Skip to main content

I'll just skip May, thank you

I've had what seems like a hundred blog posts rolling around in my head during the last month and somehow managed not to post a single thing in May. Nada...not a photo or sentence. Geez, that's pathetic. Will endeavor to do better.

I have connected with so many young adult cancer patients/survivors in the past month: a new friend who survived uterine cancer at 23, 36-year-old newly diagnosed thyroid cancer patient, another friend who survived testicular cancer at 28.

While three of us are talking about being a cancer survivor at a recent dinner, a friend of my husband whom he has recently reconnected with after 20 years shares his wife (late 30s) also survived stage 3 breast cancer.

Do we just talk about cancer more now or does it seem like there is more cancer being diagnosed now? Maybe better testing/scans? Also I wonder if I am just more aware of it since I was diagnosed almost two years ago.

I have had two people ask me recently if I'm in remission. I hate saying no...but I'm also not actively being treated. Feels like a trick question. There's not a short answer. It's complicated.

I don't mind talking about it, I'm just stumped by this question more and more. How about "my bloodwork is abnormal but there is nothing significant found on any scan." or "My doctor is monitoring me closely because...." or "Kinda..."

Often I feel pretty good. Other days, when I get a sharp pain in my neck or get a glimpse of the scar on my neck in the mirror, I'd rather just go crawl in my bed and take a nap. But then I remember there is a dance/school performance or soccer practice or groceries to buy, and I keep going. And that's good, just what I need to do.

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 5, 2010 at 8:08 AM

    Sometimes all you can do is just breathe. Peace be the journey.
    - Jenny, diagnosed with thyroid cancer July 2009

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 5, 2010 at 9:37 AM

    Thanks for sharing your quote, Jenny. I will remember it!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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.
11 comments
Read more

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...
13 comments
Read more

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 ...
2 comments
Read more