Radioactive again?

Update on the Friday visit to the "doctor I don't like": He said the neck pain is not associated anything thyroid cancer related. I feel like he dismissed me on this so I'm not sure that I believe him. It isn't just a sore neck muscle or clinching my jaws. It's lymph nodes on both sides.

The other side of the coin is this: Am I making something out of nothing? Hard to say. However, I am having an ultrasound on Wednesday morning in follow up to my elevated thyroglobulin level indicating remaining thyroid tissue. He said that scan would also include my neck and they would take a look at those painful areas so...hopefully that will be cleared up with the scan.

Doctor also said that I might need to do another round of radioactive treatment if the scan showed a significant enough amount of thyroid tissue...GREAT! Those of you who followed me earlier this fall know how much i loved that...NOT. The treatment itself was absolutely fine for me. Swallow the pill, wait until the radioactive team says you are safe to go out into the world, that's it. I am fortunate....that was my experience. Others have a more difficult time with the RAI. However, the low iodine diet prior to the treatment was rough for me. The lack of variety and special cooking was challenging. I survived and will survive again...doesn't mean I will like it.

Comments

More about batting a thousand...

Ah, I didn't really explain the "batting a thousand" reference in relationship to me when posting on the blog last night. Was still in a bit of a fog from the news I received from the ultrasound. A bit of history... Batting a thousand: 1. June 2008: ultrasound reveals suspicious nodules that should be biopsied. 2. July 2008: after biopsy confirms papillary carcinoma, neck ultrasound to look at lymph nodes finds suspicious lymph nodes. Post-surgery found out about the four positive lymph nodes, two of which were the size of small plums. 3. December 2008: Ultrasound post total thyroidectomy and neck dissection, small nodules found in the thyroid bed along with a suspicious lymph node. So in summary, every ultrasound I have had of my thyroid and neck this year has revealed something suspicious. Thus, I am batting 1,000 with the ultrasounds in 2008. Feeling rather bleh and crappy about it all today. It's Christmas...why do I have to deal with cancer again? Ugh.

On my soapbox about "the best cancer to have"

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know I was on my soapbox this morning after reading yet another article about the dreaded subject of how thyroid cancer is "the best cancer to have." Think about that...the best cancer? Why would someone say that? In an attempt to make you feel better about having thyroid cancer, some health care profesionals try to convince those of us who have or have had thyroid cancer that it is "the best cancer to have" because it has a high survival rate. An aside here, that high survival rate applies to papillary carcinoma, one of the three types of thyroid cancer out there. Survival rates are lower for medullary carcinoma and anaplastic carcinoma, the other two types of thyroid cancer. Back on topic...OK, so tell us that papillary carcinoma has a high survival rate. Truly, that is good news. But because of this "best cancer to have" statement, and the fact that I was told my thyroidectomy would most likely be just an easy, ove...

After a year, I'm still waiting....and waiting

Here I am back again at my blog talking about thyroid cancer again. I had my yearly appointment last week with Dr. Wartofsky. It was an interesting one. He had two students in the exam room with us. I didn't mind. He's one of the best thyroid cancer doctors in the world (I'm not kidding) so please, spread your knowledge to any who will listen. He could have easily said, gesturing to me, "This is exhibit A, a papillary carcinoma patient who has had multiple recurrences." I actually think he did that before I came in the room. I started the appointment with honesty: "Hey, I am really nervous because I have not gone a year between appointments since my recurrence." He understood. The students nodded. I showed the students my scars along with their accompanying stories. I have two scars: one large one about five inches long centered on my neck, lower half, and the other about three inches long on the upper right side of my neck. The longer one ...

Charlcie

Search This Blog