Skip to main content

Tomorrow: Another Visit to Dr.Pun

OK, no jokes about me actually writing two blog posts in the space of three weeks. :)

Tomorrow, I make the trip back to see Dr. Pun, my favorite endocrinologist. Those of you who have had a cancer diagnosis and are a head case such as myself know what that means for today: the "what ifs" start.

Although, I pretty much had the "what ifs" confirmed at my last appointment in October: Dr. Pun said that he is pretty sure "something" (i.e. thyroid cancer again) is going on there based on the bloodwork, and we just get to wait until something shows up on a scan of some form so we know what we are dealing with. Strangely, I was OK with that as I know that as long as I am one of "those patients" in his practice that he keeps an eye on (and there is that whole trust factor too...), I am fine. Well, as fine as I can be, knowing what a worry wart I am (thanks, Mema, for passing the torch to me in the worry department!).

How much does it stink to know something bad is probably growing in your body, and it has to show up before you can do anything about it?

So I suspect tomorrow I will get the "permission slip" to get an ultrasound and see if anything can be seen. I have already decided I am not going to make the appointment until after January 1.

OK, it sounds really noble or whatever of me to say "I will wait until after the holidays" but the reality is that I have used up all our medical saving account dollars for 2010 and need to wait until 2011.

But...I would have waited anyway. Nah, I would have done it right away otherwise. :) We all know me, right?

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 19, 2010 at 12:48 PM

    Praying for you tomorrow.
    Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownDecember 19, 2010 at 8:25 PM

    I hope you're able to rest rather than worry over Christmas. Love & hugs to you and the fam.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 20, 2010 at 12:17 PM

    Thinking of you and sending prayers your way! Love ya Steph

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sample resumeFebruary 8, 2012 at 1:23 AM

    This blog is great source of information which is very useful for me. Thank you very much.
    LEARN MORE ABOUT THYROID CANCER.

    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