dana's Cancer Blog

June 13, 2008

June 13, 2008

Views: 124

A little update…I went back to work about a week after surgery. Felt pretty good coming back but as the weeks have progressed and my body adjusts to not taking any type of thyroid medicine I find myself increasingly tired. My doctor suggested a B12 shot to help me get through until I have the iodine radiation and it has seemed to help a little. I’m looking forward to being able to take my thyroid med.s again just to feel better. I seem to recall my oncologist telling me I’ll be able to start my thyroid med.s the day after radiation? Need to check on that…all of my friends tell me my new scar on my neck isn’t that noticeable. I still have swelling above the incision and when I press on the area above the incision that is swollen all I feel is pressure. I’m assuming the feeling will come back sometime down the road.

I am having some other issues – I feel really achy all over and my left knee has become swollen. I’m going in on Wednesday for a bone scan on my right ankle. I had an MRI and it showed a ligament tear, but my doctor thinks I might have a stress fracture that the MRI didn’t catch as my ankle continues to remain swollen even after wearing a boot and having therapy. With my ankle and left knee issues I can’t run and running for me was my prozac. I’ve had a couple of weepy moments and feel so self-centered after they are over…I keep asking myself and sometimes mutter outloud, what did I do? I’ll call a friend or do something to help someone else and the moment fades. I know everything will be o.k. and we all go through this for a reason. The reason just isn’t clear yet… :o)

Posted on June 13, 2008 at 10:44:32 AM by Dana ( June 13, 2008, 3 comments)

Dana- Thanks for sharing your story and updating everyone on your progress. I have never had thyroid concerns, however we have 2 things in common a cancer diagnosis and the love of running. You are definately a strong positive person, afterall not everyone chooses to tackle a 1/2 marathon- that has to be tough! You’ve had the experience of reaching down deep for that extra energy and persistence that you might need. Doesn’t it seem like when you stop running the emotional affects seem to almost as strong as the physical affects? My thoughts and prayers go to you through this journey!- Hugs your way

Posted on June 13, 2008 at 6:52:58 PM by theresac

self-centered moments seem to be a common thing here and they are not all bad. So many survivors have spent lifetimes taking care of others, that they feel guilty for needing a bit of maintenance themselves.

Keep fighting, but remember you are fragile, at times, as well. Take care of yourself!

Hugz
Mac

Posted on June 14, 2008 at 4:56:32 PM by rigidridr

reading your blog remind me when all this happened to me 1 1/2 year ago. Thes shock of being diagnosed with papillary cancer , the surgery and removal of my whole thyroid , left lypms nodes and a small part of my oesophagus, as my cancer was spread. Im currently in my second radiation dose (Iodine pill) since the first one didnt work and I did have remaining cells. After my second radiation dose (4 months ago) i was asked to perform a ultrasound of the neck , who was contradictory with my full body scan results. Apparently I still have 2 small remaining lymphs nodes in the bed of my thyroid. I’m actually waiting for another scan they will try to perform or either a biopsie of those small nodes in the bed were my thyroid was. Is a long journey but the key is stay positive and pray that all this go away soon or later. As you wonder, you will be able to start your thyroid med’s the day after radiation, at least I was allow to do it. To avoid the physical problems you feel because you cant take your medicine, there is a another one you are normally allow to take, or either there is these shots you need to have to allow you to continue take your medication and with that avoid any physical pain or fatigue. I know some insurances dont cover these shot (I dont remember the name very well but I think is thyrodine shots). I hope the best for you and your family, stay positive, enjoy life , I know all this is scary but I also believe we can beat cancer.

Maria

Posted on June 19, 2008 at 4:55:33 PM by maria

May 13, 2008

May 13, 2008 continued...

Views: 244

We moved from the Seattle area to Texas in 1996. My doctor in Washington would always check my neck for anything unusual. When we moved to Texas I found a doctor but didn’t insist she check my neck for bumps. I just had the blood test each year. I didn’t even think to ask her why she wasn’t checking my neck out too.

