Friday, October 22, 2010

My Thyroid Story - Part II

Last week, I ended my story after having my first child and gaining all my weight back. 

My other two kids were the same way.  I would lose weight while I was pregnant, but right after having them I gained all my weight back.  Not only did I lose weight, but my energy level was through the roof.   (Oh how, I wish I could have some of the energy now.)

After having my last child, Mary, I just kept having really hard times.  I just couldnt' seem to have any energy at all.  Some days it was just hard getting myself to get out of bed or off the sofa.  If you have ever had the flu, then this is how that feels. 

It was December of 2000, Mary had just turned 2, when I finally got my doctor to listen to me.  I just told him that something had to be wrong.  He felt of my thyroid and said that it was getting larger on the inside. 

Now, let me explain, in case you dont' know anything about the Thyroid.  Some people have what is called Goiter, that usually enlarge on the outside of their throats.  Some can get pretty large if they are not removed.

However, mine was growing on the inside.  So, he sent me to have a thyroid scan done.  It confirmed what the doctor had said, "It was pretty large and he was sending me to a ears, nose and throat doctor." 

My ears, nose, and throat doctor told me that I had a couple of choices: one - I could have a biopsy done on the thyroid and see what the results came back as.  If they came back positive for cancer then I would have to have it removed.  Two - if it kept enlarging, I would have to have it removed.  OR I could go ahead and have it removed, then they would run tests on it to see if it is cancerous.  So, I thought there was no need to wait around to see what happened.  Better  to go ahead and get the surgery over with. 

So, February 2001, I went into the hospital to have my thyroid removed.  This surgery brings great risks, due to it being right at your vocal cords and one, small, wrong move can leave you unable to speak.  After coming out of surgery, I looked like I had been in a gang fight.  Black and blue from my neck to my eyes, I was a sight for sure.  However, everything went fine with the surgery. 

At the hospital, they run a cancer test to see if it is positive or negative.  Well that report came back negative.  They still send a sample off to have further tests done.  They do a more detailed tests.  Those tests results came back in two weeks and I will never forget the look on my husbands face when the doctor told me, I had thyroid cancer.  

Having thyroid cancer, meant that I would have to have another surgery to remove the rest of my thyroid.  I wasn't looking forward to having another surgery.  I had just gotten over the one from two weeks ago.  Now I was going to have to do it again. 

Continued next Friday ...

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