My Journey - So Far

Most of you know some of my thyroid cancer story. Since it is not quite to the end of the story, I've decided to tell it from the beginning here in my blog. I've neglected my blog like I've neglected myself for too long.

On Wednesday, October 5th I had an appointment with a Nurse Practitioner at the clinic my hubby has been going to for the past few years. Me - I've only had an OB/GYN for the past 20 years or so, with occasional visits to urgent care or whatever doctor has the soonest opening when I've had a cold I can't shake or possible strep throat. And then only if I thought I was dying. ha! But I finally decided maybe it was time to find a primary care doctor. Someone I liked. Someone who didn't patronize me. I've had too many doctors like that in my lifetime. Just because I am a female it doesn't mean ALL of my health issues are "female problems". If you know what I mean. 

Fatigue and daily headaches are what forced me to make this appointment. When my "doctor" walked into the room, I instantly liked her. She is a few months younger than me. A working mom. She seemed truly concerned about my health. The first thing she told me was that it is time to take care of myself. It was time to do things I wanted to do. I've talked about my "Life to Do" list before. The list of things I want to experience in my life. It was time to get started on that list. We talked about my fatigue possibly being related to running my own crazy business and the need to ALWAYS be in charge of EVERYTHING. We don't need to be in control of everything because it will destroy us if we aren't careful. At some point I will blog about our need, as women to take better care of ourselves. To learn not to have to be in control of everything all the time. 

After discussing all of my health concerns along with a few life concerns, she decided what blood work would need to be done and moved on to a physical examination. She checked my ears, throat, eyes, etc. She checked my heart and lungs. Then she physically checked my neck and found what she called a nodule on my thyroid. She told me thyroid nodules were not unusual but an ultrasound would need to be done. She said to make the appointment at my leisure. That told me I needed to make the appointment as soon as possible. 

My ultrasound was schedule for the following morning. Bright and early. Before we got started the technician told me I would have results in the next day or so. When I left she told me I should have results either later that afternoon or the next morning. That same afternoon my "doctor" called me telling me I had a MASS on my thyroid and I would need a biopsy done. I commented about it no longer being a nodule and she told me "No it is a mass". Later in the day I got a copy of the ultrasound findings added to "MyChart" online. The dimensions were all in cm so I had to recalculate them into inches. My mass was about the size of a cocktail wiener! Large for a thyroid mass. 

Now, I'm starting to feel a bit of a panic. I did some internet searches on thyroid nodules/masses and found that cancer was one option. I read a little too much about the biopsy procedure so stopped my internet search. Sometimes less information is better. 

On Monday, October 10th the biopsy was done. I will leave the details out about the actual biopsy procedure. Eight samples were drawn from my thyroid mass by a radiologist who specializes in this procedure. The room was filled with assistants. One person doing some typing in the corner. Another person making sure I was comfortable. Hell, I was having eight needles stuck into my neck. And one person took each needle and squirted a sample onto a microscope slide to be sent to the lab for analysis. By the time the 3rd or 4th sample had been drawn the room got very quiet. When all eight samples were done, I was told my doctor would have results within 3-5 business days. 3-5 days would be an eternity. Panic attacks became fairly normal. Mostly, I felt like I couldn't breath. The unknown is sometimes worse than the known even if it is something bad. 

Two days later, on Wednesday, October 12th shortly after 9AM the phone rang. I took a deep breath and answered it. It was my doctor. She told me she had the biopsy results and my thyroid nodule which had been upgraded to a mass was now a full fledged tumor which was cancer. Papillary thyroid cancer is the exact kind of cancer. She told me "If you have to have a cancer this is the kind to have." My thyroid along with its funky little friend would need to be removed. She had already set up an appointment with a surgeon for later that afternoon. She asked me if I was home alone and when I told her I was she offered to stay on the phone with me for however long I needed her to be there. That was above and beyond. She has been unbelievable through this whole process. I talked to her for a few minutes, hung up the phone and cried. Eventually, I calmed down and called Isaac so he could come home and go to the surgeon with me. The next few hours were endless and filled with endless questions and moments of total panic. Totally had major issues breathing. 

Thyroid cancer is the fastest growing cancer. In 2011 there will be more than 48,000 new cases of thyroid cancer diagnosed. Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for about 75-80% of all thyroid cancer. This type of thyroid cancer in most cases does not spread to other parts of the body. It is normally self-contained and once the thyroid and its funky little friend are removed the cancer is gone. Thyroid cancer can NOT be found through any kind of blood tests. ALL of my thyroid levels were totally PERFECT. It can only be found by a physical examination. 

I will end this segment of my journey here. I promise to publish the rest of the story tomorrow night. I will type it now, proof it tomorrow night and publish it immediately after I've done that. Until then, know that I am doing great.