Well, it's been quite an interesting month. What started out as a routine physical, it certainly hasn't ended up that way. I had some bloodwork done and my thyroid numbers came back and were off enough to raise eyebrows. T3 & T4 were off the upper end of the chart. TSH was undetectable. Doctor W. sent me to a endocrinologist, who basically seemed to blow off my test results but recommended I have a thyroid uptake scan. So one morning, got shot up with radioactive iodine and the next had the scan, thinking that this was just preventative. Next thing I know, my primary care physician, Doctor W is now recommending a thyroid sonogram. HMMM.MM. He said they didn't like what they saw on the scan, there were 2 large nodules on my left lobe of the gland that were cause for concern and he recommended them to be biopsied. BIG HMMM.MM. Called the endo, who is so laid back I swear she's dead, who basically said yes, there were some things they wanted to check out but there was no cause for alarm.
So to make a very long story short, through the frustration of the primary care and the endocrinologist not communicating, to the primary care's nursing staff who screwed up the paperwork, to the endocrinologist telling me that she's leaving the practice in November (why didn't they give me to a doctor that's staying), to the endo's nursing staff who messed up my prescription and to them both for thinking the other was handling things, on Friday, I had the biopsies. One word. Painful.
The physician's assistant took 12 samples...10 on the left side, 5 samples in each of the 2 large nodules. On the right, he biopsied a smaller nodule, taking 2 samples because as he said that even though neither doctor ordered it, he felt it should be done because my right lobe is "cold". Cold? Turns out that the uptake scan revealed that the right lobe didn't absorb any iodine so it's considered nonfunctional. Oh. Nonfunctional. As in NOT WORKING! And I found this out through the PA and NOT EITHER DOCTOR! So I told him to go for it. And he did.
The PA was wonderful, as was the other staff members. They were kind and gentle and very attuned to my fears because this procedure is done without anesthetic and even though the needle prick hurt, the pressure and moving the needle to gather samples is really what hurt the most, especially in the nodule that was hard. Plus, the multiple sample sites in each nodule caused the nodules to get pretty angry. Fortunately, they got enough tissue samples to finish the test. I will know in a week whether the nodules are cancerous and to be honest, my instinct tells me that they are going to want to perform surgery to remove the offending gland, especially because the right side is essentially dead.
At least now, I have a name for the bone numbing fatigue I feel most every day, the fogginess in my brain, the lack of concentration and the weight gain even though I am considered to be hyperthyroid. I blamed my symptoms on stress, my age, on the myriad of life changes in the last 5 years, my job, my marriage, the Air Force and sending the kids to Afghanistan and to Okinawa, oh, you name it, I blamed it for my lethargy and my lack of motivation and fatigue. Well, it's got a name and now hopefully we can make some correction in my life.
So that's my story kids, hope it wasn't too boring for you.
I have been stitching a little bit. Not as much as I would like, I am working on smaller things and trying to finish up some WIPs that are nearly done but got tossed aside when the siren call of new things beckoned. I am working on the latest LHN snowman ornie, so cute! And I need to finish With thy Needle and Thread's Blue and Brown pillow top so I can send it off to the incredibly talented Faye. And I need to finish off the Prairie Schooler, Christmas Eve, which is 95% done and the frame is waiting at Michaels.
It's a beautiful day in Upstate NY...I will be going out to do some gardening once it warms up a bit.
So that's all from my world. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead and get some quality time stitching while watching your favorite team play football today. GO STEELERS!
Thanks for hanging in there with me. Next time I will post stitchy pictures.
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19 comments:
Joanie - it's so good to see a post from you, but definitely not good to hear what you have been going though! ((Hugs)) My girlfriend went through the exact same thing, the needles, samples, etc. They eventually removed everything even though it turned out not to be cancerous (and yours probably isn't either) and she is fine!! I'm so sorry that you have had to go through all of this.
Hope to see some of your stitching soon, and will be thinking of you (and praying) during the rest of your ordeal!!
So sorry for all that's going on... I'm praying that it's not anything worrying... and that you'll be back to your old self soon (at least now you know there was a physical reason for the way you were feeling)
Hope to see some of your stitching, and I'll be thinking and praying for you :D
Joanie, good to hear from you. I will definiately add you to our prayer list too and hope things calm down for you. You are a trooper to hang in there with all that stress. Yes, I am like you in that I don't like such mistakes when it is our health issues. I hope all goes well and that you let us know how you are doing.
Stitching is always a good relaxing hobby to fall back on. I don't know how to cope without it. Take care, my friend. pj
So sorry for what you are going through!
I have been going through similar rounds with our wonderful medical system!
Hang in there.
I will keep you in my thoughts.
Hoping for the best possible result.
Joanie you are in my prayers..I am praying for God to give you peace and everything to be alright for you..
Oh Joanie -- I will be sending good thoughts and prayers that the tests come back negative for cancer. I have thyroid disease as well, but I'm lucky enough to have just had to deal with the simple stuff connected to it -- no C word. I hope that's the case for you as well. Think positive! Hang in there.
Joanie you are in my prayers. Thank God you had compassionate, talented people to help you. Take care.♥
Sorry to hear you have had a definite rough time. Will be thinking positive thoughts for you and wishing you well.
So glad you had the bloodwork done even though it let to this messed up series of events with the docs. I'm sure that eventually you'll come out of the process stronger and healthier.
My pastor's wife went thru a similar situation and, while her's was cancer (and yours probably won't be), it was removed, treated, and she's doing great with clean tests ever since.
Thyroid issues are rough to get thru and I'll be praying it's resolved soon! Hugs!
Oh man, Joanie, that's rough! I'm sorry you had to go through that and all the stress you've been going through.
I hope everything goes well for you. I will keep you in my prayers.
Take care!
Holy crap. I think the medical profession is only going to get worse. Sorry you are going through this, but glad you are getting answers. My girlfriend had everything removed and never felt better. Just a pill a day and tests yearly to monitor. Hope this ends with you feeling better than ever.
Hang on in there, keeping every thing crossed for you, having just finished my roller coaster with the Big C, the start was the worst bit, it's the same in UK, each visit a different person.
Glad to see a post from you. It sounds like you have really had a lot to deal with, saying prayers for you!!!! Hopefully you will get everything resolved quickly so you can feel better. {{{{hugs}}}}
I hope everything turns out for the best - hugs.
Wow! Doctors can be such a pain! I'll keep you in my prayers!
Joanie, best wishes for the best possible outcome. I have two friends who have been through this and both are doing fabulously several years post-surgery.
Hang in there Joanie! It all sounds frustrating and scary but I'm sure you're in good hands and will start to feel better real soon!
Good luck on your health issues!
Thinking of you.
{{{hugs}}} Joanie, I shall keep you all in my thoughts and prayers
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