Category: Me

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Cancer Health Me Mothering

Mini Break from Blogging

I am going to be taking a short “vacation” from blogging.  My cancer recovery is not going as fast as I had hoped, and right now I have to concentrate on resting and trying to heal.

I appreciate the e-mails so many thyroid cancer patients have sent me- those who have already been through it, and those who have just been newly diagnosed and have questions.  Feel free to send me an e-mail if you have any questions (my e-mail is on my Contact Me page),  and  I will respond to you as soon as  I can.

I have also archived all my cancer posts in the right hand side bar under “cancer” so you can read about my experience  and what I have learned so far, and hopefully you may find some answers to your questions in some of those posts. 

I am hoping my mini blogging break will be short lived, and I will be able to blog again in the very near future.  Right now though I need to concentrate on healing and getting my body ready for the radioactive iodine treatment it needs.

If you follow me on Twitter, I will try to post short updates there on how I am doing- that is much easier right now than writing a blog post, and of course if you are a Facebook friend I will see you around there.

As a final note for now, PLEASE have your health care provider check your thyroid at your annual exam.  If anything feels “off” get in for an ultrasound as soon as you can.  That saved me from having to have my neck totally dissected to remove the lymph nodes that the cancer had spread to.  My surgeon credited my nurse practitioner who caught it early and insisted I have an ultrasound.  In my opinion, I don’t think there is enough information out there informing women of thyroid cancer.

Thanks again for all the support you all have given me during this process.  I will be back stronger and healthier, and will share the rest of my thyroid cancer experience.  Cancer can happen to anyone- please take care of yourselves and follow up with anything you or your health care provider thinks is abnormal.

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Cancer Family & Friends Health Me Mothering Parenting

Thyroid Cancer- What is Next

I have been trying to follow my surgeon’s orders and take it easy and rest as much as possible since my thyroid surgery and neck dissection on June 12th.

I have been at my dad and step-mom, Jean’s, house recovering during this time while Ryan and Cole have been spending some scheduled vacation time with their dad.

My surgeon, Dr. S, had been right- the pain in my shoulder has been brutal.  I slept on it funny the other night and I couldn’t even raise my arm enough to comb my hair yesterday. 

The thyroid controls metabolism and my surgeon warned me that I could gain a lot of weight during this time, but the opposite seems to be happening. I have no appetite at all. Nothing sounds good, and some foods are making me sick to my stomach.  My appetite is gone- I have been drinking Ensure (another Dr. suggestion) and trying to eat. 

The pain medication makes me feel nauseated if I don’t eat, so I have been trying to eat as much as I can.   Some of my friends have pointed out that Ensure really isn’t much more than sugar and have been giving me some healthier suggestions on other sources of food and protein I can eat.  I am planning on trying these and will keep you updated on how that goes. 

I had an awful day on Tuesday.  I almost fainted while I was out walking.  I got hot and sweaty and felt like I was going to be sick.  I stopped into a store near my dad’s house and the sales lady helped me sit down, and got me some water.  I fortunately was only about half a block away from home, and made it back and laid down the rest of the afternoon.

Some days the pain is fine- I can go six or seven hours between pain medication, but the last few days, I think I have overdone it and now have been watching the clock for the every four hours until it is time for the medication again.

I have been doing the exercises the rehab. physical therapists have given me to do, and those help. I have been trying to help out around the house too, by doing small chores that use my shoulder, like cleaning mirrors and sweeping.

I can’t even imagine if I had to have the neck dissection on the right side of my neck like my Dr. originally thought.  It would be so much worse and I am grateful I am healing overall.  It is not as fast as I would like it to be though, but I am getting there. 

I have had so many kind e-mails and well wishes, and those help too.  I have had people ask me what is next so here is what I know at this point.

Ryan and Cole are going to come back to the house with me on July 5th, and my mom is coming in from Minnesota to stay with us for a few days to help me.  My wonderful friends have been mowing my lawn, doing some light housekeeping, and are going to cook some meals for us. 

I am planning on taking the time my mom is out here to get back into a routine with the boys and take advantage of her help and the help of my friends to get our lives back to “normal” as much as possible.

I want to do some fun things with the boys this summer- take them swimming, take them to the zoo, take them to the park, and take them to play-dates.  This sounds exhausting even as I write this but, I am determined, and I will take it one day at a time.

