I decided to write this blog when I discovered that January was Thyroid Cancer Awareness month in an attempt to increase awareness. It has been nearly 9 months since my diagnosis and I am due for some check ups in February 2010. I do not fear regression anymore because I know that no matter what I am a survivor! I do not let cancer scare me, and have faith and trust that God knows why things must be the way that they are. I wanted to utilize this final blog post as a form of outreach, asking all thyroid cancer patients to send me any information that was useful to them during their experience at amcruz0928@yahoo.com. Also, I am hoping to come up with ways to serve as an outlet to young people with thyroid cancer. Here are some links I found best useful as well as the list of doctors and their phone numbers for anyone that needs them in the NYC area. May all reading this be blessed with great happiness, and perseverance.
Dr. Laszlo Retsagi (PCP)- 212-319-3977
Dr. Jessica Lim (ENT) 212-434-2323
Dr. Martin Barandes (Endocrinology) 212-249-0622
THANK YOU to: Annie Cok and Hoyu Yiu for the beautiful photography please be sure to check them out at: http://yiuphotography.com/
Thank you to Annie Huaraca, my make up artist and costume designer and my inspirational clothing guru. Please be sure to check her out:
http://acitydoll.blogspot.com
Last but not least a special thanks to ehT Mills for his work on the blog background and layout. He is the true essence of life as a beautiful struggle. Please be sure to check him out at: www.runandeatnyc.com
Websites:
Please see www.checkyourneck.com for information on Thyroid Cancer and the Light of Life foundation.
www.cancercare.org for Counseling Services
www.thyca.org
www.navigatingcancer.com
Books:
Rubin, Alan. Thyroid for Dummies, 2nd Edition. Wiley Publishing Inc: Indianapolis, 2006.
Arem, Ridha. The Thyroid Solution. Ballantine Books: New York, 2007.
Life is what you make it. Remember that all cancer cases regardless of the similarities are unique in its person. Stay positive, smile off the worries, and live each day in appreciation and recognition of its magnificence. Thank you so much to my readers and please spread thyroid cancer awareness. CHECK YOUR NECK… the examination could save yours or someone else’s life.
It is September and work begins… mornings are rough! I am so tired, and I try to go to bed early but it does not help. I feel drained when I go into work and I cannot control it. I get moody and depressed for no reason. I stare at the blank page when I am writing my first paper for the semester. Tears stream down my face. I feel worthless. What is happening to me? I do not know what to write. I feel numb to the world, like an insignificant particle floating in the Earth. I am crying because I am crying. Upset at my upset when I should be smiling at the mere fact that I am alive. My hands type some words I am certain would get me an F, but it is the best I can do and I am happy that I was even able to complete it. At work I feel aimless trying my best to hide the pain and anguish. The smiling faces of the children brighten up my days but seeing the young child with cancer makes me feel ashamed of the hurt I feel. She is tiny yet strong, facing chemo and God knows what else, I would take all the strife if it meant she did not have to suffer anymore. My birthday arrives, September 28, 2009, my endocrine visit states my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was in fact low and hence Dr. Barandes increased my levothyroxine dosage to 137mg, a thyroid sonogram determines everything looks good (no pesky nodules in sight, thank God!). My sister and boyfriend, although mostly my sister, who loves to plan parties, (I admire her resilience), set up a beautiful surprise party and all of my family and friends attended. I was so happy and know I could not have asked for more.
During the summer I had experienced some terrible neck and back pain as well as some numbness on my right arm. Dr. Retsagi sent me to an orthopedic doctor who performed an EMG and nerve conduction study. The results were radiculopathy, which is similar to a pinched nerve usually located in the lower back and neck area. The doctors could not tell me if it developed because of the immobilization of the neck during the rehabilitation after surgery, although it seems to be the case since the symptoms came then. October and November were busy times bouncing around to physical therapy, the social worker, and other doctor appointments; as well as trying to emerge out of hypo. I felt better, a little bit more energy each day and getting adjusted to the school, work, family, boyfriend, friends schedule. My boyfriend and I both stressed about circumstances take a trip on a big old roller-coaster ride that nearly ends an eight-year relationship built with so much hard work and love. Christmas is depressing until he takes me Christmas shopping for my family. It was not about the gifts but about the love I put into getting things for others. I receive my final grades on papers and it is not the grades that matter but the comments made by the instructors. I wish they knew how much I needed to feel like my input was valuable. I am so hard on myself and I know it is something I will struggle with for life. Cancer made me reevaluate things. Luckily, I adjust well to change. I am so ready to say goodbye to 2009!
The Caterpillar/ Doctor Visits and More Tests
I am 23 years old at this point. Had never been to the doctor more than once every other year if even that many and now I had to visit three different doctors in a span of three weeks. First visit after surgery was to the endocrinologist for my levothyroxine dosage, the pill that functions as my new thyroid gland. Next visit was to my surgeon Dr. Lim for the removal of the stitches. The final visit was to my PCP, Dr. Retsagi to test calcium levels and see my physical state after surgery. All check ups were fine, but I still got great anxiety from the not knowing. It was time to get help for my emotional recovery, one of my closest friends having worked for Cancer Care as an intern, suggested I contact someone over there. I was happy to know that my social worker was someone close to my age. I felt like I was talking to a friend and she helped me deal with my fears and anxieties. But it was sad knowing that she would only have a few sessions with me since she was an intern and would be leaving the job at the end of July. I attended a visit with the endocrinologist, we had previously discussed he would begin the process required for the total body scan on this visit. He acted as though he did not remember my case. I immediately contacted Dr. Retsagi and told him I needed a new endocrinologist. In June, two months after my surgery when I was supposed to have known the results of my scan, I had to start the process over and get a new endocrinologist. Best thing that ever happened to me! Dr. Barandes, my new endocrinologist, assured me that I was in good hands, I had a 99% cure rate and that this was all just a really bad episode that would soon be over. He explained what the next steps would be. First, we needed to make me hypothyroid (low thyroid hormone level) for the scan since I could not have any thyroid hormones present in my body. Next, a week prior to the scan I needed to get on the low iodine diet. Finally, I would come in for the radioactive iodine pill, and 48 hours later I would come in for the scan. The scan determines whether there is any more cancer present in my body and if it has spread to any vital organs which in thyroid cancer tends to be in the bones, lungs, and on rare occasion, the liver.