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Jan 08, 2010 - 4 comments
My surgeon said old habits are hard to break, so he did use a drain tube. They removed several lymphnodes at the same time, which I think had something to do with it. I was told by his partner that the drain tube would help eliminate the swelling since most of the fluid would be gone by the time I went home. So far, so good.
I was given Percocet for the pain, but at first only took one instead of the two they offered. Took the other one about 3 hours later. Did not sleep more than 30 minutes the whole night in the hospital. Still had the insomnia.
Now that I am home, I am still having a hard time sleeping. Have taken three Percocets since yesterday afternoon. I feel the most pain when I am trying to lay down. I just cannot get comfortable. But the doc said it was okay to lay on my side (my preferred sleeping way!), however, I feel pressure and I'm not sure if that is okay. My at-home instructions were no bending, lifting, straining... yet EVERYthing seems to be a strain now! LOL
The surgery and hospital experience were great. No problems and the staff was absolutely wonderful. Now comes the two week waiting period for the pathology report. After removing the left side of the thyroid, it was sent downstairs for a quick check but it was inconclusive. The lymphnodes, however, were clear, I believe. Which is a good thing. The doc said he saw some "sticky" areas on the left thyroid, which he says can mean one of two things: it's cancer, or it's residual bleeding from the FNA. The next two weeks are going to be really long...
I was given Percocet for the pain, but at first only took one instead of the two they offered. Took the other one about 3 hours later. Did not sleep more than 30 minutes the whole night in the hospital. Still had the insomnia.
Now that I am home, I am still having a hard time sleeping. Have taken three Percocets since yesterday afternoon. I feel the most pain when I am trying to lay down. I just cannot get comfortable. But the doc said it was okay to lay on my side (my preferred sleeping way!), however, I feel pressure and I'm not sure if that is okay. My at-home instructions were no bending, lifting, straining... yet EVERYthing seems to be a strain now! LOL
The surgery and hospital experience were great. No problems and the staff was absolutely wonderful. Now comes the two week waiting period for the pathology report. After removing the left side of the thyroid, it was sent downstairs for a quick check but it was inconclusive. The lymphnodes, however, were clear, I believe. Which is a good thing. The doc said he saw some "sticky" areas on the left thyroid, which he says can mean one of two things: it's cancer, or it's residual bleeding from the FNA. The next two weeks are going to be really long...
Well that's good news, at least your swelling will go down and hopefully your lumpy will resolve itself faster than mine did. If I remember correctly, I did a lot of "cat napping". Slept when I could basically for the first 10 days. I watched a lot of HULU.com and caught up on TV shows, then got into new ones I had not had the time before to watch. :) Just take it one day at a time. Each day I found something that I was like, huh...that's an improvement. The only thing that took forever for me was for the swelling to go down. That was like watching paint dry!
I was told nothing heavier than a gallon of milk. I stuck to that, which was nice because I got free dinners and lots of help around the house! There were some things I was just plain glad I "couldn't" do for a while, so try to enjoy it if you have the help. Wait until you try driving, it feels odd trying to look over your shoulder and my Lumpy tingled, almost a tickle with the vibration of the tires on the road.
I had 6 lymph nodes removed from the areas surrounding my thyroid, all were tested, all were clear. I am glad they said those looked good and clean for you and I both! My surgeon told after surgery I went from a 25% chance of cancer, to a 50% chance. 10 days later it was 1 inch or 2.5 cm cancer in my thyroid, not in any nodule, the report stated, "a well differentiated pap/foc carcinoma, with clear margins". I was told by the nuclear medicine man, that is cancer talk for no spread and the cancer was isolated in the thyroid. It also noted me having Hashimotots.
I'm going in Monday to see the new Endro who has been unreachable by phone. I don't have a good feeling about seeing her, but I love my surgeon and her referred me to her so I guess I will behave. He also referred me to the nuclear medicine man who I adore, I will see him on Monday too. He will let me know what the dates are for me to have the RAI 131 pill to kill off any remaining thyroid tissue and any possible remaining cancer cells they carry within my body.
I hope for you they find no cancer and you can get on with getting back to normal. I long for it as well. Although I am not really sure what normal is any more LOL Maybe normal is not the promise land that I think it is :P
Keep me posted on your progress. If you want to chat any time, online or otherwise just email me here and I will send you my info.
XOXO
Dena
I was told nothing heavier than a gallon of milk. I stuck to that, which was nice because I got free dinners and lots of help around the house! There were some things I was just plain glad I "couldn't" do for a while, so try to enjoy it if you have the help. Wait until you try driving, it feels odd trying to look over your shoulder and my Lumpy tingled, almost a tickle with the vibration of the tires on the road.
