Wednesday, August 24, 2011
8/24/2011
So I started this blog awhile ago to record my thyroid/cancer posts so I can have record of it. I'm sure most are sick of hearing about test results and so forth so now on I'll be posting over here. It's more of a record for me and my family. I was excited about my last post, only to get a call a couple days later saying they drew the WRONG TEST, so I was so frustrated. Plus it didn't help that my husband was gone all week and it was really hard. I did have lots of help from my ward and that helped a lot so I could still rest and start recovering. On Tuesday I met with my cancer doctor and she upped my medication .25 so hopefully that will help. And she had 5 test ran on me. I'm still really low on my thyroid levels TSH so that's why: I've been depressed, my hair is falling out (some women literally go bald from this), my hair is unbelievably dry, my skin is dry and itchy, and fatigue. I figured the fatigue is from my surgery but its a combination of both. Then Thursday when I went to pick up Phil from his trip I had another blood test ran from my other doctor. Monday morning I got two phone calls: #1 from Dr.Maturlos office saying all my test came back good, and levels are starting to improve. My cancer/cell blood test they drew came back negative. So I asked what that means and she said its a really good chance that they got everything they needed. #2 from Dr.Riddle my Thyroidglobin test came back a little low, but only by a small margin. So they will test me again when I go back in September. So those are two very wonderful things, but I'm having a hard time getting excited about it. I just feel like whenever I do something goes wrong, or they call me and say oh but this test didn't look good. There was a time a couple of weeks ago when I thought I was going to not survive this, that my kids would grow up with out me. Dr.Riddle, and Clarene have done a good job assuring me that this isn't going to happen, and that is why they are running every test that they can, and are seeing me in there office so much. So I am very grateful for that and I hope that I can continue to go the way that I have been going these past two years!
FUV 8/10/2011
I'm hoping this will be one of the last post that I ever have to post about cancer ever again! Today I followed up with my surgeon Dr.Riddle. I got a phone call a couple days ago that I talked about in previous post and it made me really edgy about what lies ahead for me and my family. When they did my surgery they were suppossed to do a bi-lateral incision across my neck but they only ended up going in on the right side and I was confused as to why they didn't do the whole thing. Today I found out that those 9 lymph nodes they took out lined a artery down to my chest, and they were able to pull them out and clean out that artery. That took them about 2 hours and they both made a judgement call to stop. He said him and the other surgeon felt pretty good about what they had done and didn't see the need to tear into my left side. When I had a pet scan the highlighted area was in the right and the highlighted area was the cancer. So today they checked my thyroid levels and they are hoping for a 0 and that would be really good news. That would show that their judgement call was good and that they most likely removed the cancer that was there. He said Papillary Carcinoma is usually the most curable cancer and doesn't know why they are having difficulties curing mine. Maybe because I was blessed with very cancerous genes from my mother I don't know. So next week I meet with my endo doc and she will be the one who gives the call as if I will do another round of radiation or go back for another surgery on my left side. Today really gave me peace of mind I've been looking for. I've been so stressed I've been pulling out gobs of my hair, ridiculous amounts of hair every time I brush it. I hope that I can chill out and be a little more patient. As of right now I hope to heal quickly it took everything in me to drive to and from Provo. Believe it or not but driving hurts because I have to turn my head every so often. Tomorrow I can take the steri-strips off and examine the stitches they have been itching like crazy. My kids came home yesterday and have wore me out. I don't know how the heck my mom did this! No idea she was a Saint and that is for sure. I am blessed with wonderful people around me, I could not of done this without the help, absolutely could not have.
Surgery 8/6/2011
>All week long I've been praying for Thursday to come and go, and believe me it did just do that! I honestly am still in a daze as to what happened on Thursday. My arms are all bruised up on both sides because it took the nurse 3 times to get an IV in, not to mention the blood work done earlier in the week, and the calcium draw that I had yesterday. It looks like someone beat the crap out of my arms.
