jeanniebj

Hi Again James,

My situation was a little different from your wife's. My first FNA was negative. Fortunately, the doctor had also ordered a CT scan of my neck, which showed a thickening in my larynx. So he sent me to an ENT, along with a copy of the scan on disk. The ENT took one look at the scan and told me I had cancer. He repeated the FNA and called me a couple days later and told me it was thyroid cancer and he ordered an ultrasound of my neck, which of course, also had enlarged nodules. He also wanted to do another FNA of my thyroid. He said whatever they find from this other FNA would not change the course of my treatment, so I refused to do the other FNA. I had a total thyroidectomy in October 2009. Oh did I also mention that the year prior to that I had a lymph node at the side of my neck and when I told my doctor about it at my physical, she told me it was nothing to worry about. Needless to say, I hounded her about it, because I know that lymph nodes do not just hang out for no reason. She eventually sent me for other testing and I got a diagnosis of thyroid cancer. My surgery was not pleasant, as a matter of fact it took in excess of 12 hours. There were a lot of complications, and I had to stay in the hospital for 5 days. Not to make anyone panic, because I don't think my case is the rule, but the exception, because my doctor told me that it would be about a 3-4 hour surgery and that I would be going home the next day. Let's just say I am happy I was able to go home any at all.

I think your doctor made the right decision in leaving the other lobe of the thyroid, because as he told your wife, it is such a slow growing cancer and the cure rate is really good, especially for someone your wife's age.

I just got out of isolation today because I had to have a repeat dose of the radioactive iodine because, you guessed it, my cancer returned in less than 1 year, but to be honest, I don't think it ever went away. But based on everything that I read, I expected it, because I was diagnosed at a Stage IV, I was 47 years old, and I had many lymph nodes involved. Actually, they took out close to 50 lymph nodes, and of the ones that they tested more than half were positive. From every level that they took nodes it was positive. My road has been very difficult, but everyday that I awake and I am six foot above ground, I think it is a good day. Keep positive, and that will keep your wife's spirit up. My husband and my children has been my rock.

The thing I dislike the most is going around friends who want to ask questions, but are afraid. So I will just say, "you guys can ask me anything you want for 1/2 hour", then everyone gets more comfortable and we can move on with our visit. I gained a bit of weight before they were able to get my meds accurate, so I look kind of strange to many of my friends. As I was always pretty thin. I also have a huge scar from the left of my neck to a little past the front of my neck. It did not heal very well, so it was bumpy and fat, and very dark...My doctor then injected the scars with some kind of steroid and the lump flattened and went down, but now my neck is discoloured (white). I am black, so it is obvious . I am so happy to be a survivor that not much gets me anxious or scared. I just do the next thing and move on. I still wear clothes that show my scar as a matter of fact, the skin is so thin and sensitive, that it feels much better when nothing is touching it.

Like I said, be positive and be blessed. Your wife will be just fine.