[krcole]

in reply to: Crazy Journey #1173183

Hi!

So another update…

So I saw the endo today. He had done some consulting with one of the oncologist in town (who I know) and they had gotten a plan together by the time I arrived this afternoon.

So we are going to watch this for a few weeks/months or so. They did draw tumor markers today (it is a very sensitive blood test that will detect signs of cancer through how the blood is processed/reacts). These markers will be positive due to just having cancer removed and you can stir up “stuff” to make it positive even though the cancer has been supposedly all removed. This positive will be our baseline. Then in 6 weeks when the hormones have started to work (hopefully) they will draw another set of tumor markers at that point. Then compare the two. The expectation is that the positive will turn to a negative…because they believe that they got it…all…no promises but they are confident. If it stays positive at the same rate, we will wait another month and draw again…continuing that process for some time if they just stay the same while seeking out an oncologist to watch instead of just the endo. If it goes up we will immediately talk RAI to kill off the thyroid cancer that might have spread or been missed in taking out the thyroid.

So we have a plan. I am comfortable with it due to the statistic of growth speed, that thyroid ca is less agressive than any other ca, and that with all of the other health issues I have…RAI right after surgery would trash my body and make it really hard to recover/normalize. The MD also shared that people with Grave’s Disase and have their thyroid removed have a 1 in 100 chance of finding cancer when the thyroid is sent to pathology. Get that 1 out of 100. Those are insane odds. These people would have never known (like me) that they had cancer and he said would have lived a long life and it would most likely never have bothered them…due to such slow growth and the nonexistance of mets with most thyroid ca.

I will keep you posted. Thanks for your uplifting virtual hugs and comments today. There were quite a few tears at our house last night and today…and having ya’ll was such a relief. Also thank you for the resources for more support for the ca side.

I guess I never realized until today is I will always have “Grave’s” even though my thyroid was removed. Wow. I am just starting the path on this portion of the journey.

Again, thank you.

Blessings and Peace,
Katie

[krcole]

in reply to: Crazy Journey #1173182

Hi!

So another update…

So I saw the endo today. He had done some consulting with one of the oncologist in town (who I know) and they had gotten a plan together by the time I arrived this afternoon.

So we are going to watch this for a few weeks/months or so. They did draw tumor markers today (it is a very sensitive blood test that will detect signs of cancer through how the blood is processed/reacts). These markers will be positive due to just having cancer removed and you can stir up “stuff” to make it positive even though the cancer has been supposedly all removed. This positive will be our baseline. Then in 6 weeks when the hormones have started to work (hopefully) they will draw another set of tumor markers at that point. Then compare the two. The expectation is that the positive will turn to a negative…because they believe that they got it…all…no promises but they are confident. If it stays positive at the same rate, we will wait another month and draw again…continuing that process for some time if they just stay the same while seeking out an oncologist to watch instead of just the endo. If it goes up we will immediately talk RAI to kill off the thyroid cancer that might have spread or been missed in taking out the thyroid.

So we have a plan. I am comfortable with it due to the statistic of growth speed, that thyroid ca is less agressive than any other ca, and that with all of the other health issues I have…RAI right after surgery would trash my body and make it really hard to recover/normalize. The MD also shared that people with Grave’s Disase and have their thyroid removed have a 1 in 100 chance of finding cancer when the thyroid is sent to pathology. Get that 1 out of 100. Those are insane odds. These people would have never known (like me) that they had cancer and he said would have lived a long life and it would most likely never have bothered them…due to such slow growth and the nonexistance of mets with most thyroid ca.

I will keep you posted. Thanks for your uplifting virtual hugs and comments today. There were quite a few tears at our house last night and today…and having ya’ll was such a relief. Also thank you for the resources for more support for the ca side.

I guess I never realized until today is I will always have “Grave’s” even though my thyroid was removed. Wow. I am just starting the path on this portion of the journey.

Again, thank you.

Blessings and Peace,
Katie

[krcole]

in reply to: Crazy Journey #1173174

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to give a post surgery update.

A brief recap to remind and catch up everyone…At the end of June, I had an infection that kept me in the hospital for 5 days. While working up the infection they found a mass in my neck. They referred me to a surgeon for removal. During the pre-op work up for surgery (two days prior) they tested my thyroid due to complaints of some shortness of breath. Turns out I had Grave’s. Surgery was canceled, I saw an endo, and then surgery was rescheduled to include the removal of the thyroid plus the mass. Now to the update…

So I went in for surgery on August 7 to remove the thyroid and the suspicious mass.

