So it's been a month since I last posted in my blog and sorry about that. On January 7th, I started up my spring semester and this time I think I over did it with my classes as I have four classes with each having three credit hours. My classes for this semester are Cultural Anthropology, Foundation of Business, English 2, and Computer Concepts and Applications. Lately I haven't had much me time, especially since last week and this week I'm visiting family while I have a lot of homework. I should be reading right now, but figured I let people know that read this that I am still here and alive.
So... what's been going on with my health lately? Last month I went to see my Endocrinologist for the first time and also went to my ENT to see my results from my blood work. My TSH was at .026, so my ENT lowered my synthroid to 150 mcg and the chest pains have lessen, but I'm still having breathing issues and I can't take deep breaths without it hurting. My Thyroglobulin went from .4 in November to .5 in December, which isn't a huge worry since sometimes they will miss thyroid tissues that try to rebuild and also I swear I have a thyroglossal duct cyst under my chin, which might be making the numbers go up. I got a copy of my pathology report from my surgery and turns out they don't know exactly what kind of cancer I had, but narrowed it down to four rare and uncommon types with one of them being Tall-cell thyroid cancer. Tall-cell doesn't always react to Radioactive Iodine (RAI) treatment, which isn't good, of course, but because there's a chance of it my Endo wants me to have RAI (though she kept saying my numbers are good). I was told I didn't need to worry about my thyroglobulin numbers until they hit 1 or 2, so I'm not doing RAI until that happens.
Oh... and one thing that pissed me off about my Endo... She was talking about doing TSH and Free T4 tests on me and I asked her about Free T3 and Reverse T3 testing. Her answer to T3 was that cancer patients don't need T3. WTF!? I had to explain to her that 125, 175, and 150 of the synthroid were doing nothing for me and they all felt the same. She was surprised and gave me a small dosage, 5 mcg, of Cytomel, which I'm supposed to take once a day, and still wouldn't do a blood test. The problem with T3 medication is that it only lasts you for four hours a day and then after that, you are just relying on your body. I can feel the difference when my body has the T3 medication in it, especially at the two hour mark, but once it's gone I feel horrible. I know the 5 mcg is too low for me since there isn't as big of a difference between how I'm now normally am and when I have the medication. Also when I brought up T3 right away she said she wouldn't put me on Armour... so red flag there, so I'm going to be looking for a new Endo and when I talk to the front desk my first question is 'are they known for giving out Armour or do they refuse to give people that?'
I see my ENT in March, so I'll be asking him to do a Free T3 and Reverse T3 blood test and if he won't I will go to my PCP since I know she'll do it for me. Oh speaking of blood tests... I've been trying to get my mom and sister to check out their thyroids since they have a lot of signs and issues that can be related to the thyroid. Well my sister goes to see her doctor, but I guess, she saw the nurse practitioner instead... my sister asked about checking her thyroid and the NP just gave her a request for the lab to do TSH. I got angry. I think I was yelling about it outside of the building over it. TSH alone does crap to see if there is a thyroid issue and that's basic common sense for doctors even my PCP and her nurse know that. The results from TSH, Free T3, and Free T4 are compared to find out for sure what's wrong with a patient or if they need more testing done for like auto-immune diseases. Justin understood why I was so angry, but my mom and sister were like 'If something shows up on the TSH test they will probably do more testing'... I kept trying to explain to them that's not how it works since TSH is NOT checking the thyroid, but the pituitary gland and its reactions to the how much of your hormones the thyroid is producing and even this test alone can show things are okay when they aren't.
Okay.. I think that's enough for today as I really, really need to do school work.
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Eventful?
This past week and this weekend has had it's up and downs... understandably, I believe. This coming Monday (tomorrow) is the day I find out if I still have cancer and then the following Wednesday is the day I learn if I need to have Radioactive Iodine treatment (RAI). To find this out, I had to do a blood test in November, which is what we will base all of my future blood work to and a blood test in December. The two will be compared and see if my numbers are decreasing or increasing. Decreasing is good in this case as my body shouldn't be seeing any thyroid cells and my TSH was high (hypothyroid), so that needs to lower, too.
