Skip to main content

Letter to Dr. W

The latest and greatest (?) on the beast that is thyroid cancer, best expressed via the letter I sent to my new endocrinologist/thyroid cancer specialist:

Dear Dr. W,

Thanks for seeing me back in June 2012 and for your follow-up letter indicating that my thyroglobulin (TG) level at that time was 0.5. This was great to hear, that and the news that as a result of the low TG test you felt that I did not need the radioactive iodine treatment at that time.

I am enclosing my most recent blood work for your review and records drawn by Dr. Pun. I am concerned that my TG is now 1.3. I understand that it is good that the TG result continues to be below 2.0, but are you concerned at all that it is now in an upward trend?

My current questions for you as a result of your letter sent to me and June and this latest TG result:

  • When should I have my blood drawn again?
  •  Are you concerned about my latest TG result of 1.3?
  • Does this 1.3 TG result change your mind about radioactive iodine?
  • When should I see you again? I believe you originally said January 2013 in your letter, but I wonder if this has changed as a result of the upward bloodwork trend.
  •  When should I have my first baseline ultrasound post-surgery? Should this be before or after my appointment with you?

I very much would like to continue seeing you to address my recurrent thyroid cancer (three times in four years). I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding my questions.

Comments

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