I have a follow up with my surgeon on July 9th, for him to check the scar and the overall healing from the surgery.  I could not be more thrilled on how how the scar is healing.  It is still looks awful to me but this is what it looked like last week:

scar-1_edited

I developed a rash to the antibiotic on the last day I had to take it so that is why my neck is red and shows the rash, but the scar had been that red.

On Monday, this is is what the scar looked liked:

scar-2_edited

The rash is fading and so is so much of the red from the scar.  I have been putting Neosporion on the incision every day, and I just received a product yesterday that I am going to blog more about- it is actually to heal C-section and other surgery scars, but I want to take pictures and document the scar healing before I blog more about it.

I meet with my endocrinologist on July 21st.  At that point they will tell me the diet I need to be on to get my body ready for the one dose of radioactive iodine I will have to take, in order to kill any remaining cancer cells in my lymph nodes.

For now, I am not on any special diet except for watching my iodine intake, no kelp, kale, or flax seed.  As I understand it for a few weeks, I will have to take in a lot of iodine, and then none at all for a few weeks in order to “starve” these cancer cells of iodine.  They warn me my hormones will be out of whack and I could become depressed (fair warning to everyone).

The thyroid is the only organ that can absorb iodine, so when I finally take the radioactive iodine my cells and lymph nodes will absorb up the iodine like crazy.  But since it will be poison, it is a very effective treatment in killing off any remaining thyroid cancer cells in my body.

I will have to be quarantined for about 48 hours, and not around anyone. I will have to take the radioactive iodine in the form of a pill. Depending on my blood work, the endocrinologist will determine how strong the treatment has to be.

Thankfully, since my pathology report from my surgery did show I have stage I papillary thyroid cancer, I can be quarantined at home, and not in the hospital.  Obviously my boys will go to their dad’s house during this time.

After the radioactive iodine, they will start me on the thyroid replacement hormone that I will have to take for the rest of my life.   I will also have to have ultrasounds and blood work every six months to watch for re-occurrences.  I am expecting to find out more details after I meet with the endocrinologist, but my chances for survival are excellent and since my surgeon was able to remove so many of my lymph nodes, he feels the chances of re-occurrences are very small.

I am still taking it day by day, but things are getting better for the most part every day as well.  I am not done with the process yet, and won’t ever really will be, but I know there is no other cancer in my body and the radioactive iodine will ensure no more cancer in my lymph nodes.

I know I have been saying this a lot, but I can’t just thank everyone enough for all the support. Thank you isn’t enough- but I hope the gratitude in my heart I have for all my family, friends, and well-wishers shines through. 

I’ll continue to keep you all posted, and in the meantime I hope everyone is having a fun, safe, and healthy summer with your families. 

Love, Heather

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Cancer Family & Friends Health Me Mothering

After Thyroid Cancer Surgery

It has been 12 days since my thyroid and lymph node cancer surgery, and the recovery has been slow.  Thanks to my friend, Amy, who has posted a few updates, most of you know the basic details, and I am really exhausted tonight to write a lot. 

The best news by far was the cancer had not spread into my lymph nodes as much as my surgeon, Dr. S., had thought.  During the surgery he had sent for some of the pathology reports, and none of the lymph nodes on the right side of my neck were showing cancer.

This basically saved the right side of my neck from having to be dissected.  The left side of my neck had more cancer in the lymph nodes and he did have to do the dissection, but he was able to save more nerves than he had thought as well.  I have complete feeling on the right side of my neck, but as Dr. S., warned me prior to surgery, my left side of my neck from my earlobe to my collarbone is numb. 

I was recovering really well in the hospital, but after I got out of ICU, I ran into some problems with my medications, that  am still trying to bounce back from. 

I saw Dr. S., on Friday for him to take out some stitches and he had my full pathology report.  He removed 66 lymph nodes and my thyroid.  My thyroid was positive for cancer but out of those lymph nodes, only 7 had cancer.  It seems almost like  a miracle, and I am so happy at that good news.  

Dr. S., credited my nurse practitioner with early detection for my case not being as critical as originally thought.  As you can imagine, I am going to write a lot more about this in the future.  But start now at your annual exams having your health care provider check for any abnormalities in your thyroid and get it checked as soon as you can.

