Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month

Hey my fellow crafty friends!!  I just wanted to put this out there for your good!  September is National Thyroid Cancer month.  Did I ever know that before?  NOPE!

After finding out I had thyroid cancer in March, I did everything I could to find out about this cancer.  It was as shock and completely blindsided me.  I went in for some difficulty in swallowing.  My physician recommended an ultrasound scan of my neck in February.  I went in, they scanned my neck and found a nodule.  I was told that most nodules, 95% of them, are benign nevertheless they wanted to do a fine needle aspiration (biopsy).  Well, I didn't think any thing about it.   Most are benign...no big deal.  I go in for the results with the first surgeon/cytomolgist.  he says it seems as if it is a benign nodule and recommends removing half of my thyroid because of the size.  I go to a specialist for a second opinion.  Surgery was not what I was wanting to do.   My husband was in Iraq, I was an elementary teacher, and most importantly a mom of 3 kids one of which was graduating and we were expecting 24 out of town family members ALL staying with us.  I go to the specialist, hand him the detailed report of the pathology results.  He sits me down, and tells me it's most likely cancer.  Recommend my WHOLE thyroid removed and sends me to a surgeon.  I see the surgeon, awesome does not describe this lady!  My husband comes home early from Iraq, a week later I have surgery to remove the whole thyroid.  Go to the surgeon for my post op 3 days later and the results.  She sits us down, tells me she took 2 lymph nodes along with my thyroid.  They are both clear.  The nodule, follicular carcinoma.  The other half of my thyroid, papillary carcinoma.  WHAT??!!  two kinds of cancer.  the papillary carcinoma was so small, it would have only been detected by surgery!!  I am SO thankful for making the tough decision to remove my whole thyroid.  After radiation treatment, regulating my synthroid, things seem to be getting back to normal.  it has been 4 months since I had the surgery.  I see the oncologist later this month, and will be monitored for the next two years to make sure it doesn't reoccur.  So why did I say all this.....CHECK YOUR NECK!   I feel compelled to make people aware of this cancer .  I had bloodwork done on my thyroid and ALL came back normal.  Everything seemed normal in my life until February when the start of finding my nodule.
Here are some important websites to check out:
Thyroid cancer survivors' association
Thyroid Facts

Hugs!!