Hello LOTS readership,
I know many of you can't stand much of my opinions and advocacy points. I ask for your thoughts and prayers as I am undergoing a procedure tomorrow that will impact the rest of my life. I was diagnosed with a maligancy in my Thyroid region in early Feb. It is papillary carcinoma that measures 15mm across along my lower right pole towards the isthmus. It is a well-differentiated cancer. A CT scan of the neck region and a lymph node mapping ultrasound in recent weeks have shown this growth to be isolated with no impact on the lymph nodes. The medical recommendation was surgical intervention with complete removal of the thyroid gland.
I have seen an endocrinologist in recent weeks. Once the gland is removed and it goes for study along with particular levels and markers taken from me weeks post op will determine the potential next phase of radioactive iodine treatment.
All things considering, I am fortunate that this was found at an early stage of growth. Back story to that. Week of Christmas, I was in a WFH enviroment and started getting a weird sensation when I was swallowing food and drink on the lower left side of my neck as if something was pressing into esophagus when I passed food or drink down. I had never had this type of sensation. It was more annoying than painful. On Christmas Eve I decided to go to an Urgent Care Center. I was seen by a Physicians Assistant and while not much was done besides q and a and a short exam she sent me off with a script for a Thyroid Ultrasound for my peace of mind. I got it done early the next week. The radiology report went to the wrong bureau of UCC and I didn't hear back. I called both the UCC and radiology group the next week. Radiology is well dispersed across my local area so I ended up going to pick up the report and imaging on a weekday off day I had. The scale used for radiology is on a 1 to 5 range. My study was rated a 4. Calcification in middle of nodule, specific characteristics that trend towards maliganant vs benign. This news I broke to myself as I never heard from UCC until after I knew the radiologist report already. When I was called back it was said I should go see an ENT asap. I saw an ENT the following Tuesday and he recommended the Radiology recommendation of a FNA Biopsy. I had that done the Tuesday afternoon after the snow storm in early Feb in New Brunswick. I found out two days later. I ended up with a bacterial infection from the biopsy site that infiltrated into my body and was on oral antibiotics to treat that.
So my last few months been doctors, diagnostic tests, lab results.
I have no hesitation about doing this procedure as prognosis rate is high for my age range.
I know I owe Hall85 an answer and I feel my time the healthcare and health insurance space with this siutation is a good recent perspective to write about.
My surgery will be early in the morning and I have a hold in the hospital until hopefully the next morning. Labs will be drawn on me every 8 hours and then my surgeon will make rounds Wed AM.
Risks of this surgery could be parathyroid complications and voice and vocal cord disability.
I know many of you can't stand much of my opinions and advocacy points. I ask for your thoughts and prayers as I am undergoing a procedure tomorrow that will impact the rest of my life. I was diagnosed with a maligancy in my Thyroid region in early Feb. It is papillary carcinoma that measures 15mm across along my lower right pole towards the isthmus. It is a well-differentiated cancer. A CT scan of the neck region and a lymph node mapping ultrasound in recent weeks have shown this growth to be isolated with no impact on the lymph nodes. The medical recommendation was surgical intervention with complete removal of the thyroid gland.
I have seen an endocrinologist in recent weeks. Once the gland is removed and it goes for study along with particular levels and markers taken from me weeks post op will determine the potential next phase of radioactive iodine treatment.
All things considering, I am fortunate that this was found at an early stage of growth. Back story to that. Week of Christmas, I was in a WFH enviroment and started getting a weird sensation when I was swallowing food and drink on the lower left side of my neck as if something was pressing into esophagus when I passed food or drink down. I had never had this type of sensation. It was more annoying than painful. On Christmas Eve I decided to go to an Urgent Care Center. I was seen by a Physicians Assistant and while not much was done besides q and a and a short exam she sent me off with a script for a Thyroid Ultrasound for my peace of mind. I got it done early the next week. The radiology report went to the wrong bureau of UCC and I didn't hear back. I called both the UCC and radiology group the next week. Radiology is well dispersed across my local area so I ended up going to pick up the report and imaging on a weekday off day I had. The scale used for radiology is on a 1 to 5 range. My study was rated a 4. Calcification in middle of nodule, specific characteristics that trend towards maliganant vs benign. This news I broke to myself as I never heard from UCC until after I knew the radiologist report already. When I was called back it was said I should go see an ENT asap. I saw an ENT the following Tuesday and he recommended the Radiology recommendation of a FNA Biopsy. I had that done the Tuesday afternoon after the snow storm in early Feb in New Brunswick. I found out two days later. I ended up with a bacterial infection from the biopsy site that infiltrated into my body and was on oral antibiotics to treat that.
So my last few months been doctors, diagnostic tests, lab results.
I have no hesitation about doing this procedure as prognosis rate is high for my age range.
I know I owe Hall85 an answer and I feel my time the healthcare and health insurance space with this siutation is a good recent perspective to write about.
My surgery will be early in the morning and I have a hold in the hospital until hopefully the next morning. Labs will be drawn on me every 8 hours and then my surgeon will make rounds Wed AM.
Risks of this surgery could be parathyroid complications and voice and vocal cord disability.