The sonogram showed a nodule that was 3 cm in size on the left side of my thyroid and the right had several “worrisome nodules.” My regular doctor referred me to an endocrinologist and scheduled a nuclear thyroid uptake. In order to have accurate test results the nuclear doctor told me I would have to be taken off of my thyroid medicine for 6 weeks. The endocrinologist said we couldn’t wait six weeks let alone what that would do to me to be off of thyroid med.’s for that period of time. So the decision was made to have a fine needle biopsy in my endocrinologist’s office. Prior to the fine needle biopsy they give you a cream to put on your neck. I left work driving and applying cream at the same time. Not smart move – then add a cell phone. I pulled over until I finished the call and applying the cream. When I walked in the room I found myself looking at a row 8 needles all lined up in a row. She gave me a shot that numbed the area as well. I looked over to see if one of the 8 needles was used for the numbing shot…nope all 8 were still there. With the help of an ultrasound she used all 8 needles to withdraw cells from each side of my thyroid. It didn’t hurt too much, but it did hurt.
Fast forward a week later and I’m back in her office listening to her read the pathologist’s findings on the biopsy. And of course, I Googled everything and anything regarding thyroid cancer. But you never are really prepared for the word cancer in relation to yourself – but there it was, “probable papillary cancer.” My father passed away from chronic lymphatic leukemia and my father-in-law from lymphoma. Let’s just say my family is a little hypersensitive to cancer. Everyone tells me they know someone who has had this type of cancer and is doing just great and if you’re going to get cancer it’s the best kind to have! Best kind? I dunno, it’s still scary. I hope by writing about my journey I can help someone else…
My endocrinologist referred me to a surgeon in order to have my thyroid removed. I immediately liked my surgeon, Dr. Gonzalez. He tells like it is – he said based on the pathologists report he was going to remove all of the left side of my thyroid as that’s where the biggest nodule was located. He would then remove a piece of the right and give it to the pathologist on hand during the surgery. If the pathologist determined the right side was malignant he would remove all of the right side too. He said he would like to leave a little of the right as your thyroid is connected to your Para-thyroid. Your Para-thyroid controls the calcium level in your body. If he removed all of it I would have to take calcium supplements for the rest of my life.
My surgery was last Thursday. The surgery itself took 2 ½ hours. The weirdest part was being wheeled into surgery and looking over at a doctor and recognizing his face! It was a friend of my oldest son’s – I had to laugh and told him I would tell KC I saw him in the operating room. A nurse mentioned I wouldn’t remember seeing him, but I did. They removed all of the left side and went after the right. The pathologist determined the right side was malignant too. My husband of 25 years was in the waiting room with my 2 best friends. The nurse called him and told him the surgery was going great but they did find cancer on both sides. Kevin told me the phone call really worried him as they didn’t tell him anything other than it was cancer on both sides.

I woke up in recovery with all kinds of lines hooked up to me and I heard the nurse say we are taking her to ICU. In my fuzzy brain I tried to reason why I would need to go to ICU? When I got to ICU they let Kevin, Melanie and Shelley into the room too and they told me it’s because they needed to monitor my calcium level. I had a drainage tube in my neck and I felt like I couldn’t move without tugging on something that was hooked up and making an alarm sound. Kevin told me the surgeon had found Papillary cancer in both sides of my thyroid. I was relieved and I know he was too. This is the type of cancer that can be cured with a dose of iodine. Papillary cancer loves iodine and when iodine is ingested any remaining cells will ingest the iodine and be killed. I only had to spend one night in ICU and was released to go home Friday. My incision sight is sore but it doesn’t look too bad.
I had an appointment with the endocrinologist yesterday and she gave us a copy of the pathologists report from surgery. What I didn’t know was the surgeon took 3 lymph nodes out as well. The report stated the cancer had metastasized in one of the 3 lymph nodes. She said the surgeon may not have known there was cancer in the lymph nodes just by looking…? It is small…
What’s next? I’m waiting to schedule a full body scan to see if the cancer is anywhere else in my body. And hopefully, one dose of radioactive iodine and I’ll be O.K. Today I feel like I’ve got the flu and I’m achy all over – they took blood yesterday and will let me know if the reason I’m feeling this way is due to a calcium level decline. I have a prescription for calcium and have been instructed to take six pills a day.
Thanks for reading and I’m headed for my regular doctor this morning for a blood pressure check…that’s another story…have a wonderful rest of your day!

