The Big Follow-Up

I don't think I've ever blogged two days in a row before but damn, there's a lot of you to thank. 24 hours after sharing my last blog post, I've got 78 messages, multiple texts, private messages, and even some voicemails. You all know how to make a girl feel loved in a tough situation.

THANK YOU!


I saw my second opinion doc today (who was actually the one my PCP recommended). If I had seen her first, I might not have bothered going downtown. In hindsight, I was overreacting. Look, when I heard CANCER, my doctor brain said "Well then, you're going to the big cancer center downtown - no bones about it." So I made the appointment with the ENT department at UPMC and hoofed it downtown so very early in the morning last Wednesday. He was not unpleasant and he did a great job of explaining everything and stopped multiple times to give me a chance to compose some questions. I have no doubt that he's an excellent surgeon and I'd receive amazing care downtown. However, word of mouth from trusted sources led me to believe the doc I saw today would be something special. She did not disappoint. We spoke in depth about my choice between a full thyroidectomy and a lobectomy (only removing half the gland). She is supportive of either decision and ultimately didn't lead or corral me in any direction. I said I'm leaning toward lobectomy - she said something to the effect of "Sure, I'll support that and I think it's a good decision for you. If you change your mind, all you have to do is call." We discussed even biopsying the other nodules on the left side prior to surgery just in case they might be an issue, but ultimately we decided (or I decided, with her blessing) to just monitor them. I'd rather not get poked all over the neck again and frankly if the results come back as indeterminate (which is fairly likely) then I will have no further useful information. If these other nodules misbehave at some point, I will have to have the other half of my thyroid removed at that time. Current available evidence supports the assertion that my overall prognosis will be no worse if that happens, so I'm not worried. I'm happy I won't have to take levothyroxine for the rest of my life :)

Aside: multiple people individually have mused with me on what would happen in a post-apocalyptic world in which thyroid hormone is no longer readily available. "What would we do??? Would we eventually die of hypothyroidism? Would we just get fat and picked off by zombies??? Would it be like in the movies where people kill each other to get their hands on more medicine??" We wondered and lamented together. This is the true reason I don't want my entire thyroid removed. I'll leave it up to you to determine if I'm joking or not on this one.

I'm only slightly unsettled that doc #2 doesn't feel a second ultrasound is needed. Certainly having more testing makes us feel safer but it's difficult to know, really, if it's necessary. Ultrasound is not 100% accurate at locating metastatic disease. I'll consider the fact that my tumor is small as well as the fact that doc #2 has done a lot more of these surgeries than doc #1 and I'll trust in her judgement while simultaneously praying on it, in case the BIG BOSS has something different to tell me.


So currently I'm scheduled for surgery at Heritage Valley Sewickley on Monday February 18th. I'll take that week off from work to stay home and be tortured by... I mean cuddle my children. It will be glorious and I'll be healed :)