Thyroid Biopsy- Finally!

**I want to apologize if you are visiting today for the second part of  My C-section, Five Years Later post.  I had said it would be up on Thursday, but at the time I did not know I would be having a biopsy on Wednesday.  I hope to have the post up by Monday, so please check back.**

I finally had my thyroid biopsy today.  I didn’t want to write the post tonight, because I am having a lot of pain, but I have received so many e-mails and inquires from family, friends, and blog readers who are concerned.  Forgive me if this isn’t the best post I have ever written, but at least I have a good reason- right?

I worked this morning and arrived at the hospital around 1:30.  My sister, Mara, took another half day off from work to be there for me.  I was calm, but still a little nervous.  I had received so many well wishes from everyone, I felt very confident and strong.  I checked in, and we didn’t have to wait very long before the ultrasound technician called us back.

She told us right away that Mara could come back with me for the prep., but she couldn’t stay in the room with me while they did the actual biopsy. I was upset to hear that- I planned to protest!

I was having an ultrasound guided biopsy with a fine needle.  The tech. told me what they would be doing, and told me they were going to use the smallest needles they have.  She told me the needles were small enough, I didn’t need a numbing agent.  After she gave us some more information, Mara spoke up and asked her why she couldn’t be in the room, and the tech. went into the hospital procedures.  She told us that in case Mara had an aversion to needles, and fainted, the doctors didn’t want to have to stop the biopsy to take care of her.  At this point Mara said, like only my sister can, “I have had a baby- a needle is NOT going to make me faint, y’all.”  The tech and the assistant laughed, but they didn’t change their mind. 

At that point they asked me to get on the gurney, and Mara had to leave.  She told me to breathe and think peaceful thoughts.  The hospital doctor, Dr. G.,  came in and introduced herself- she was going to be the one inserting the needles.  She told me she would take a few samples, and then a pathologist would examine the samples right then, to determine if there was a large enough sample.  She made it very clear that they would not have any results though today.  She said they wanted to make sure they had enough sample to get a proper reading, so I wouldn’t have to come back .  The doctor told me they had to make sure if they tell me it is benign, that it is benign 100%, so they may need a few samples.

Then she started putting something like betadine on my neck, and prepping me.  The tech told me it was a very easy access to get to the thyroid, so I felt good about that.  We had to wait a few minutes for the pathologist, but as soon as he was there, Dr. G., said she was going to start.  The ultrasound tech. pulled up pictures of my thyroid, and Dr. G. watched the screen as she started.  I closed my eyes because I didn’t want to watch the technical aspect of it. 

I was surprised.  The needle stick did not hurt at all, but I guess the needle was inserted very deeply into the thyroid.  That hurt.  She also wiggled it around- I assume getting the sample.  It lasted about thirty-seconds.  Then Dr. G. said she was going in from another angle, and repeated the process.  This one was much deeper, and hurt even more.  It lasted the same amount of time.  Dr. G. told me the pathologist was going to examine the samples, and she and him left the room.

The tech told me this was the longest part, but I was doing great.  I closed my eyes again and tried to keep breathing. I know that Dr. G. told me they were not looking for cancer at this point, but I couldn’t help but wonder if a pathologist would be able to tell immediately from looking at my blood under a microscope, whether there were cancer cells in it.  I mean, how could he not- that is what they do.  

About ten minutes later, Dr. G., and Dr. Pathologist came back into the room and Dr. G. told me they needed another sample.  She did the process again, and took the sample back to Dr. Pathologist.  I turned my head and could see him looking under his little microscope.  They were talking in very low voices.  I could hear their voices, but not the words.  Again, I was wondering, how could Dr. Pathologist not know if he was seeing cancer or not?

Dr. G. came back over to me five minutes later and told me Dr. Pathologist needed one more sample- a fourth one.  She stuck me again, and dug into my neck with the needle.  It felt like she had already taken a sample from this area before.  The ultrasound tech told her she was into the nodule perfectly, and then she wiggled the needle around for what seemed like forever.  I’ll be honest- it hurt!  It really hurt! I got tears in my eyes.  I was hoping she was getting what they needed and they weren’t going to have to do this a fifth time.

After another consult with Dr. Pathologist, and more hushed voices, Dr. G. told me they had enough of the sample, and I was done.  Dr. Pathologist turned to me and seemed very upbeat.  He said they may not have results for me until Monday, but I could check as soon as Friday afternoon with my doctor.  He and Dr. G., left, and the ultrasound tech told me to keep the betadine on my neck for several hours to help cut the risk of infection.  She put a Band-Aid on it. I sat up and felt light headed, so I sat for a few more minutes before I went back to the waiting room.

I found Mara, and we sat for a while, so I could stop feeling light headed.  I filled her in the procedure and informed my family and friends, via Facebook.  🙂  Mara and I went to eat lunch.  At lunch, my thyroid really started throbbing.  Every time I swallowed it hurt. 

As I was driving home, I realized I could not turn my neck, without it hurting.  It was still throbbing and and aching.  I took some Advil and rested.  A few hours later, I had to go pick the boys up from their grandparent’s house.  Just moving my neck hurt.  We decided to have Ryan stay with his grandparents tonight, and I took Cole home.  He was a very sweet boy for me tonight, cuddling and kissing me. 

I expressed my concern to my mom and sisters on how many samples they took, and how could the pathologist not know if I had cancer or not? My mom made a  point, which I hope is right, that if they saw cancer (assuming he could tell), in the first sample, they would have found what they were looking for, and I would have been done.  My mom thinks they didn’t see anything, so that is why they could have been taking more samples.  The last sample was so forceful and specific, my instincts tell me they were really trying to get into the ‘heart’ of the nodule, for a reason.  I don’t want to speculate too much, but I do feel no matter what, they got an accurate sample, and got enough cells to be able to give me an accurate diagnois.

I am about to take some more Advil, drink some tea, and go to bed.  My thyroid is still aching, but I think with a good night’s rest, it will feel better in the morning.  I took a few pictures of my neck, and you can see the needle sticks.  I am hoping these pictures will help someone else in the future, who is also facing a thyroid biopsy.

The first two pictures are right after I took the Band-Aid off tonight. I still have the betadine on my neck. 

The needle sticks are red- they look like pimples.  The one near my vein, near the top of my neck is from the fourth stick- the one that hurt the most.

So now the waiting begins, but I am one step closer to finding out the answers I need.  Again, I can’t thank everyone enough for their love and support.  I am so touched by the support and encouragement- some of which comes from people I have never met before, but consider friends.   Thanks for supporting me on this journey- I will keep you updated.

On a final note- I have been reading Twilight, and plan to go read it right now in bed.  It makes me laugh that I have an aching and sore neck, and am going to go read about a vampire!  🙂