So Thursday morning we were @ the hospital at 9 but of course didn't get taken back till around 10. Filled out lots of paper work and took a pregnancy test. Then they put me in this huge purple gown with all these holes in it. Then they hook the gown up to a heater/cooler and it blows air in it to keep you warm, or cold. So that was nice! Around 10:45 I departed from my husband and was wheeled into the holding room. I tried so hard not to think about what was going to happen to me. I had a blessing the night before from Phil's dad and it offered me much comfort into the procedure, but I have a feeling that I have a long road of recovery ahead of me.
My surgery took about 2 1/2 hours. They took out 9 lymph nodes and 2 of those had cancer in them. I'm really scared as to what is going to happen now. The nurse called me yesterday and gave me that news and said we would discuss more of it at my follow up appointment on Wednesday. She called it papillary carcinoma I've been reading up on this stuff and it doesn't look too good. I can't jump to conclusions right now.
I was so out of it on Thursday! It took me awhile to wake up she kept having me smell something then I would zonk right out again. They finally wheeled me into a post-op room and Phil was there waiting for me. I had major cotton mouth and slurped down 40 oz. of water. They told me I could stay the night or go home. I decided to go home because I knew I'd sleep way better then having the nurses come poke me every 2 hours and take my vitals, plus it would be cheaper for us too.
So we finally left the hospital around 5 phil stopped and filled all my prescriptions, then I went home and slept on the couch till 7. We decided to go over to see Von and Janiel open their mission call. They are going to the Texas Fort Worth Mission and leave the middle of September! Crazy!!!!
Phil brought me back home my parents stopped by to visit for a bit but then I went back to bed, then yesterday I slept the majority of the day getting up here and there to keep the blood circulating in my legs. I pretty much did the same thing today, I was able to clean myself up and take a bath so that felt pretty good.
I feel like these past few days have been a blur. Just really achy, tired, nauseated, my vision has been blurry, and my mind isn't working like it usually does on this medication that I'm on.
I feel so blessed by everyone! The notes of encouragment, text I have recieved, and so forth. It really does hurt to talk a lot and for some reason I can't get very many people to understand that. I hope that I will know what we are going to do come this Wednesday.
So Thursday morning we were @ the hospital at 9 but of course didn't get taken back till around 10. Filled out lots of paper work and took a pregnancy test. Then they put me in this huge purple gown with all these holes in it. Then they hook the gown up to a heater/cooler and it blows air in it to keep you warm, or cold. So that was nice! Around 10:45 I departed from my husband and was wheeled into the holding room. I tried so hard not to think about what was going to happen to me. I had a blessing the night before from Phil's dad and it offered me much comfort into the procedure, but I have a feeling that I have a long road of recovery ahead of me.
My surgery took about 2 1/2 hours. They took out 9 lymph nodes and 2 of those had cancer in them. I'm really scared as to what is going to happen now. The nurse called me yesterday and gave me that news and said we would discuss more of it at my follow up appointment on Wednesday. She called it papillary carcinoma I've been reading up on this stuff and it doesn't look too good. I can't jump to conclusions right now.
I was so out of it on Thursday! It took me awhile to wake up she kept having me smell something then I would zonk right out again. They finally wheeled me into a post-op room and Phil was there waiting for me. I had major cotton mouth and slurped down 40 oz. of water. They told me I could stay the night or go home. I decided to go home because I knew I'd sleep way better then having the nurses come poke me every 2 hours and take my vitals, plus it would be cheaper for us too.
So we finally left the hospital around 5 phil stopped and filled all my prescriptions, then I went home and slept on the couch till 7. We decided to go over to see Von and Janiel open their mission call. They are going to the Texas Fort Worth Mission and leave the middle of September! Crazy!!!!
Phil brought me back home my parents stopped by to visit for a bit but then I went back to bed, then yesterday I slept the majority of the day getting up here and there to keep the blood circulating in my legs. I pretty much did the same thing today, I was able to clean myself up and take a bath so that felt pretty good.
I feel like these past few days have been a blur. Just really achy, tired, nauseated, my vision has been blurry, and my mind isn't working like it usually does on this medication that I'm on.
I feel so blessed by everyone! The notes of encouragment, text I have recieved, and so forth. It really does hurt to talk a lot and for some reason I can't get very many people to understand that. I hope that I will know what we are going to do come this Wednesday.
Life as we know it....
