YAY! I get to have SURGERY!

[annathepiper]

Well, as of this afternoon I just heard back on what the deal is with my thyroid. Looks like that bugger is coming out, in part or in entirety.

My doctor informs me that the cells they sampled at Swedish aren't cancer, but the folks in the Cytology department there are apparently less than comfy with saying that all the rest of the cells in there aren't cancer--on the grounds that 1) the nodule they sampled was so big that they might have missed cancerous portions of it, and 2) there are four other nodules in there as well. Accordingly, they consider cancer still, quote, 'an intermediate possibility', unquote. And I'm looking at surgery, regardless. It's just going to be a question of what exactly gets taken out--part of my thyroid, or all of it.

I've been referred to a local thyroid surgeon at the Polyclinic. solarbird has gone there before, so that'll be at least somewhat familiar territory, and she's pretty sure they're covered on our insurance. So that at least is not entirely scary, financially. And my doctor went ahead and made me an appointment on the 14th with this person, at noon. Under the circumstances, I can't say I have a problem with that. At least one good thing here: since I'll be unemployed at the time, I won't miss any work.

And I've been talking with a chick off the OKP who informs me that she's gone through a similar situation in her life, having had most of her thyroid out. It helps somewhat to be hearing from someone who has been there, done that, and bought the T-shirt. From her, I'm getting at least something of an idea of what to expect. Knowing, and specifically knowing that this can be lived with and dealt with, makes it all a little less scary.

Though I feel all weird and tangled up emotionally at this point, nevertheless. Half of me wants to curl up and cry for a while. The rest of me, the part that's been going "oh for fuck's sake, NOW WHAT?" at the various complications that have been stacking up in my life over the last couple of years, is now squaring its shoulders, planting its feet, and doing that little thing with the hands that they do in The Matrix and growling, "Bring it on."

Guh.

Comments

[kathrynt.livejournal.com]

Oh, bloody hell. I hate terms like "an intermediate possibility." Lemme know what if anything you need.

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I'm not terribly thrilled with that term either. I'm all "so those cells weren't cancer, but there might still be cancer in there? GAH!".

Though right now, I'm mostly good knowing I can vent into my LJ and y'all are out there listening. *hugs* I played the hell out of my guitar a little while ago, and that helped. Bellowing "Mari-Mac" at the top of one's lungs while playing as ferociously as possible, in addition to being a bit of a physical workout, IS a rather good stress-reliever.

Thanks, hon.

[cafiorello.livejournal.com]

(((hugs)))
Cathy

[annathepiper]

(((hugs back))) Thanks, hon. GAH!

[risu.livejournal.com]

If you want to curl up and cry, that's probably more than okay. :)

But!

I very much approve of the Morpheus Lobe. That hand gesture is so cool!

If you need anything, ask. Do not worry about scale.

Rebecca-gumi

[risu.livejournal.com]

Except Italy.

Please do not ask for Italy as that will place me in a conflict of interest with a previous client.

Rebecca-gumi

That's great!!!

[tabithaclayton.livejournal.com]

Anna,

It's me, Mary, I'll add you to my Livejournal list.

I am glad it's not cancerous and that things are moving along. It sounds like you have a great Dr!!!

(((((ANNA))))))

Re: That's great!!!

[annathepiper]

Hi babe! Finally got an LJ, did you? I've Friended you back. :)

And, well, it MIGHT NOT be cancerous--what they told my doctor was more to the effect of 'okay, this particular set of cells we sampled? THEY aren't cancer, but just because that node we took them out of is so damned big, we might have missed actual cancer in there'. Hence the 'intermediate possibility' of cancer. I suppose this sort of qualifies as a 'yellow alert'.

Between that and the simple fact that there are five different nodules in there, surgery has to happen anyway, so.

But yeah. My doctor is pretty fabulous, I'm thinking. She was very, VERY prompt in calling me back this afternoon, even if we had to do a bit of phone tag since I couldn't be called directly at work thanks to working in a computer lab and having neither a work phone of my own nor a cell phone. But I called her pager, left our home phone number, she called that, and Dara pinged me immediately online so I could call her back.

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear, das ist schade. {hugs} I was SOOOOO hoping that none of last summer's "Gimp Fest 2003" would be up for a reunion. I'm glad, though, that you are in contact with someone who's gone through the same situation, as I know from experience that it is a tremendous help.

I'll keep watching for details, in case "Gimp Fest" has to make a 2004 appearance at a bedside near you.

[annathepiper]

Yeah, Ann has invited me into the Funky Thyroid Sisterhood. I have decided that the Sisterhood mascot must clearly be Polly, since my cat and I are in fact sharing funky thyroid goodness. ;P

(Polly's, at least, doesn't have to come out. Yet. GAH.)

