In general it was a more energetic day than the last one. I even got that paper work done I had been complaining and avoiding all week, setup a second short term disability for the next week and proved insurance does owe me $15. I decided to take another week off for healing and getting used to my new life. The pathology report came from my surgeon. A good one!
He removed the whole thyroid and one parathyroid nodule (by mistake!). There are four nodes which sit right on the back of the thyroid itself called the parathyroid. Surgeons try to leave them when removing the thyroid itself as they enable calcium absorption into body. However, in looking at the diagrams I wonder how a surgeon could actually separate the two. They are sitting right on the main thyroid gland. He said he tries but sometimes he just can not get all of the large gland and leave the other in.
In my case, he said he removed one as it was swollen/infected and he thought it was another lesion on the thyroid itself. It was gone before he realized what it was. Anyhow, I am fine with three only. That is partly why am taking the large amount of calcium as a supplement right now. He was glad he took it out as there were a couple cells in there with the Papillary cancer and now we've learned more, it may be what was setting up the symptoms rather than the node we thought was.
Did you know that you can live a whole full life with certain kinds of cancer cells in places and they never give any problem? I never did.... They say they have found mummies with cancer cells in them of people who lived a long time and before we had all these various treatments or ways to see inside our bodies.
He was also glad he decided to remove the lymph nodes located near thyroid at same time because when dissected, they also had a some tiny papillary cells in them. So now, all is gone...gone...gone! According to my study this is generally the end of thyroid cancer. As long as not moved to lungs or heart already - mine has not.
He and the endocrinologist are now my "best friends for life" - them and my bottle of Levothyroxine. The jury is out as to whether I will get the full body scan to see what other cells may be doing, but all in all, things turned out the way I wanted - no radiation treatment as yet.
He told me to go out, live a full long life... yes, sir! However, I would add the word "creative" also. So, the next week will be restarting that!
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