Well I got my pre-op visit set up to the 1st of August, and the surgery set up for Thursday August 4Th. I'm really not looking forward to either of these :(....but I guess it gives me some time to get things pulled together. I'm thinking I'd better have my kids school clothes shopping done, and get subs lined up for the work I'll be missing.
We had a fun time in Delta over the fourth. It was so good to get away! I'll have to post some pictures of the fun the kids had. Phil finished his horrible art history class so I am happy to have my husband back, until school starts up full force again!
The kids have become pretty good at entertaining themselves. I feel bad I started the summer doing all sorts of fun stuff with them and that has dwindled away.
I am grateful to be back on my medication and off that low iodine diet. Except for the fact that my body is all sorts of messed up with the medication I've managed to put on 10-15 more pounds. It is so frustrating dealing with thyroid and how it messes up your whole sleep/eat/schedule. Not to mention the tumor is probably keeping half that medication to itself. It's like it feeds itself on it, so it will be a relief to get that out. I've been trying to get everything pulled together before I have surgery, anything to keep my mind off it. It's just hard to feel happy right now.
We had a fun time in Delta over the fourth. It was so good to get away! I'll have to post some pictures of the fun the kids had. Phil finished his horrible art history class so I am happy to have my husband back, until school starts up full force again!
The kids have become pretty good at entertaining themselves. I feel bad I started the summer doing all sorts of fun stuff with them and that has dwindled away.
I am grateful to be back on my medication and off that low iodine diet. Except for the fact that my body is all sorts of messed up with the medication I've managed to put on 10-15 more pounds. It is so frustrating dealing with thyroid and how it messes up your whole sleep/eat/schedule. Not to mention the tumor is probably keeping half that medication to itself. It's like it feeds itself on it, so it will be a relief to get that out. I've been trying to get everything pulled together before I have surgery, anything to keep my mind off it. It's just hard to feel happy right now.
7/8/2011
So yesterday morning I had a MRI @ 6:30 a.m. for a dark spot on my liver. Wednesday night I was so blessed to have two great ladies from my ward stop by with a huge dinner and treats it was so sweet of them. Then my father in law came and we chatted for awhile about what was going on and then him and Phil proceeded to give me a blessing.
We got to the outpatient clinic at 6:15 (Phil came with me) and they got me right in. The lady who gave me my MRI was hilarious. I guess the machine told her I was dead and she yelled into the tube and asked if I felt any different, LOL. Guess you had to be there. We had a good old time and she told me I was one of her best patients ever. So that totally made my day!
Phil and I then met our friends Tony and Kelsey over at the temple and we were able to get on the 9 o'clock session. It was such a great experience. I was so touched by the overwhelming emotions and desires that I felt yesterday.
When we got home my mother in law was running errands with my kids so I was able to pick up my house, which sounds really stupid but I just am happy that my house is pulled together. Around 2 p.m. they called me with my MRI results from my liver and said the dark spots were hemagiomas (vessels of blood) totally normal, and to not worry about that.
So yesterday turned out to be quite the good day.
We got to the outpatient clinic at 6:15 (Phil came with me) and they got me right in. The lady who gave me my MRI was hilarious. I guess the machine told her I was dead and she yelled into the tube and asked if I felt any different, LOL. Guess you had to be there. We had a good old time and she told me I was one of her best patients ever. So that totally made my day!
Phil and I then met our friends Tony and Kelsey over at the temple and we were able to get on the 9 o'clock session. It was such a great experience. I was so touched by the overwhelming emotions and desires that I felt yesterday.
When we got home my mother in law was running errands with my kids so I was able to pick up my house, which sounds really stupid but I just am happy that my house is pulled together. Around 2 p.m. they called me with my MRI results from my liver and said the dark spots were hemagiomas (vessels of blood) totally normal, and to not worry about that.
So yesterday turned out to be quite the good day.
Here is the deal: 7/1/11
This blog is like a journal for me and my family, so that is why I started this second blog to pull away from our family blog. Second I hate repeating myself over and over again, so it is easier to post about what is going on rather than tell everyone the same story time and time again.
So today I had an appointment with Dr.Riddle he is the ENT doctor that originally took out my thyroid. My step mom came with me because Phil was pouring cement today and wasn't able to make it. And it is always nice to have some moral support when you already know your getting bad news.
