littleangie’s Profile

Close Thyroid Cancer
: Papillary Carcinoma

From Sept 06 on I just wasn't feeling well. I was tired, I had a hoarse throat all the time, I was short of breath when I walked up the stairs. In Feb of 2007 I went to my regular gyno with complaints of irregular periods for no reason. She checked my glands and noticed my thyroid was enlarged. She said is was probably nothing and she took some blood. Everything came back normal so I figured it was fine. However, my mom is a nurse and she insisted I get it checked out by my internist. So I dragged my feet but I finally did it. I was feeling bad still so i knew I had to do it. During my physical, my internist also noticed the enlarged thyroid and immediately ordered a sonogram. So days later I was lying on a table trying to figure out what it could be. I never thought cancer I just figured it was something that could be fixed with medication - there were plenty of thyroid conditions that it could be causing it. Anyway, the radiologist was chatty and nice and made me feel better but then as she was doing the test she became extremely quiet and left the room soon after the first pass. I know she is not an MD but I also knew she saw something and needed to consult on something. So I was uneasy and I continued to be that way from that day Until about three days later when my doctor called. It was a large solid mass on the right lobe which appeared larger then 3 cm. But it wasn't until she said tumor when my heart dropped and I cried. Immediately my mom was on the phone with Dr. Thomas Fahey's office at New York Presbyterian. he was the best - and she wanted me to have the best. Luckily she knew lots of people there and got me in for the biopsy the following week. At this time, 3 months has passed since my gyno visit so it had been a lot of waiting I was glad to get in so quickly. Well, the biopsy came back inconclusive - it could be cancer or it may not be! What! So he said he had to go in and take out the right side. That way if it isn't cancer I would still have the left side and I wouldn't be without a thyroid. So i took the chance And I had my first surgery on 6/15/07. In the end it was cancer and the tumor was about 5 cm when he finally took it out - some was hidden under my bone or something. I was very lucky though it was a borderline case because it was caught very early. After the second surgery to remove the rest of my thyroid I was also lucky because it hadn't spread to any lymph nodes. So in the end I was very lucky and I know that. However, I feel like the emotional scars are deeper. I am having trouble adjusting to the medication, I am anxious, scared, less confident, and depressed. I am looking into therapy this summer and I was hoping to find some comfort here to. Especially next week during my treatment.

Treatments

Support from Friends & Family Somewhat Helpful

I love my family friends and my boyfriend and they have been great but It is just hard to share everything because i am afraid they will be tired of it and just walk away or ignore me

Positive Thinking Not Working

Hard to be positive when you are scared still