I am fighting through some pain in my shoulders, and I had the boys for a few days, before their dad has them for some vacation time.  My family and friends have been nothing less than wonderful, and I am so lucky to have so many people that have taken such excellent care of me.  I will never be able to repay them- but their loving gifts of time and help are precious to me. 

Now a lot of it is up to me.  I am going to start walking more every day (per doctor’s orders) and try to eat more, even though I do not feel like it.  I am going to rest more and and not push myself like I usually do.

Dr. S., told me sometimes a drain has to stay in for up to two weeks to catch the fluid, but I had the last of my four drains out the night before  I left the hospital.  He also said I was somewhat of a medical miracle in that my calcium levels barely dropped at all, once my thyroid was out.  It is very common for the calcium to take huge drops.  If the calcium drops too low, you can go into cardiac arrest.  Dr. S., said he had never had a patient whose calcium hardly dropped at all like mine did. 

This has been a very hard, painful cancer, and surgery to cope with, but as I hope to document, the recovery is coming along well, and I feel very optimistic.  This will be a life-long issue for me from this point.  My life will never be quite the same, but I have been cancer free now for 12 days,  there is no more cancer in my body, so this is a new start for my family, friends, and I.  

The picture below is a picture of me on June 12th, just after my surgery.  I am sharing it to show that thyroid cancer is still cancer- it shouldn’t be ignored.  It is a big deal. 

The next pictures  I share on my blog of me post-surgery will be much better.  Cancer can be beaten, but insist your provider checks your thyroid at your exams, and hopefully you will never have to have a picture of yourself like I do after a thyroidectomy.     

I will continue to keep you all updated, and once again thanks for the prayers and well wishes. I am not a huge “God” person, but I know He has looked out for me, and has taken care of me through this experience.  All the prayers, healing energy, and positive thoughts, have helped-and I thank you again for all of these you have sent to me.  

 I read before my surgery that cancer is a word-not a sentence, and it was all of you who helped me remember that.  I love you all. 

surgery-june-12-09  Thyroidectomy & lymph node surgery removal June 12, 2009

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Cancer Family & Friends Health Me

PET CT Cancer Scan Results- Hope

I was expecting to find out the results of the PET CT scan to determine if the cancer had spread past my lymph nodes, during my pre-opt appointment with my surgeon.  This was scheduled for Wednesday, late afternoon.  I didn’t even consider that when I told the imaging center they could send the results to my regular doctor too, they would contact me first.

As I was walking into work this morning, my phone rang and it was the my primary care physician’s office.  The office administrator told me Dr. B., had just finished reviewing my scan results, and he wanted her to call me right away with the results.  My heart sank.  I was preparing for the worst.   She told me that they all knew how concerned I was, and then I heard her tell me everything was fine.  It was all normal- there was no signs of cancer showing up anywhere else.  She said it did show it was in my thyroid, but it had not spread to any other organs.

I felt like a 2,000 pound weight was lifted off my shoulders.  I was so happy, and I started crying.  I told her thank you so much and asked her to thank Dr. B. for me too, for getting back to me so soon.  I ran into my office and told my co-workers.  D., was not in the office yet, but  I couldn’t wait to tell her.  I also couldn’t wait to tell my family, so I went outside and made the call to my family, who have been there for me in ways I couldn’t imagine, since this whole ordeal started.

I couldn’t stop crying as I called them- and my heart was filled with joy that  I finally, finally, had good news to give them, instead of always the bad news that seemed to keep getting worse.  I could hear the happiness and the relief in their voices.  As bad as all this has been- as emotionally draining as it has been- as many tears as I have cried- none of that mattered this morning when I could tell my family that the cancer had not spread.  Before I went back to work, I posted the good news on Facebook, because so many of my friends have been there for me too- every step of the way.  I would not have made it through these last few months without them either.

D. was out of the office until the afternoon, and I started crying before I could even tell her the result.  I told her I knew- the cancer hadn’t spread any further, and I was so relieved.  She was so happy for me as well, and gave me lots of hugs.  I had to run some office errands before I left, and I picked up a card for D.  I wrote her a heart-felt thanks, and gave it to her as I was leaving.  She didn’t open it in front of me, but I wanted her to know how much her kind gesture touched me, and to thank her again.  I would not have the peace of mind and the knowledge that after Friday, after the surgery is done, I can start to move on, totally sure that cancer is out of my body. 

