Tag: papillary thyroid cancer

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Cancer Health Me

What I Found Out About Thyroid Cancer Surgery

Thank you all for the e-mails and comments youyou have sent me.  Many of my readers asked me to keep them updated, so here is what I found out today from my surgeon. 

The surgery is the worst case scenario. The two lymph nodes that are of major concern, are right below my ears. This means the surgeon is going to have to make a U shaped incision that runs under my ear, to my neck to the other ear. He will then have to work his way up- he said lymph nodes are like a ladder- one layer had to be removed before he can get to the next layer. He said he is going to have to dissect my neck. He said there are 80 nodes in this area, and he is going to try to get them all out, as he works his way up to get the ones with the known cancer. Every one they can get out, reduces the chance of a reoccurrence. He said lymph nodes should be under 1 cm. The two that are of concern are measuring 2.7 cm., and 3.5 cm. He said they could do a biopsy to make sure they are cancerous, but he said in his best professional opinion, he has never seen a case where the nodes are enlarged like this, and it wasn’t cancer.

I would think more seriously about a biopsy, but my thyroglobulin in my blood should be at 0, and it is at 37. He said he was very surprised it was this high. He said that all but confirms the enlarged nodes are cancer, and it is now showing up in my blood work. Dr. said it is more than likely that cancer is in my other lymph nodes in my body. But until they grow large enough, they are hard to detect. Six weeks after the surgery, I will have the radioactive iodine therapy that will kill off any cancer cells in any other lymph nodes. This is an effective treatment- it is a one time thing, I don’t lose hair or get sick. It does not look like I will need chemotherapy.

Because there is so much tissue, nerves, fat, and other vital parts in the neck, they have to work very slowly and meticulously in order to preserve as much of these as possible. It is a possibility I will lose my voice-for good- he said about 4% of people do. The vocal cords are right behind the thyroid and there are lymph nodes there.

Dr. said this is a brutal surgery. They have to cut away so much tissue and nerves to get to the lymph nodes, it is complex, slow, and there are other risks involved.

One thing he told me I am going to have to sacrifice is nerve endings in my neck. After the surgery, I will be numb from my earlobes to my collarbone- permanently. He said there is no way around this. Because I will be numb, I won’t feel the pain in my neck, but he said because all those nerves and tissues are connected, I will feel the pain in my shoulders.

He said the pain in my shoulders will be excruciating. He said he could not stress this enough for me, so I can be prepared. I am going to be in rehab for my shoulders 48 hours after the surgery. The surgery is going to be at least 10 hours. I will be in the hospital for up to 7 days. The recovery time after this is about 2 weeks.

I asked Dr. if I was going to die, and he said no. I told him I have my two boys, and he said I will be around for a long time for them. Learning all this was very shocking, and I started crying. Dr. gave me a hug and told me he knows how hard this is. His wife had thyroid cancer 2 years ago and he operated on her. He said their family went through the same thing, but my chances for a full recovery are very good.

I feel confident with the doctor- he is the leading surgeon for these types of cases in Northern Colorado. He’s been in practice for 16 years. He is on top of the current research and alternatives, because of his wife having the same thing. I feel he understands the emotional aspect of this for me as well. I told him I trusted him with this- to do what he needs to do, to make sure I am around for my boys. I am thinking about obtaining a second opinion, just to make sure I am covering all my options (thanks Mel).

This is shaping up to be one of the hardest things I have faced. I feel I have the information and the facts now to face it head-on. If you believe in a higher spiritual force, like God 🙂 please pray for me. If not, please send me positive and healing thoughts. I will need them.

I thank all of you- my friends (even if I have never met you in real life- 🙂  ) and family for all the support and love you have shown me. I feel it, and it is what will get me through this.

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Cancer Family & Friends Health Me

My Cancer Has Spread

On Wednesday I had an ultrasound my surgeon had requested before the surgery to remove my thyroid for cancer.  I didn’t know ahead of time why he wanted this ultrasound, but found out it was to determine if the cancer in my thyroid had spread into my lymph nodes.

I was really upset leaving the ultrasound, and scared.  I didn’t want to have to think about another issue with my thyroid cancer.  I was told I would have the results in a few days.

Yesterday my surgeon, Dr. S., called me and told me the ultrasound showed the cancer had moved to my lymph nodes.  He said I have two lymph nodes that are measuring over 3 cm., and anytime they measure over 1.5 cm., it is a major cause of concern.

Dr. S. told me those nodes will have to be removed during my surgery and they will have to examine my other lymph nodes in surgery to determine if any other ones need to be removed as well.  He told me the surgery is complex and will be a minimum of 9 hours now.  Previously, the surgery time was about 2 hours-just to remove the thyroid.  Dr. S. said I will now be in the hospital for 4-5 days, and have a longer recovery time.

