Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Second cancer….

The thyroid is an interesting creature. I’m amazed at not only the location and shape of it, but all the major functions it is responsible for regulating. It is a butterfly shaped organ, located at the base of your neck, under the adam’s apple. In short it controls the speed at which the body’s chemical (metabolic rate) functions. It affects things such as bowel movements all the way to heart beats. I’d love to delve into it more, but the learning part of my brain is tapped out. I’ve learned more then I ever cared to about other cancers and I so need a break. You can find more information here…. www.cushings-help.com/thyroid.htm or here http://www.mythyroid.com/

Scan results picked up THREE nodules / lesions so far… ((UltraSound scan picture below))
I fought for a week to get an appointment with an Endocrine doctor. Which I finally got at the last minute. They called me in the late morning as I was going out the door for another appointment to come in just a couple hours notice, being an hours drive away. I jumped on that! I brought copies of my Ultra Sound scans with me. While my mother will understandably cling to a diluted of version what she read (which I completely understand), the doctor was able to view the actual scan and determine that I do fall into the "5% of all patients" category (and 75% of another category of radiation patients) and have cancer in my thyroid. Thankfully he doesn’t feel it’s something I have to be overly alarmed about at this precise moment. It doesn’t appear to be the most aggressive type at this point. He believes it to be Papillary cancer (which is still a carcinoma). I will be having a biopsy this Friday. The office doesn’t think they will have the results for at least a week, which seems like an awful long time to me. Thyroid cancers can like any other cancer, spread into the lymph nodes and/or metastasize into nearby tissues, including lungs etc. But I am breathing a little easier with the impression that this may be a slower spreader. I may be able to enjoy Christmas yet.
(of course, I’m finding biopsies of this nature may not be very accurate. What does one do with that information?)

In case anyone decides to argue or challange the doctor findings, below is a synopsis what was on the report AND an actual US picture of my thyroid.

Scan report: "At least 3 nodules in right lobe – 2 = hypoechoic solid mass w/ coarse peripheral calcifications & suggestion of microcallcifications \ 1 = cystic appearing w/ bright internal echo."




ALSO - Please say special prayers for Chuck & Rosie and their family. They could use a boost of good!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Still prayin' for ya C. Much Love always.

Maybe they can give you an honorary degree in Biology once you get through all this! Sheesh.

Love Chris.

Anonymous said...

Carol,
I love you so much. I miss you. I wish I could talk to you.
Your cousin,
Jess

Anonymous said...

Yes...I think you should de-focus, if you can, from all the cancer detail for a while...and just know that your body can send it into regression (let's face it the US and the UK are in regression) Try and find as many things to laugh and make you smile as you can.

love

henry

Anonymous said...

Hi dear Carol, I've been thinking a lot about you the last month. I have been reading some of these comments here and read Henry's (soulMerlin) and it is amazing that you are going through all this and yet you STILL educate others as you go. It would make sense that your brain is worn out from it. You give SO much, not only to your family but to everyone here on your blog.

When I think of you I feel enormous love inside and something else...It's like a great power, and when I feel that power (whether it is coming from you or in me or both...I send it your way. I imagine you standing in the center of that power, and it is all through you and around you. It IS you. And somehow it also makes me feel stronger, not only physically (and I don't even have cancer) but it also makes me feel a strong sense of myself. I remember and KNOW who I am. I like that.

I also liked what henry said about laughing. I saw a movie about a woman who had serious breast cancer and she went and rented funny movies for a long time just to make herself laugh, she also did other things which you probably do, like vizualizations, some of her own and I think some she bought on CD or DVD that were designed specifically for healing.

I do know this that you have a very powerful honest presence. I think it is what I pick up when I think of you. So, like I said I send that powerful enrgy right back to you. And I will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. It's very easy done. I think of you without even "having to remember". Know that you are loved very much and I AM thinking of you. Love and HUUUUUGE big hugs, Robin