One year sans thyroid

Well, I made it through the first year. Yea!

It wasn't totally bad. And in the grand scheme of cancers, one could have called it a walk in the park. Though that night in the ER was nothing of that sort.

So what is the biggest thing I have noticed. I have less hair. I have about 1/3 the hair I had when I started this. Now, you have to understand, my hair is very important to me. I had been blessed with lots of it and for the majority of my life, have had it long. I still have hair, but, just not as much, and I know it's a vain thing, considering so may other cancer patients loose theirs completely I am still lucky to have what I have. And for the most part, no one really knows but me...and now you. LOL

The other big thing. Taking pills first thing in the morning. I've never been a pill taker. I don't like taking pills. But now, I have not choice. I religiously take my two Hello Kitty pink 112mcg Synthroid pills. I have been on this dosing now for 6 months. I started on the 150mcg, then 3 months later went to 200mcg, then 3 months later to the two 112mcg. My last check-up 3 months ago, my TSH was 0.2. Which is most likely why my hair is falling out. I have another check-up in a few days hopefully things will still be where they should. (Side note - they were TSH was 0.3).

I am starting to feel better. A lot of the cramping in my feet and such seems to have gone. I'm not as tired as I had been. But I think in the over all grand scheme of it all. I do feel better than I think I truly ever have. Having an autoimmune disease and not knowing it, you don't know that the way you feel when you feel "good" isn't truly as good as you could feel. I kind of struggled with that surgery. Now, since my energy levels are better and my back is getting better, I think it's time to start moving back into life.

So what's next, my first year whole body scan.

February 1, 2011 - Biopsy #2

Today is my second biopsy. It's on that lymph node that they have not liked in the last two ultrasounds. So once again, they are sticking needles into my neck. Oh yea.

I have to admit I'm a little nervous. I mean come on, who wouldn't be, right? Well, I guess someone who absolutely knew the future. But I don't, so while I'm not like wringing my hands, I am a little concerned. I'm thinking that because of where it is, and I have a tooth right above it that needs some work that that could possibly cause of the "enlargement" and funkiness of the node. But we will see.

Some doctors do this in an outpatient setting. Some, like mine, are set up to do it in office. Which, is actually kind of nice. You don't have to do all the paperwork and what-nots for another office or facility.

This is the biopsy room and the tray of stuff for the biopsy. I would have taken a better, more up close one, but I knew as soon as I stood up to do it, someone would walk in and catch me being "nosie." LOL!

The procedure went fine. They tested some new image software while they were doing it. They liked their software better and went back to it in the process of it all.

The procedure wasn't as painful as the first time was. That one spot on my thyroid that was so heavily calcified hurt in the attempts to get into it, but this time, it was just a sweet little node, not hurtin' nobody. It gave up the goods with no problem. They slapped on a few band-aids and I was off.

The results.

Just a normal healthy lymph node doing what lymph nodes do. The fluid was nothing more than lymphatic fluid and cells. So all's good.

I discussed the biopsy with my new dentist the next day and he agreed that it was probably related the my tooth issue.

So what's next. Well, I have an appointment April 1 with the Endo's office. At that point we will be setting up for my first yearly full body scan. Hopefully the machine will work the first time and I won't have to do it three times. LOL!