Posted on May 13, 2008 at 7:40:38 AM by Dana ( May 13, 2008 continued..., 3 comments)

Dana – Thanks for telling your story. I think it helps so many people. I am impressed by your courage and strength.

Posted on May 13, 2008 at 7:52:16 AM by jill

Welcome to the family. we are here to support all those that have come. It is great that you share your story. There are those that have the same kind of Cancer. You may help them to understand what is to come.
Keep us updated on how are thing are going .

Hug Sherri

Posted on May 13, 2008 at 11:37:44 AM by karlak

Your story caught my eye when I read Texas as that is where I am. You are very brave and tough. I have had those needle biopsies in the neck and they hurt more than a little. It sounds like your on the correct road. I have studied continually about all kinds of cancer as my doctor told me I would be dead in six months, in 2004. Remarkable things occur when you have faith. Peace

Posted on May 14, 2008 at 12:50:17 PM by simplysharron

May 13, 2008

Views: 233

Greetings! And how did I get here? Just a few short months ago I was getting up before work to meet my friends to go running. We trained and ran a 1/2 marathon in Austin in February. In the weeks after the race I was having difficulty turning my neck in any direction. I went to the doctor and he gave me muscle relaxants that didn’t do much of anything. A friend of mine has back trouble and she recommended a group of doctors, Spine Team Texas. After meeting with them they sent me for an MRI. I’ve never had an MRI before and I made the mistake of opening my eyes for a brief second once I was in the machine. You just don’t realize how “enclosed” you are in the machine. I had to talk myself off the ledge and repeatedly said to myself I was in a tanning bed – not an MRI machine. The entire procedure took about 20 minutes.

Received a call a couple of days later with the MRI results. The first thing the doctor asked me was has anyone ever told you your thyroid is really large? I had expected him to start talking to me about my neck issues first. I had to say, ah, no…he told they were sending the MRI results to my regular doctor. My regular doctor looked at the results and scheduled a sonogram.

I’ve taken thyroid medicine for over 20 years. Every year I go to the doctor and give blood to check my thyroid level. And every year they tell me it’s normal with the medication I’m taking, Synthroid.

Posted on May 13, 2008 at 5:17:22 AM by Dana ( May 13, 2008, 3 comments)

Your doctors lied to you for a long time, wittingly or not (they may not have known, ....

See maureen salamans books for answers to cancer and
thyroid issues.
Also online elaine hollingsworth
chapter 8
to see what destroys thyroids and is given to babies ! It is astonishing and TRUE.

Posted on May 13, 2008 at 5:27:31 AM by jeff (unverified)

Its hard to uderstand the path we are forced to take when we learn we have cancer. Its hard to trust the past the present and the future. Its even hearder to relearn how to listen to your inner voice and your own body. I am empathetic to your story, the hidden struggle and fear that is written. I know it all to well. But look at your photo again. That woman looks strong and confident. Dont forget who you are.You are stronger now then you were before you took that picture,the reaon is because you have agreed to fight. You have entered the cancer arena with the intent to win. This process has probably already changed how you make decisions and how you choose to think and communicate. I wish you strength and peace of mind. Sincerely. S

Posted on May 17, 2008 at 3:28:05 PM by shellyb47

Hope everything goes well for you. Reading your blog was like my past had come back as some of what you said is what happened to me as well. Take care

Posted on May 20, 2008 at 5:58:04 PM by angelive