I was completely in shock as I was listening to Dr. S. tell me all of this.  My heart was racing and I was having trouble breathing. He recommended I make an appointment and he would fill me in on all the details and the process.  Dr. S. told me I still had the papillary cancer, and it was still in the very early stages.  He said he was glad I had gotten the ultrasound, because now he had the complete picture of what my health situation is, and he knows before hand, the direction the surgery needs to go in.

I hung up, and sat shocked and numb- staring at my wall. I stared to cry and utter a lot of four letter words under my breath.  Ryan and Cole were home, and I didn’t want to have them overhear me calling anyone to tell them. I was too upset anyway to talk.

Since then, I have let my family, friends, and Facebook friends know and the support has been overwhelming.  My sister and friends have told me this is bad news, but I am not going to die.  When it is all said and done, it is a complication, but I am going to be fine.

A day later, I am still in shock somewhat- just trying to absorb the situation.  I am going to make that appointment with Dr. S., to get the rest of the facts and ask questions.  I don’t believe I will need to have chemotherapy, but will more than likely have to undergo radioactive iodine therapy.

My family is already making plans to get me the help I need after the surgery, and I know I can count on my friends to help too.  I am very grateful for all the support and love I have.

So where do I go from here? I am not sure.  I am trying to keep a positive attitude and trying not to freak out.  I am trying to remember to take deep breaths and keep everything in perspective.

If anyone has been through this, the removal of lymph nodes, please let me know what your experience was.  It helps me to hear what others have gone through.

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.  I need all the positive energy that can come my way.  🙂

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Cancer Health Me

Thyroid Cancer Update

A few weeks ago, I found out I have thyroid cancer.  My doctor says I have papillary cancer, and recommended a total thyroidectomy (a procedure where the entire thyroid is removed.)

My surgery is set for June 12th, around noon- as it stands now.  Before the surgery I have to have a high resolution ultrasound which, as I understand it, will help my doctor determine exactly where the cancer is in the nodule.  I also have to have some blood work done, and a pre-surgery appointment a few days before to discuss the surgery with my surgeon. 

I have been looking into more information on a thyroid lobectomy with isthmusectomy which is a medical term for only having half of my thyroid removed.  It seems though this is only preferred when the nodule is under 1.5 cm. and mine is 1.7 cm.  Still, I have read that the thyroid can function with only 10% remaining, and the idea of not being on medication for the rest of my life, is appealing. 

On the other hand, the cancer has a higher chance of recurrences in my situation if any part of my thyroid remains.  Plus, I would always have to have it monitored which means more biopsies, which I am not fond of.  The other factor in this decision is the emotional aspect- will I always be wondering if cancer is growing again in my thyroid?  Will it always be there in the back of my mind?  What if I am clear after a biopsy, and then it comes back six months later, and it is worse than before?  I am thankful and consider myself lucky this was caught early.  It was basically four months from when my doctor first felt the lump at my annual exam, to my diagnosis.  What if I choose to only have half of my thyroid removed and I am not so lucky a second time?

So I have been debating these options.  I plan to do some more reading and research.  I want to make sure I understand what is happening, and any other options that are available as treatment.  I am not questioning the expertise of my surgeon/doctor- his own wife had the exact cancer I have two years ago, so I am perfectly confident in his abilities and diagnosis, but I want to know for myself that I have explored all options, and this really is the best treatment for me before I go “under the knife” so to speak.

My family and friends have been amazing.  I have been in touch with a lot of other people who have also been through this, and their stories have reassured me and given me confidence that everything will turn out okay for me.  My mom and my sister (my only two family members that don’t live in Colorado) are arranging their schedules so they can be here during and after the surgery.  Ryan and Cole’s father, grandparents, and extended family are going to be able to watch the boys extra times during and after the surgery.  In short, I am very fortunate to have so much support and help.  It is one thing I don’t have to worry about right now. 

I am so grateful for all the e-mails and good wishes I have received and wanted to post a quick update, since these are most of the questions I receive in the e-mails.  If anyone has chosen to have the partial thyroid removal, I would love to hear your experience if you are willing to share it.  You can leave a comment or e-mail me privately.  My e-mail is found on the Contact Page.

Thanks again to everyone for all the support and information.  Love you all.  🙂

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Cancer Health Me

I Have Thyroid Cancer

bamboo

I was by myself on Saturday morning- it was raining and it was my mom’s 60th birthday.  I decided to have a gadget free morning.  I didn’t turn my phone on and I was enjoying a quiet morning.  Around 11, I turned my phone on and saw I had a voice mail.  I checked it and my heart sunk as I heard my doctor tell me he had the results of my biopsy, and he would call me back on Monday.  Doctors don’t call you on Saturday unless they have bad news. 

