Reaction At Work

I decided only to tell three people at work about the Thyroid Cancer: my boss, his boss, and a co-worker. All three work at different offices than I do, so, I made the notification through email and explained the situation, the surgery date, and how much time I might need off.

I received calls from them today. Each was concerned and offered to do anything I needed, which was nice. But then each acted like I was ill and not feeling well. I feel exactly the same as I always have! I really don't want or need pitty. Especially at work where success can be a daily competition and if managers feel you can't do your job, that is very bad. I assured each that I feel great and there was no problem. Of course, that may change after the surgery, but, today - everything is the same as it always has been. 

Scheduling The Surgery

We were concerned about loosing a non-refundable summer vacation. Our Primary Doctor recommended we cancel the vacation. The surgeon told us he was booking surgeries two weeks out. This was all bad news for the vacation! When we explained this problem to the nurse, she talked to the doctor about the concern. She returned and told us the cancer is slow growing, and waiting a few weeks will not change anything.

We received a call from the hospital to schedule the surgery. The lady on the phone said the first available date was August 2! We were worried about our vacation for nothing - he was booked!

The surgeon only operates on Tuesday and Wednesdays so that limited the dates we could select. I hoped for a Thursday surgery so I could have up to 11 days to recover and would only need 7 days off from work. But no luck.

I talked it over with my wife and we picked August 9.

Scheduling pre-surgery UltraSound

I need to have an Ultrasound that looks at the lymph nodes in my neck and I need to have it done before the thyroidectomy. If they think the lymph nodes are suspect? They will cut those out too.

In addition, I must have bloodwork done  within 30 days of the surgery. When the doctor first told me this, I thought she said 30 days before the surgery, but, no, it is within 30 days.

I arranged to have the ultrasound and bloodwork done on August 2.

Meeting the Surgeon

My wife and I arrived to meet the surgeon. I had really no idea what the experience would be like, but I knew what to expect and I had come to

Peace with it long ago. I was actually joking with my wife a little.

After a short wait they called me back and took my weight and blood pressure. My blood pressure has been up just a little, which is odd - my blood pressure is usually rock solid. "Are you nervous?" The nurse asked. I didn't think I was but then she added "your heart rate is up." Maybe I was nervous.

I was taken into an examination room that had a large chair in the middle that reminded me of a barber's chair.

The nurse left and then a doctor's attendee arrived. She answered all of our questions while doing an examination. Then she felt around by throat and neck. 

There is a chance my vocal cords could be damaged during the surgery so they needed to look at them using a scope that would go through my nose. I thought it would be easier to go through my mouth but I guess that would have been less adventurous. The doctor sprayed a numbing agent into my nose whose only effect was to numb the roof of my mouth. She then painfully fished a hose through my nose and down my throat while she watched the incredible journey on a TV screen. She then asked me to sniff and make various sounds, but I was in so much pain that I found it difficult to do. After she was satisfied with her inspection, she removed the hose.

The surgeon came in a short time later, answered all out questions, and gave us a ton of information. After a while I realized I would only remember a tenth of what he was saying. I was very thankful my wife was taking notes. Although afterwards she admitted that there was so much information - she couldn't write it all down!

The surgeon felt my neck and commented how easy it was to feel the goiter.

The surgeon then explained that the breathing tube used during surgery had electronics on it that would notify him if he was getting too close to the vocal cords - kind of like the game Operation. These electronics make the breathing tube a little larger than normal and most people complain of discomfort from the tube while recovering from the surgery.

The surgeon and attendee left, which gave me a few minutes to assess my aching nose and numb mouth. The attendee returned with a consent form for me to sign. She read through the entire form. The most concerning aspect was a 1 in 10 chance they could cut a vocal cord nerve. If they do that, my voice will become breathy, I could choke on food, and I could die from aspirated pneumonia. I never realized the chance of that happening was so high!

I signed the consent form. The doctor left and as the surgeon's nurse arrived. She gave us a binder that contained all the information we had been told verbally - thank a God! There was no way I could remember everything that was said.

