Two years ago today, at my post surgery follow-up appt, I was given the bad news, "Sorry, it is cancer". I don't remember the exact words my ENT told me, or the exact words I said in reply. I do remember him telling me I could get a second opinion on the pathology. I didn't need it. I knew going into the surgery that if it was hurthle cell carcinoma, the rest of my thyroid had to be removed. I just wanted to know how soon the second surgery could be done, and I wanted it done ASAP. Luckily, he had someone cancel that following Monday, so I took it.
It also meant I would need to take more time off from work. I remember telling my boss that I didn't want to share the reason for my 2 week absence with the rest of the team. But, since I was going in for another surgery, I knew I had to say something. It took a while to compose my email, but I wanted it to be informative, not a "woe is me" announcement. At this point, I also decided to tell my closest friends. That too was another difficult email to compose. I was so far away from all of them, and when they hear from me it is to tell them that I have cancer. Great.
I have come a long way since hearing those three words no one wants to hear ("it is cancer"). So two years after I was told I have thyroid cancer, how does my neck look?
![]()
Now, fast forward two years later and I am dealing with the one side effect I had from my RAI treatment, a blocked tear duct. Left nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The treatment, left dacryocystorhinostomy, or a DCR. It was done yesterday. My left eye is still puffy. My surgeon called this morning to check up on me. He said I could take off the bandage, and that "I would continue to have some tearing for about two weeks, that I'd get some draining through my nose or the back of my throat, but it would not affect my brain." LoL - where do all my doctors get their humor from? So anyway, how does my left eye look?
![]()
I think in the back of my mind I already knew I had it. And it is probably best that it was my ENT who told me the results of my FNA instead of my Endo because I don't think I could have handled that kind of information knowing that I would not have my ENT consult for another month. Part of me was hoping it wasn't cancer, especially when my mom told me that when my ENT spoke with her after my surgery, he told her he felt positive it was not, but that the surgery right before mine was. He was wrong on both, but that doesn't matter because there was more cancer to be found on my right lobe after the second surgery.
It also meant I would need to take more time off from work. I remember telling my boss that I didn't want to share the reason for my 2 week absence with the rest of the team. But, since I was going in for another surgery, I knew I had to say something. It took a while to compose my email, but I wanted it to be informative, not a "woe is me" announcement. At this point, I also decided to tell my closest friends. That too was another difficult email to compose. I was so far away from all of them, and when they hear from me it is to tell them that I have cancer. Great.
I have come a long way since hearing those three words no one wants to hear ("it is cancer"). So two years after I was told I have thyroid cancer, how does my neck look?
Now, fast forward two years later and I am dealing with the one side effect I had from my RAI treatment, a blocked tear duct. Left nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The treatment, left dacryocystorhinostomy, or a DCR. It was done yesterday. My left eye is still puffy. My surgeon called this morning to check up on me. He said I could take off the bandage, and that "I would continue to have some tearing for about two weeks, that I'd get some draining through my nose or the back of my throat, but it would not affect my brain." LoL - where do all my doctors get their humor from? So anyway, how does my left eye look?
left eye. lol. i was wondering how it went, and now, as i eat my pasta salad with tomato pesto and whole olives, your left eye looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteYour neck looks sexy:)
ReplyDelete