Angel's Profile Page

Biography

I once had a name. Now I am a case. I have had such an unusual process to my diagnosis that I have turned many heads. It all started about 8 or 9 years ago when I read a thyroid quiz in a magazine. I fit every description. Naturally, I went to the doctor. “Your levels are fine,” is what I heard. In 2008, I went to a nurse practitioner and explained my symptoms. She had me do an ultrasound, and BOOM there the nodules were. I went to an ENT, and the results were inconcusive. I had half of my thyroid removed in January of 2010. Results were Hashimoto’s. Yea! No Cancer! However, in January of 2010, I started feelig bad and went to several doctors. “Anxiety is what you have,” is what I heard (even though I am a very laid back gal). I did have an ultraound to check up on how my thyroid was doing, and the doctor told me things looked great. In April of this year, I stopped being able to swallow. I had every swallowing study imaginable, and again I was told it was anxiety. Hmmmh. They even did a cat scan of my neck. Nothing was found. Now, I start to believe that I did start to feel some anxiety. I couldn’t swallow for three months. I lived on Boost and lost 45 pounds. I switched doctors. I met with a local doctor on a Saturday morning, and on Monday, he had me at Barnes Hospital. Finally, I was getting somewhere. The first doctor I saw asked me if I didn’t lose the weight on purpose. Oh gosh, I thought I was crazy. I cried and cried. Doctors and nurses came in time after time performing test after test. I didn’t know if I had blood left to give. Finally, a caridologist came by and ordered an ultrasound of my neck. I told him I had had one 3 months before and even a cat scan a month before. He said, “Awwh. Let’s try it again.” So, I did. Sure enough. There it was. I had papillary thyroid cancer and a lot of lymph node involvement. For a quarter of a second I was releived to know an answer; however, then it hit me that I had cancer. I was scheduled for surgery the next week even though I talked them out of another week so I could go to Florida with my family. I had a pretty successful surgery even though I had a chyle leak. Approximately 4 % of people experience this. Yea, me. I would have loved for those chances be placed on a lotto card. I couldn’t eat fats for 2 weeks while it healed (don’t forget I hadn’t eaten in 3 months already!) Wow. It was like a rollercoaster that I road at Disney one year. My stomach didn’t catch up with the rest of my body until I was done with it all.

Cancer has a way of physcially, mentally and spiritually challenging a person. I have not felt well at all since the surgery which brings on the mental end of it. I cry a lot and can’t seem to get a grip on not having control over the situation. This, in turn, brings on the spiritual end. I have to give up control to God. I have always believed in God, but letting him have total control over my life has been rewarding and scary.

Cancer Symptoms

I couldn’t swallow food for 3 months. Food seemed to get stuck. After tons of swallowing studies, I was admitted into the hospital where a cardiologist sent me for an ultrasound which found papillary thyroid cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects

Diagnosis July 1, 2010…Remainder thyroidectomy and radical neck dissection July 20, 2010….

Radiation or Proton Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects

Radioactive Iodine on August 2, 2010. I was very sick to my stomach for about 5 days.

Comments:

Hi Angel (angelk)

Are you OK?
We haven’t heard from you since Jan.25th’s Mayo Clinic caper..

Fred

Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:51:33 AM by Private User