There was more information given than I can remember. At some point I will go back through all the notes and write more about it.

Pre-Surgeon Appointment

We meet with the surgeon tomorrow to find out what needs to be done for the Thyroidectomy and the timeline. I assume I will loose the entire thyroid, but, I don't know for certain.

According to our original plan, we were supposed to arrive in Florida today and stay until the end of July. The trip is non-refundable, so, the house we rented is now sitting empty! We are very concerned whether the surgery timeline will allow us to use some of the time we have purchased. This concern is helping to pass the time.

If the surgeon tells us the surgery won't be for several weeks? We are going to hop in the car Tuesday morning and drive to Florida. Therefore, we have to have everything for five weeks packed and ready to go whether we are going to get to go or not. This "unknowing" is very difficult.

I have questions for the doctor all figured out:

1. I have a lump near my elbow that my Primary Doctor doesn't think is related, but, I want him to look at it.
2. I want to know the number of surgeries the doctor has done. I have learned that there is a scale based on surgeries that determines how expert the doctor is.
3. I am concerned about gaining weight. Some gain weight, most don't - I want to make sure the doctor knows this is a concern
4. Do I meet with an Endocrine doctor? When?
5. Will I have to go through a Radioactive Iodine treatment?
6. What is the timeline of all the activities?
7. Will we be able to go to Florida?
8. How much of the thyroid will be take
9. If he doesn't take it all, what is the chance of occurrence?
10. Will the stitches be on the outside? Or will be do stitches on the inside?

Here is a list of questions you might want to consider asking: http://www.thyca.org/newly-diagnosed/questions/

I am sure I will have more questions, but, that is what I have come up with so far.

Passing time waiting for Surgeon Appointment

The meeting with the surgeon is on Monday. Until that appointment, I have to idea what is going to be happening during the next several weeks. Will I be going on vacation? Will I be having surgery? Will there be many pre-op doctor appointments I have to go to?

Much of our time is distracted trying to figure out what we are going to do with our nonrefundable vacation. Can we get some of the money back? Could we send someone else in our place?

I haven't done a lot of research into Thyroid Cancer these past few days. I did read about a lady's 1.5 year journey. She was very concerned about the scar and wrote a lot about what she did for it - and today you almost can't see it. If fact, you wouldn't see the scar unless you were looking for it. Maybe my thoughts will change, but, I don't really care about the scar. Most of her entries were about on going struggle to get her medicine levels correct. Just when she thought she was doing OK, she got a bad bottle of medicine that caused her to spike. Fixing it caused her levels to drop. Months later, she was still trying to get things fixed.

I found the blog interesting. I also find it interesting that there is almost nothing out there about guys getting a thyroidectomy. Therefore, I hope my blog will help others.

Telling our Friends

Yesterday we finished telling everyone we wanted to tell about my Cancer. On Monday I told my boss at work. Tuesday we told my sister so she would be ready for a call from my mother. Then we told the kids, then my mother. Then I sent emails to my brothers. On Wednesday we told our friends, my wife's brothers and sisters, and I told my two cousins on my father's side of the family. I think cancer came into the family through my father's mother, although that is just a guess. My grandfather died of a stroke and I am told my grandmother died of cancer. All of her children then died of cancer and my nephew has it too.

I have been reading many stories from others. They report weight gain until the Thyroid meds are figured out, and then being unable to lose the weight no matter what. Two stories talked about taking radioactive iodine at Month 4 to burn off any remaining thyroid tissue. Most talked about struggling with deep depression and lack of energy while the meds get straightened out - which could take a year to a year and a half! So, I am concerned about a few days of surgery pain followed by many months of torture while the med levels get figured out.

I imagine that if someone has a great Thyroidectomy, they probably don't write about it. They just move on with life. And if someone has a bad thyroidectomy, they are going to seek answers and share stories. So, I am reading the worse case scenarios. At least, I hope so.