The surgery went great. The mass that they were so worried about was a begnin tumor. Most likely a one time occurance and nothing I should worry about again. As custom for all thyroid removals, they also sent the thyroid to pathology.

Today I had my post op appointment with the surgeon. He came in with the pathology report re: the thyroid.

There is no pretty way to say it…he did a really good job; but I can’t…I have thyroid cancer. He said that he had seen the mass on the thyroid when he got in there. It was fairly early, but as with all cancers despite removal attempts…there is going to be follow up treatment. I am being rushed back to the endo MD tomorrow afternoon.

This story has taken another turn in the events of all the other craziness and this one, for me, is very scary. I am a hospice chaplain. I know what cancer can do.

New question:

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE SUCH AS THIS? ANY ADVICE? How do things like this happen! We are going to talk about the RAI and traditional radiation tomorrow. Please, if you have walked this road…I would love to hear from you.

Again, as it is late at night, I am up and you are here in spirit with me. In the shock of the visit today (they had alleved my fears of the mass almost instantly so never did I imagine a cancer dx today), I got lost and it all became a blur. I didn’t cry. All I could done was laugh at the absurdity of this moment and the past two months. I am sure he thinks I am crazy! With all the hormone changes I have been crying like crazy at magazine articles, tv commercials, the Olmypics. This moment was the only laugh today…until I began to process the statement “I have cancer.”

I appreciate your support, thoughts, and prayers. Just knowing that you are all here as a resource and support group has helped so much and helped me smile several times of the last week.

Know that I also keep ya’ll in my thought and prayers.

As we continue to walk this journey…

Katie

[krcole]

in reply to: Crazy Journey #1173172

Hi!

I will definitely keep ya’ll posted. I also appreciate all the encouragment and advice. Especially seeing the comments about the beta blocker!

My mom won’t be able to come for surgery (I live on the West Coast; Mama and Daddy live in MS). My sisters will be here (they live out here with me). I will have them post after surgery to let everyone know how things went!

Again, thank you so much for being there and for everything ya’ll are doing to support me! No matter, day or night, I know that someone is out there and knows what the heck I am feeling. That thought gives me overwhelming comfort.

Blessings,
KRCole

[krcole]

in reply to: Crazy Journey #1173168

Hi!

I hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to the start of the weekend!
Things keep moving at lightening speed here…

So…A few more details to questions and an update!

First…The mass is somewhere else in my neck about is about the size of a quarter to half dollar. It is too deep to do a needle aspiration for it to be successful. To even try the aspiration they would have to put me to sleep so it was decided to just removed it then get a conclusive biopsy.

Second…They believe that my thyroid has been bothering me for more than a year now and really my only options are the RAI and surgery. They think that, if I just tried the meds, the thyroid would just be too damage to recover until a type of “death” occured. About January of this year, I suddenly dropped 30 + pounds. I thought I just was losing weight after being off some steriods (I have lupus on top of everything else). So…this has been going on for a while and the MDs feel like a year or more is conservative…with some/most of the symptoms being masked as the lupus until recently.

Third…Until the future I am taking an anti-thyroid and beta blocker. The blocker I look forward to finishing because it is making me short of breath…the ENT says that it is because of the lungs are not actually needing a blocker…but the heart and thyroid do.

The UPDATE:

Surgery has been set for August 7. The MD that I really trust has had several convesations with me over the past few days. He has helped me balance out all the options and I feel really good about this one after hearing/reading/and talking about them all. I also look at it this way…I am going to have surgery on my neck anyway…why not just do it all at once…why drag this out over two different procedures.

So that is that. Now for a week and a half of worry and being anxious. I am going to have to work really hard at surviving that part of the whole ordeal. Telling myself I can do it and lots of prayer…I will make it. The surgeon also sent me home with some meds to help with the anxiety…which will be VERY helpful!

After that, the worse thing I’ll have to deal with will be my mother reminding me that I should listen to hear when she tells me “You are short of breath!” I don’t think she is going to let me forget that part!

Thank you all for your help and support. I will keep ya’ll posted on how things go over the next week or two.

Your prayers and thoughts are coveted!

Blessings,
KRCole

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