I had 6 lymph nodes removed from the areas surrounding my thyroid, all were tested, all were clear. I am glad they said those looked good and clean for you and I both! My surgeon told after surgery I went from a 25% chance of cancer, to a 50% chance. 10 days later it was 1 inch or 2.5 cm cancer in my thyroid, not in any nodule, the report stated, "a well differentiated pap/foc carcinoma, with clear margins". I was told by the nuclear medicine man, that is cancer talk for no spread and the cancer was isolated in the thyroid. It also noted me having Hashimotots.
I'm going in Monday to see the new Endro who has been unreachable by phone. I don't have a good feeling about seeing her, but I love my surgeon and her referred me to her so I guess I will behave. He also referred me to the nuclear medicine man who I adore, I will see him on Monday too. He will let me know what the dates are for me to have the RAI 131 pill to kill off any remaining thyroid tissue and any possible remaining cancer cells they carry within my body.
I hope for you they find no cancer and you can get on with getting back to normal. I long for it as well. Although I am not really sure what normal is any more LOL Maybe normal is not the promise land that I think it is :P
Keep me posted on your progress. If you want to chat any time, online or otherwise just email me here and I will send you my info.
XOXO
Dena
GMTA - I saved a lot of TV shows on the DVR to have ready for me. I watched some today but got bored. Nothing really holds my interest. And I'm still trying to get rid of all the sticky residue from all the tapes and bandages. While getting ready for bed last night I found another of those durn round thingies from the surgery under my bra that I didn't even know was there! I wonder what else I may be missing?!? (I don't even want to go there. LOL)
I feel so much better than I thought I would. Seems surreal in a way. I know that everyone has said that days 3-4 are the worst, so I'll try to be on the lookout for it. I thought I'd run into work for a minute tomorrow to return some books to a friend and to say hello. If I have the stamina. Or maybe, once I hit that 26 degree weather we're having (in Florida!!) I'll decide to stay indoors.
What made the doc say that you went from a 25% chance to a 50% chance of cancer after your surgery? Did they test your lymphnodes then or make you wait? I can't remember...sorry. I'm glad you like your nuclear med man. That should make it a better experience. I hope all goes well with you on that score. Getting all radioactive sounds so high-tech. :)
I know what you mean about your endo; they are so hard to reach. I like mine pretty well, but his office staff royally stinks and I don't believe they have passed any of my messages on to him. I wonder if they even told him I was having my surgery?
Did you have any issues with your parathyroid? The doc told me that one of mine did not have a great blood supply and that he had to manipulate it. This was kind of a weird thing to hear him describe, but he said that I have 2-3 good parathyroids left and the other main one he chopped up into little pieces and embedded it in the tissue and muscle. He said that this would enable it remain functional and work. Have you ever heard of this before? I had forgotten this part until I started to write this. I'll have to ask my husband if I am remembering this correctly.
I have been lurking on the boards here for the past few weeks. Thank you so much, Dena, for your notes and comments. They have been a big source of support for me.
Lumpies unite!
I feel so much better than I thought I would. Seems surreal in a way. I know that everyone has said that days 3-4 are the worst, so I'll try to be on the lookout for it. I thought I'd run into work for a minute tomorrow to return some books to a friend and to say hello. If I have the stamina. Or maybe, once I hit that 26 degree weather we're having (in Florida!!) I'll decide to stay indoors.
What made the doc say that you went from a 25% chance to a 50% chance of cancer after your surgery? Did they test your lymphnodes then or make you wait? I can't remember...sorry. I'm glad you like your nuclear med man. That should make it a better experience. I hope all goes well with you on that score. Getting all radioactive sounds so high-tech. :)
I know what you mean about your endo; they are so hard to reach. I like mine pretty well, but his office staff royally stinks and I don't believe they have passed any of my messages on to him. I wonder if they even told him I was having my surgery?
Did you have any issues with your parathyroid? The doc told me that one of mine did not have a great blood supply and that he had to manipulate it. This was kind of a weird thing to hear him describe, but he said that I have 2-3 good parathyroids left and the other main one he chopped up into little pieces and embedded it in the tissue and muscle. He said that this would enable it remain functional and work. Have you ever heard of this before? I had forgotten this part until I started to write this. I'll have to ask my husband if I am remembering this correctly.
I have been lurking on the boards here for the past few weeks. Thank you so much, Dena, for your notes and comments. They have been a big source of support for me.
Lumpies unite!
Heya Lumpy packed his bags and has been gone for a few weeks now. I hope you are doing well. Tomorrow I begin my low iodine diet and two weeks of no meds to become hypothyroid for my RAI treatment on the 9th. I hope you are doing well. My boys were sad at the idea of me being gone for a week. I had them laughing, I told them not to be jealous I was going to have super powers after my treatment. They argued with me for a good hour, trying to talk sense into me that I would NOT be getting super powers. They are 8 and 9 years old, so they really enjoyed talking about Bruce Banner/The Hulk and other comic great who has a run in with some kind of Gamma ray or radioactive material to become SUPER! Enough about me, just saying hi and checking in on you. XOXO
Remember to put ice on the incision - it helps reduce swelling and pain!
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