We got there around 9 and saw the nurse practitioner and we had to wait for the doctor to come over in between surgeries at the hospital. It was really nice of him to do that because he wasn't even supposed to be in the office today but he really wanted to talk to me today.
Around 11 he snuck in and we chatted about what is going on. So when I had my pet scan done the radiation really left some hot spots/ highlights in my neck. There are some tumorous lymph nodes that have cancer in them in my neck that are resisting radiation. So we are unsure if they got left there from last year, or if they are just appearing now. He said the cancer is pretty aggressive and that we are going to have to take some bigger steps.
So he told me I have 3 options:
#1 Have a large dose of radiation and go from there. But where I've had so much radiation already and it's showing resistance to that it might not be a good option for me, especially with my age.
#2 Go in my scar and pull out that tumorous lymph node where the hot spots are in my neck area. Same day surgery kind of thing pretty minimal but I may have to return again and have more taken out at another time.
#3 Go in make a incision across my entire neck and completely remove all lymph nodes in my neck and dissect all of them, and see what really is going on. Stay in the hospital overnight, possibly 2 nights, longer recovery, bigger scar, bigger chance of having problems with my voice box for the rest of my life.
I asked him honestly what would he do if he was me, and he said to do the 3rd option. Even though it has the most side effects, I think he is right then I don't have to go back in and have surgery a third time. So I'm pretty sure that is what we are going to do. I know its a lot of information, and I've been pretty emotionally drained that I am trying to have the best attitude about this as possible.
Thanks for every one's support, I really appreciate all of it! I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. It really makes you appreciate life more and realize how important the little things really are!
So today I had an appointment with Dr.Riddle he is the ENT doctor that originally took out my thyroid. My step mom came with me because Phil was pouring cement today and wasn't able to make it. And it is always nice to have some moral support when you already know your getting bad news.
We got there around 9 and saw the nurse practitioner and we had to wait for the doctor to come over in between surgeries at the hospital. It was really nice of him to do that because he wasn't even supposed to be in the office today but he really wanted to talk to me today.
Around 11 he snuck in and we chatted about what is going on. So when I had my pet scan done the radiation really left some hot spots/ highlights in my neck. There are some tumorous lymph nodes that have cancer in them in my neck that are resisting radiation. So we are unsure if they got left there from last year, or if they are just appearing now. He said the cancer is pretty aggressive and that we are going to have to take some bigger steps.
So he told me I have 3 options:
#1 Have a large dose of radiation and go from there. But where I've had so much radiation already and it's showing resistance to that it might not be a good option for me, especially with my age.
#2 Go in my scar and pull out that tumorous lymph node where the hot spots are in my neck area. Same day surgery kind of thing pretty minimal but I may have to return again and have more taken out at another time.
#3 Go in make a incision across my entire neck and completely remove all lymph nodes in my neck and dissect all of them, and see what really is going on. Stay in the hospital overnight, possibly 2 nights, longer recovery, bigger scar, bigger chance of having problems with my voice box for the rest of my life.
I asked him honestly what would he do if he was me, and he said to do the 3rd option. Even though it has the most side effects, I think he is right then I don't have to go back in and have surgery a third time. So I'm pretty sure that is what we are going to do. I know its a lot of information, and I've been pretty emotionally drained that I am trying to have the best attitude about this as possible.
Thanks for every one's support, I really appreciate all of it! I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. It really makes you appreciate life more and realize how important the little things really are!
6/29/2011
So today Dr.Maturlo called me and I have to go get a MRI tomorrow morning at 630 in the morning there is a spot on my liver that they are concerned about. Then I have to go back to Dr.Riddles office on Friday morning to set up surgery on my neck again to remove some more lymph nodes that have cancer in them. So its pretty disheartening Friday they will have the results back from my MRI so I'm glad they got me in so fast and I get to go back on my medication and take 2 pills a day for a few days so I can get my strength back quicker. I'm posting from my phone so that is why this looks so funny. Prayers right now are much appreciated I'm grateful for every ones sweet comments and kindness to my family while we go threw this. I hope to live a long life and I hope that all this is containable and hasn't gotten to where there is no turning back.
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