And I'll certainly let folks know when I get to go in under the knife. (((hugs))) Thanks, hon!

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

Oogh. Many hugs!

[annathepiper]

Thanks, hon... Gah! (((Mony)))

[firni.livejournal.com]

My grandfather had his thyroid taken out (well, actually they "killed" it with RADIATION... this was the 50s, after all) and everything was just fine (after he stopped glowing). One little pill a day is all it takes if the whole thing comes out.

*huggles*

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Thanks, hon!

If any radiation has to get zapped at me, I want to get super powers, dammit!

Or at least godlike ability to play the bouzouki. I'd live with that.

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

Well, that's no fun. But, I'm sure things will be fine in the end. After that, your body needs to settle down!

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I'm quite, QUITE done with medical adventures now. :P

[gerimaple.livejournal.com]

oh blech :(

if there's more that needs doing in terms of Anna- and Dara-helping than the local folks can manage, i can be down there in three hours.

*hugs*

[annathepiper]

(((Geri))) Thank you much, hon... so far, at least for the next couple of weeks, there's not much that's going to be needed besides patience while I periodically twitch and go "aaaaah I'm gonna have my thyroid out aaaaaaah". ;P :)

[seimaisin.livejournal.com]

{{{{{{big hugs}}}}}}}

That sounds really scary - my thoughts will be with you!

[annathepiper]

(((hugs back))) Thanks... yeah, I'm more than a little unnerved about the situation. Though as I mentioned, the girl on the OKP (FlyingMarquis) is being really fantastic about sharing her own experiences in this with me; it helps a lot to have an idea of what I can expect, and to know that I'll be able to live with and deal with this.

Let's hear it for GBS fans, huh?

Onward!

[(Anonymous)]

There's a lot to be said for the other shoe having dropped. As others have said, even if they take out the whole thing, thyroid function can be "fudged" exogenously. And in the meantime, the rest of us will keep backing it down the spectrum (or putting in requests to that effect) until it's down to "we were just being extra careful." *smib*

Love, Columbine

Re: Onward!

[annathepiper]

Hey there Columbine--thanks for chiming in. You're absolutely right, there is a measure of relief in having actually gotten the news. Now I can proceed to the next step and get the whole thing dealt with. *hugs* And thanks for all continued good wishes!

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, beats waiting! And you'll surely feel much better when it's out, and you get your thyroid hormones in the right amount, and you don't have to worry about this anymore.

Our late cat James had his thyroid radiated. They said I shouldn't let him sleep with us for a few weeks. I asked if he could sit in my lap til I was sterile...

[annathepiper]

The whole weird part of this is, I don't feel sick or anything. At most there are a few minor physical details about my person that I could kind of see being a sign of a thyroid being out of whack, but they could also be explained by other things. So I have this weird sense of discombobulation. I half-feel like if my thyroid is broken I ought to be in worse shape, y'know?

And at the same time, I'm QUITE HAPPY to not be sick, thank you, and I guess that if I've got a screwed-up thyroid, better to yank it BEFORE it makes me ill rather than AFTER. Grf.

Hrmm. Come to think of it, drglam's late kitty Gregor got irradiated, too. But I can't remember if he was having thyroid issues or not. But my CURRENT cat Polly is now, as far as I'm concerned, the mascot of the Funky Thyroid Sisterhood (Seattle chapter), since I have to put thyroid medicine on her food. ;P :)

[veiledpanda.livejournal.com]

I hope I'm not too late to jump on the {{{{HUG!!!}}}} bandwagon! If there's anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to page/email/call/shout really loud/etc.

[annathepiper]

Hugs will be gratefully accepted by the management from now until they plunk me down to yank out my recalcitrant organ.

If you can clue me in as to your schedule over forthcoming weekends for happy-go-lucky, light-hearted, 'let's make Ynderra not angst' RP, that'd be something you could do! And help me beat Kaer over the head to drag him online to RP with us. ;P :)

[king-chiron.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I think things will work out, I really do.

[annathepiper]

Intellectually I know this, but emotionally, it's good to hear it. So thank you! *hugs*

[emmacrew.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Sounds like things are well in hand, and your doc is getting things moving as they need to go. I'm sure it must be both frustrating and a bit scary, though.

I understand that synthroid pills look like miniscule pastel thyroids, perhaps the amusement value of that makes up for things a wee bit.

And do let me know if there's anything we can do to help.

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I've poked around a bit online to look up thyroid medications--and from what folks were telling me on earlier threads on my LJ, I learned about the cute little pills then too!