I know all the prayers, well-wishes, and positive thoughts everyone has sent me- through my blog, Facebook, Twitter, cards, and private e-mails has contributed to the happy news today.  I can’t thank you all enough.  Fighting something like this, you take the good news where you can, and this is the hope I needed to really give me the strength and the determination to make a full recovery. Knowing that I am not alone, and people are pulling for me has made the difference. 

My uncle, Mike,  left me a comment on Facebook before I knew the results of the scan which said in part, “Heather you will be OK. Too much white light streaming in your direction not to.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Thank you for all the white light- it created today.

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Cancer Me

The PET Scan That Wasn’t

A few months ago, I experienced the biopsy that wasn’t, and I found out on Thursday, that my PET scan isn’t going to happen today either.

When I left work on Thursday, I checked my messages, and the imaging clinic asked me to call them as soon as possible.  The lady there said my insurance had not approved the scan, because I “only” had stage I papillary cancer.  She said my insurance said I had to have stage II thyroid cancer, OR stage I thyroid cancer (papillary) and a thyroidectomy.  I told her I was scheduled for a thyroidectomy next week.  She clarified even further and said at stage I, there has to be indication of reoccurrence of the cancer.

She told me without the reoccurrence, it is nearly impossible to get the insurance companies to pay for the scan.  She said the thyroidectomy would make a stronger case, but it would still be very difficult.  I sat in the car, stuck in construction traffic, in a state of disbelief- yet again.

I wanted the PET scan so I would have peace of mind.  I want to know the true condition of my health.  The reality that an insurance company can deny me that simply because I am not sick enough, or because the cancer hasn’t spread yet– just is inconceivable. 

The lady told me she didn’t want me to be surprised tomorrow at this news (which I appreciate they did call to tell me this), and if I still wanted it, I would have to pay it out of pocket.  She said it is over $2,000.  On one hand, this is my health-money shouldn’t be an object.  But on the other hand it occurred to me that there probably is a reason the insurance company won’t pay, based on some research my family has done for me.  

The chances and statistics of stage I, papillary thyroid cancer spreading beyond the lymph nodes is rare.  If it does happen, it is very slow moving and more than likely would take years for this to happen. I remember Dr. S. telling me my cancer was in the very early stages, and that we had caught it early.  Dr. S.’s office had said usually the endocrinologist ordered a PET scan, down the road if it was needed.  The thought occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, the chances were extremely low that the cancer had spread.

I asked the lady if my thinking was correct.  I can’t remember her exact words, but she confirmed that if the cancer had spread, it usually was at stage II and beyond, hence the reason why the insurance company wasn’t going to pay for the scan at stage I. 

I thanked her and told her I was going to hold off on the scan for now.  It should be causing me reason to be happy, but I couldn’t process this is good news or bad news.  As the night progressed, I feel like it is a little of both- good that it does seem to be rare that the type of cancer I have would have spread into other organs this fast.  But bad, because I still don’t know with 100% accuracy, and chances are I won’t know for some time.

 One of my friend’s husband’s suggested that I call the insurance company and ask them firmly why they are not paying for this scan, even though my doctor ordered it.  I don’t have a ton of energy to “fight” the insurance company.  I am not Erin Brockovich right now, but I do think I can manage a call, or have one of my family members do it for me.

My dad, sisters, and I agreed that for now, it is probably best if we leave it on the back burner.  The results of the scan will not affect my upcoming surgery, and the probability of the cancer having spread, seems very, very low. 

However, I feel frustrated, and angry at the insurance company.  If a doctor orders a procedure for a patient, it should happen. The number one concern should be patient’s health.  Suppose I am that one rare case.  Treatment by the time they figure this out, will cost way more than the $2,000 plus dollars for the scan. It seems ridiculous and almost criminal that patients can’t take a proactive role in their health because they just haven’t gotten as sick as the insurance company thinks they should be.

I am tired, I am scared, I am drained, I am exhausted.  I am trying to take care of myself and my boys, while keeping a positive attitude.  I do not have the energy to take on an insurance company on top of trying to fight cancer.  This is wrong, and it sucks.  Much like cancer itself.