Why am I writing all this down for you?
“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name.”
--John 20:30-31, American King James version
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Here's a photo of my cancerous thyroid and lymph nodes after they were removed. Neat, huh?
My current stats:
Thyrogen-stimulated Tg 4.0, TgAB less than 20
(down from hypo-stimulated Tg 16.7 in Dec. 2009)
WBS negative
A-to-Z List
Sometime in 2006, I noticed a small bump in the middle of the front of my neck. It was kind of like a small Adam’s apple, except that I'm not a dude, so I knew it couldn’t have been an Adam’s apple. It went up and down when I swallowed, it didn’t hurt at all, and I didn’t think anything of it. I assumed it had always been there. I was wrong.
Here's a photo of my cancerous thyroid and lymph nodes after they were removed. Neat, huh?
My current stats:
Thyrogen-stimulated Tg 4.0, TgAB less than 20
(down from hypo-stimulated Tg 16.7 in Dec. 2009)
WBS negative
Followers
A-to-Z List
26 Good Things About MY Thyroid Cancer
- Actually, there are more than 26
- Being grateful it’s not terminal pancreatic cancer
- Chemotherapy, as in “none required”
- Doing things I’ve always wanted to do because any cancer diagnosis makes you want to live life more fully
- Everyday is a blessing (everyday has always been a blessing, but it seems more true now)
- Fancy thyroidectomy scar
- Gummy bears eaten at 10 am with running friends is OK on low-iodine diet. This alone is cause for celebration!
- Hair loss from changes in Synthroid dose minimal and only noticeable to me
- It’s easier not to sweat the small stuff now.
- Jokes about thyroids open up whole new department in my sense of humor
- Kangaroos rarely diagnosed with it
- Low-iodine diet results in small amount of weight loss and much healthier eating habits, if only temporarily
- MRIs I wouldn’t otherwise have had done rule out other diseases and bad stuff.
- New appreciation for the thyroid’s contribution to bodily processes. Very underrated gland.
- Opportunity to show my kids how to have faith and be brave through trials
- People tell you they love you and show you they care when you get diagnosed, and it feels good to be loved.
- Quality of life better now
- Radioactive iodine treatment, which for me results in loss of taste for 4-5 weeks afterwards, makes me really appreciate food when the taste buds come back.
- Sleeping through dinner perfectly acceptable when hypo for scans or treatment
- This list
- Undeniable presence of God throughout trials
- Vegetables and fruit, allowed on the low-iodine diet, produce delightfully regular stools.
- Writing responses to newly diagnosed patients on the thyroid cancer listserv; it feels so good to give back and help others the way others helped me after I was diagnosed.
- Xylophone playing allowed—no, encouraged—while in isolation after RAI.
- Yodeling also OK while in isolation. (For that matter, anything goes. Who’s going to tell you “no”? After all, you’re radioacive, dude.)
- Zapper, bug (I’ve been told I am a bug zapper when I’m radioactive. I’ll have the opportunity to test this theory in 4 days.)
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