thankful for, because I think I would feel worse seeing him worry.
It's amazing to hear how many people know someone who has either had thyroid cancer or has had another thyroid issue. I didn't realize how common it is.
I'm not looking for any sympathy from people, but I just want everyone to know. If the situation was reversed I would want to know about it.
I'll keep you posted on any new info I find out. I am hoping to get one of the nurses take a photo of the tumor after they remove it. Don't worry!! If it's totally gross I won't post it, but aren't you interested in seeing what it looks like?
7 comments:
Amber
I am thinking good thoughts for you and will bring Ice Cream over to your house as soon as you are homE...As I promised.
Okay, on the whole picture of the nodule...I want to see it!
Steph
I have been lurking around your blog since last week. I had done a search on thyroid cancer and nodules, as I have one that may need to be biopsied. I was feeling kind of scared and alone, and somehow reading about others going thru the same thing was comforting. I have been checking back everyday, to see if you have received any news, and I am so sorry that your news is what it is. I know everybody is going to tell you that this is the best kind of cancer to get, (but having cancer is still stinky) so I won't say that. What I will say, is that somewhere in New Jersey, you have a stranger thinking about you and praying for you.
Good luck, and I'll be checking on you regularly.
I'm so sorry to hear that. Thank God its a type of "C" that can be removed safely with such a high success rate, and its still so small. I look forward to reading the post that says the surgery was a huge success.
In the meantime, it sounds like you've got a fun new pastime in Wii... I gots to get me one of those (for the baby, of course)
Rock on, Grundmans!
Hey Lori! Thanks for the comment. I never thought that my blog could be helping someone else with a thyroid nodule! I will tell you that the biopsy was not fun, and 70% of them come back inconclusive. I think they were able to get a definite result because my nodule/tumor is so big. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for reading!
Hey, Amber,
Keep your chin up and think postively! All the odds are in
your favor. Try to distract yourself. Funny videos are good medicine! Also, junk food is fun!
I love you!
Love,
Mommy
Thank you for posting this blog... I know its an old one but i'm 21 yrs old and have a couple nodules on my thyroid... It's scary stuff!
Hey Polishchick181! Thanks for your comment. It is scary to have nodules on your thyroid, but try to stay positive. Feel free to email me with any other questions.
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