I suspected the news was not good, as I called the answering service to see if they could have Dr. S. call me back.  I didn’t want to think about it for the next two days- I just wanted to know.  Dr. S. called me back about ten minutes later.  He told me he didn’t have my chart with him but he said,

“I have your results from the biopsy and it shows you have papillary thyroid cancer.” 

Cancer.  How can that be?  How can I have cancer?   

I had no idea what papillary thryroid cancer was- I was only processing “cancer.”  I heard Dr. S. tell me I need to have  a total thyroidectomy- which is the removal of my entire thyroid.  I heard him tell me he was sorry he had to give me this news.  He told me it is very treatable and we caught it early.  I heard him tell me I will have to have surgery, and it should get scheduled this week.  I heard him tell me I’ll be in the hospital 1-3 days, and the recovery time is about a week.  I heard him tell me I will have to be on medication for the rest of my life.  I heard him tell me I might have to have radioactive iodine therapy, depending on how big the nodule in my thyroid is.  I heard him tell me all of this, and I was trying not to cry.  

After I hung up, I just sat in the kitchen staring out at the rain.  Then I cursed, and then I cried.  Then I was scared.  This is what I had been trying to find out if I had or not, and now  I knew.  I didn’t have to wonder anymore if I had cancer- I have it and I have to have surgery to remove it.   And yet, it didn’t seem- still doesn’t seem quite real. 

I thought of Ryan and Cole.  My two babies.  The thought that kept popping in my mind was, ‘what am I going to do?’  I looked up papillary cancer on the Internet, and the first sentence I read was the survival rate statistics.  That was not what I needed to read.  I started crying all over again.  

How do you ruin your family and friends days by telling them you have cancer?    I decided to send an e-mail to a close friend, and figured that was a good way to start telling my family and friends.  I wouldn’t have to say it- I wouldn’t have to speak it.  But then I had to type out the phrase- I have cancer.  It didn’t matter if I had to say it or type it.  Seeing it made it real for me in that moment.  I called my sisters, but neither one of them were home.  I didn’t leave a message, and that was all I could do.  My body needed to shut down, so I stopped reading, started a fresh wave of crying, took my phone with me, and crawled into bed.  I lost track of how long I laid in bed crying.   I could only think of Ryan and Cole, and if I was going to be around to see them grow up. 

I stared at the wall and cried, and heard the rain pounding against the window.  I kept thinking ‘what am I going to do?’  I was exhausted.  My arms and legs felt like they had cinder blocks on them.  A few minutes later, I heard my phone and my friend had sent me an encouraging e-mail back.  It said I would never have to worry about the nodule developing cancer later.  That was something positive.  I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

About an hour later, my sister Vanessa called.  She was very encouraging and made a lot of good points.  She said she would be there for me.  She lives in Seattle, and told me it didn’t matter how soon the surgery was- she would be here for me and she would help me- help me recover and help me with the boys if needed.  After that call, my other sister, Mara called.   She told me a lot of the same things Vanessa did, and she found the website I provided the link to for papillary cancer.  She told me to get myself going and make myself come down to her house that night.  I told her I would- I didn’t want to be alone.  She said we could go out to dinner with my sister-in-law, and a close friend. 

I called the rest of my family and let my friends know.  As more and more people started talking to me and encouraging me, I felt better.  I finally got to Denver- to my sister’s house, and my friend, Christina was there waiting.  She gave me a big hug and told me I was going to be fine.  Kat, my sister-in-law gave me a hug next, and let me cry.  My brother, Jeff, was there, and hugged me, as did my brother-in-law, Kevin.  Everyone told me I was going to be fine.

Then Mara came in the room, and called me into her bedroom.  Kat and Christina were in there too.  My sister shut the door and they gave me a beautiful card, and lucky bamboo plant. (this is the picture at the begining of the post.)  They told me bamboo is strong and regenerates itself.  Christina told me about her mom’s journey with stage three lung cancer, and how she is healthy and fine today.  I know- I met her a few weeks ago.

As I processed all the encouraging comments everyone had given me all afternoon, being with my loved ones,  and looking at the bamboo plant,  it occurred to me I had found my answer to ‘what am I going to do?’ 

I am going to be strong.  I am going get through this. I am going to get this taken care of so I can be there for my boys.  I am going to get the cancer out, and then move on.  I am going to be healthy.

I had a nice night out with the girls.  At one point Christina took a picture of her and I, and posted it to Facebook.  The caption she put under the picture said, “Cancer Shmancer.”  My thoughts exactly.