This is slowly becoming less scary of a thing to deal with. It definitely helps that I've discovered that I was actually showing my doctor the wrong insurance card and she is in fact still covered by our insurance, and so is the surgeon she's sending me to. So that'll be good!

And so will having a nice hefty dose of music with you and Q real soon now! I still need to give you and wrog money for the tickets. :)

[mnemozine.livejournal.com]

*snugs*

I have actually known a few people (all survivers mind you!) that have had thyroid surgeries. One is a friend's younger brother that I've known since he was four! He has had his thyroid destroyed twice now? with radioactive treatments. The thyroid was apparently the cause of another woman's lifelong distresses - affecting her eyes, etc - but now she is as spunky as ever (and I'm still not sure that is a good thing! LOL).

Even my neighbor has a thyroid condition that she must have her blood checked every other week... and she had a baby in January.

So... have no fears. We're all sending you good vibes! And in the end it will be no big.

[annathepiper]

As I have remarked elsewhere, I am getting rather floored by the number of people I'm hearing about out there with thyroid problems--but thank you for chiming in with the folks you've known about as well, every little piece of data like this is a good thing. :) *snugs back*

[xpioti.livejournal.com]

*hugs quietly* Ugh. Surgery's unpleasant stuff. At least that probably won't inflate you like some weird human balloon, though! (I'm always looking on the bright side. :}) As far as your thyroid is concerned, however... kick ass and take names. I believe in you.

[annathepiper]

Ooh yeah, you've trumped me when it comes to surgical experiences, babe! *hugs back* Thank you much, though!

[(Anonymous)]

Hey Anna!

Just want to send "well wishes" your way! I am glad you at least know what you are dealing with even though it does suck.

A couple of years ago (at age 27), I had a stroke. These are things that you just can't be prepared for. I have spent my fair share of time at Dr's offices, shoved in MRI tubes, etc. I can relate to what you are going thru, although not with anything cancerous...just the waiting, Dr's, etc.

I am thankful that no cancerous cells were found so far, but it will be better in the long run to be rid of it and not have the threat lurking. My mom had her thyroid "killed" with radioactive idodine about 18 years ago and all is well. One pill a day...very manageable! :-)

I will be thinking about and wish the best...keep us posted!

Love,
Jen in Michigan (OKP'er)

[annathepiper]

Thank you much, Jen! Ah, and yet another person who has had thyroid issues treated with radiation... as I have posted elsewhere, I'm starting to be rather floored by how common a problem this appears to be.

And yeah, this at least seems to be a manageable sort of medical adventure. :)

[starfallz.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Thanks, hon. :)

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

good luck, I'm sure it will be a total hassle and then pills and then after it all you will feel BETTER and be like, hey, cool scar to show the kids! no, really, I hope it's not such a big deal but I can see how it's scary too; I just had my thyroid meds adjusted coz my heart was racing and it was just weird-feeling.

[annathepiper]

I am kind of wondering what sort of overall effect this will have upon my physical person once this is done, yeah. I mean, I generally feel pretty good, so I have a hard time imagining what might change!

Thanks, though. :) And yeah, maybe I can tell kids, when they ask me how I got the scar, "An evil lawyer chick tried to slit my throat in Los Angeles! No wait, that was an episode of Angel..." ;)

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

Bugger. You might also want to consider the fact that while something funky might be going on, it doesn't necessarily mean cancer. The people at the hosptial are most likely covering their butts along with yours. Cause if they did the sample and then said, "Hey, no cancerous cells here you're free to go" and then you ended up developing cancer later, they would be really fucked. So I suspect that they're just being extra careful in order to protect themselves from potentially getting sued, as well as protecting you from any unforseen issues.

If that helps any? Probably not. :}

Anyways, let me know what I can to do help and be supportive and help you feel better. I got some more Firefly to show you, Northern Exposure to test out on you, and of course we got two Dead Zones on the Tivo. Much TV relaxation and snackage can be had by us. :) Also if you're feeling this is messing with your muse we can do some book talking sessions and see if there is anything I can help prod, poke, or rejuvenate for you. :)

Loves the Anna!

[annathepiper]

"I like snacks!"

TV some time soon would be delightful, dah-ling--and any one of those viewing options sounds cool, as does perhaps a jaunt back into early X-Files-land, though we should probably knock off the Dead Zones first. :)

Muse-wise I'm pretty good at the moment as I have Lament plotted out for the next four chapters and it's just a matter of actually writing the words and being in the right frame of mind for them... but if I get stuck I will let you know! Thank you. :) (((big Panda snugs for Mimi!)))