Flipped Upside Down

Each year I like to set some goals/resolutions 2013, 2012. I started putting my goals in place for 2013 early in December 2012. I was set on returning to school to finish my degree by the end of the summery 2013. I also wanted to make some fitness goals to help challenge me in 2013.

I am a planner. I like to plan things out in detail.  When there is not a plan set it makes me CRAZY! When my little sister would come spend the summer I would have an itinerary put together for the whole summer. When my family comes to visit over the holidays I put an itinerary together. Art now asks for an itinerary for when we go on vacation. It is very rare I am not planning something in life.

Well sometimes things happen in life and no matter how much planning I do my plans get thrown to the side. 2013 has been turned upside down already. In December I went to the doctor for some stomach issues. My doctor found a lump on my thyroid. Totally not something I knew about or even went to see her about.  The doctor sent me to get an ultrasound of my thyroid. Well I fell asleep during the procedure. The tech had to wake me up to move my neck, so they could finish the ultrasound. The results came back that my thyroid had a large growth on it, so an MRI was ordered.

I take after my dad completely in the sleep department. I was strapped down for the MRI along with ear plugs. I fell asleep in that nosy machine. The tech had to wake me up to see if I was ok.  The tech told me I would have my results back in 2-3 business days. The next morning my doctor called with the results. She wanted to send me for a biopsy of my thyroid. I left work immediately and went to get the biopsy.

The doctor bypassed an endocrinologist and sent me directly to an neck and head surgeon. I had a biopsy of my thyroid. I did not fall asleep for this procedure. Two days later the doctor called stating they aren't sure if I have thyroid cancer or just an extremely under active thyroid. My right thyroid was enlarge, but the left side was extremely enlarged. My left thyroid goes down my throat and reaches my breast bone. The left side is also pushing on my windpipe. The doctor scheduled surgery and asked me to come in the next day for another biopsy of my lymph nod. The next appointment and biopsy took a turn I never thought I would face. The doctor talked about other possibilities besides just thyroid cancer. The biopsy were more extensive and we would have to wait for the results to find out exactly what the next steps would be.

All the biopsy came back as thyroid cancer. I have a rare form of thyroid cancer that has spread to some of the lymph nod. I will have surgery to remove my entire thyroid and a bunch of lymph nods. It is a major surgery that will take 8-10 hours. The recovery time will be about 2 weeks.

I was trying to deal with classes, health issues and then I got a terrible respiratory infection. I contacted my counselor at school and ended up dropping all my classes. There was no way I would keep up with school and deal with surgery or cancer treatments.

My plan for 2013 was completely turned upside down with just one phone call. I really am relieved that it only thyroid cancer. I was concerned it could be another form of cancer that would require chemo and radiation. The thought of chemo scares me half to death. I have been rather calm through the majority of all this. I feel that God just gave me grace. I did have a few moments were I freaked out. When I would start to feel anxious I would just pray and I would feel calm.

I think the hardest part has been to tell my family. Making those phone calls to my parents to deliver test results and tell them it was cancer were the awfullest calls to make. One of my grandma's called very concerned. I told her it was all going to be just fine and she shouldn't worry. At the end of the call she said you have calmed me right down and I was suppose to be calming you down. The other grandma offered to come to CA to help take care of me. Grandma said she couldn't drive me around unless I was able to give her very clear directions. lol

The rest of 2013 is about recovery, my sister wedding and just enjoying life.