Headed Home — Minus a Thyroid

September 15, 2010

We’re waiting for discharge at Vanderbilt where I stayed last night after having the second half of my thyroid and, hopefully, all of my cancer, removed. Everything went very well, but we won’t know for sure whether or not I’ll need any radioactive iodine treatment until I see the endocrinologist. That’s the method of giving radiation to any remaining thyroid tissue by ingesting radioactive iodine, which is then absorbed by the thyroid. It would render me radioactive for a few days, but it has few side effects. The lymph nodes around my thyroid turned out not to be a real issue as they were, in my unique anatomy, down my neck further than normal. The doctor did take one parathyroid to test, just in case, and we won’t know about that for several weeks.

It takes a village. Beth stayed with me last night so John could go home. Mom and Kim got the kids to bed and walked Domino. Mom will be here all week and friends have started a dinner list, as usual. We are blessed beyond all understanding with the best friends and family anyone could ever hope for. We often feel we are wearing out our welcome, but they insist on helping anyway. Humbling for sure.

Just a short story about Tanner… she has been collecting soda can pop tops for Ronald McDonald house at school and home. She gets them from all the kids at her lunch table and brings them home and puts them in a little bag… all her idea. It has been driving her crazy that a little boy in her class won’t give her his pop tops. The morning of my surgery she asked me to print out a picture of her with long hair and with no hair. When I asked why she said, “I’m going to show Jordan so he knows why he should give me the pop tops.” LOVE that never give up attitude!

Thanks for all the well wishes. Can’t wait to get home.

Love,
Beth

3 thoughts on “Headed Home — Minus a Thyroid

  1. Beth-
    I will be saying a prayer for you that they got it all, and NO further
    treatment will be necessary!!! “They” say you get back what you
    give…obviously you’ve given more than you know to all your
    friends and family…that’s why they’ll do everything possible
    to make your life a little easier through all the turmoil. Stay
    strong…this too shall pass.

  2. Tanner: Boys are just like that sometimes. I think little girls grow up sooner than boys, don’t you? Anyway, be watching for a little surprisefrom me in the mail. You should have it today or tomorrow. Glad you’re feeling better these days. Take good care of your Mom!!

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