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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.)
Cool! I was so tired after I got mine!
ReplyDeleteHi, PMerr. I was exhausted Monday and Tuesday by about 4 pm, but I'm pretty sure that's no different than any other day for me. !!! Where are you in your thyroid cancer journey? Best of luck to you! We're in this together!
ReplyDeleteLynn
Hypothyroidism treatment can consist of some things including prescribed meds, healthy diet, desiccated porcine thyroid supplements , and exercise.
ReplyDelete