Great Results! No Cancer!

Saw Dr. Munoz today.  The results are all good.  So the plan is another scan in one year, then 2 years after that, then DONE!

Fun Day at MD Anderson

Yearly tests.  I checked in at the blood test place.  Only waited 5 minutes to get called back.  2 pokes later and I was good to go!  Went up to the CT Scan area.  Had to take a steriod at 11 last night, 5 this morning, and another one as soon as I got checked in, along with 2 Benedryl.  All those pills because I am allergic to the contrast.  They tried to put the IV in my arm where the blood was drawn, but it didn't work, so they had to put it in my hand.  4 pokes today, yippee!  Then I got to drink 2 bottles of the vanilla stuff, which doesn't bother me at all.  A very nice technician came and got me and reintroduced me to the donut.  I put a washcloth over my face so I don't get claustrophobic, even though my head doesn't go in.  The worst part of the whole day was when he PUT THE CONTRAST IN THE IV!!!  Hurt like heck!!  So, I was there 2 1/2 hours and I find out the results from Dr. Munoz tomorrow.  I'm not really worried because I feel fine, and I don't think the cancer is back!

The Phone Call

Only those who have waited for "The Phone Call" can understand how hard it is to wait for "The Phone Call".  Especially when the doctor told me that he expected it to be cancer!  I got the GREAT phone call at 2:34 today!  Benign.  I am so happy, happy, happy.  Hopefully I won't be writing on here for a long time.  I dodged another bullet.

Thyroid Surgery

I had to be at Banner Desert at 6 a.m. yesterday, Election Day.  We mailed our ballots in.  I didn't sleep much the night before because I was so nervous!  I knew I could sleep later during surgery.  I hate getting IV's, but the nurse got it on the first try, on the back of my hand.  I kissed Dave goodbye, and was on my way.  I woke up to Dave telling me that they had to take both sides of the thyroid off.  Dang it!  I hit the bed with my fist.  I knew I would have to take thyroid medicine the rest of my life.  The doctor told us later that the pathologist doesn't usually give his opinion about the testing samples, but he told Dr. Maser that he thought it was cancer.  So why did Dr. Maser tell us this now (we find out the official results on Friday)?  Did he not want me to be shocked to find out it is cancer, or to be happy when it's not?  So by taking the entire thyroid off, I knew I was going to have to stay the night at the hospital.  Good thing I brought my toothbrush!  The 3 inch long incision on my neck is glued together.  It is sore, but the worst thing is my sore throat, sore from the tube which was put in during surgery.  And I've had a headache for 2 days now.  They gave me morphine, but I hated it because it hurt like heck when they pushed it through the IV.  So I took tylenol  because I hate the Percoset they offered.  I just want ibuprofen.  Brooks and Shelci brought Dave tacos from Jack-in-the-box.  I ate jello, applesauce, italian ice. Dave tried to sleep on the lazy boy chair in my room, but around midnight I told him to go home and sleep.  I had another sleepless night in the hospital. Even if I could have slept, a nurse came in at 3 a.m. to take my blood, and soon after to take vitals.  I was discharged about 11.  So good to be home to my waterbed, puppies, and no IV to maneuver while trying to get to the bathroom.  And the annoying leg massage wraps to help with circulation.  Shelci brought chicken and rice over.  I don't like to take help from people, but thank you!  I am feeling better tonight.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Election Day!  And when I wake up from surgery Dave is instructed to tell me the surgery results and then election updates!  And then I'll go home and eat soup and ice cream, sleep, and watch the election results.  Love you all, thanks for everything!

Bumping the Surgery

I started getting sick on Sunday.  Monday I was even worse, so I called and rescheduled the surgery that was scheduled for Tuesday.  I went to the doctor - Upper Respiratory infection.  So there I was laying in bed on Monday and Dr. Stephanie Byrum called.  She did my stomach surgery and her staff told me she didn't do thyroid surgery, so I went elsewhere.  She was calling to tell me that she does a few thyroid surgeries, but she would recommend Dr. Shellenberger at MD Anderson, which is where she is at.  I have been thinking of going there anyway.  It's just weird that she would call the day before I was supposed to go under the knife, and that I would be sick and not doing it!  Coincidence?  I don't know what to do!  I already paid half of the surgeon fee, so I need to find out if I can get that back if I switch.

Meeting with Surgeon

Dave went with me to meet with Dr. Masur, the surgeon yesterday.  I'm glad he went with me, because he spent an hour with us!  It was a lot of information.  I have the surgery scheduled for next Tuesday, October 23.  They will go in and remove the "almost golf ball size" nodule and the right side of my thyroid.  They will then send it to the lab and wait the 15-20 minutes for the results (while I "sleep").  If it is not cancer (which it is most likely not) then they are done and I will go home after a few hours, as long as I am doing OK.  If there is cancer (please, NO!) then they will take the other half of the thyroid out also, and I will have to stay overnight.  The only symptoms I have is that I have felt like I am getting a sore throat, but it never gets bad.  This has been going on for months.  It also feels like there is a small obstruction when I swallow, but not a big deal.  I am anxious to get this over with!