The other reason for my Monday appointment was to adjust my medication (if needed) and the last time he also based this on how I felt. Well Wednesday morning one of his nurses called to tell me they were lowering it, okay... I don't feel better and I feel the same as I did on the 125 (was on 175... now on 150)... so why is this happening? The hospital my ENT works at allows patients to get online accounts to see their results in their account... he hasn't approved anything to be placed on there, not even my TSH results. Of course, I'm sitting here wondering 'Do I still have cancer?' 'Has it spread?' and then I tell myself everything will be fine... it's probably nothing. I try to not over think it... but at times I can't, which is driving me insane!
Other than that, later today I'm doing an webcam interview with some students that are doing a report on cancer. They posted their request on reddit and I replied saying I was up for it. I did it because it's a cancer that many people don't know about, which is bad since it seems like more and more people are getting it recently. So this will be interesting for me to do since I don't normally like talking on the phone with people I don't know (I used to not mind... but yeah) and be put on the spot.
Then tomorrow I am starting my spring semester of college and taking four classes this time. I can't wait! I'm so excited (odd, I know)! I'm taking my English 2, an anthropology class, a computer class, and foundation of business, so it should be easy-ish this semester. My goal is deal's list again!
The other reason for my Monday appointment was to adjust my medication (if needed) and the last time he also based this on how I felt. Well Wednesday morning one of his nurses called to tell me they were lowering it, okay... I don't feel better and I feel the same as I did on the 125 (was on 175... now on 150)... so why is this happening? The hospital my ENT works at allows patients to get online accounts to see their results in their account... he hasn't approved anything to be placed on there, not even my TSH results. Of course, I'm sitting here wondering 'Do I still have cancer?' 'Has it spread?' and then I tell myself everything will be fine... it's probably nothing. I try to not over think it... but at times I can't, which is driving me insane!
Other than that, later today I'm doing an webcam interview with some students that are doing a report on cancer. They posted their request on reddit and I replied saying I was up for it. I did it because it's a cancer that many people don't know about, which is bad since it seems like more and more people are getting it recently. So this will be interesting for me to do since I don't normally like talking on the phone with people I don't know (I used to not mind... but yeah) and be put on the spot.
Then tomorrow I am starting my spring semester of college and taking four classes this time. I can't wait! I'm so excited (odd, I know)! I'm taking my English 2, an anthropology class, a computer class, and foundation of business, so it should be easy-ish this semester. My goal is deal's list again!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Surgery Day
The morning of my surgery we were supposed to leave at 6:00am, but left 15 minutes late. We still should have gotten to the hospital in time, but there was an accident on the highway. We eventually got to the hospital and then got lost in the building and had to ask for directions to where I needed to go. I finally got to the area I needed to fill out paperwork and that's when my parents got there. After that I went to, if I remember correctly, One Day Surgery area, and got my waiting room and my gown.
Most of the day is now hazy because of the drugs, stress, and nervousness. I remember them taking my blood and giving me stuff through an IV. Justin held my hand throughout all of that. The next thing I remember is being pushed down a hallway to my surgery for a minute and then falling back to sleep and then waking up for a few minutes when they pushed my bed into the surgical room.
My surgery was three hours long and after it I woke up from what felt like someone tugging on the nose oxygen tube around my ears. Since my throat was so dry I asked for something to drink, but the only thing I could have at the time was ice cubes. I was so out of it that my boyfriend feed me the ice cubes with a spoon and from what my family told me I was being demanding on the sizes of the cubes. I vaguely remember people telling me to go back to sleep if I'm so tired, but I kept saying I wanted to stay up and talk to everyone. I guess, I'm very stubborn when I still have the effects of anesthesia.
They told my parents and boyfriend to go to my overnight room and they'll bring me upstairs. It seemed they forgot about me since it took them hours to get someone to take me to my room. Eventually they got me to my room and I was met with my parents and Justin. His parents were in the waiting room as only so many people can stay in the room. It was weird sitting up in a bed for me, especially with this HUGE wrapping around my neck and a tube with a plastic bag attached to it coming out from underneath the wrapping that was collecting blood and stuff from inside in my neck. I had to sleepover night with this thing, which was weird.
I talked to everyone and then they left around 9:00pm as visiting hours were over. Most of the night was fine for me as my roommate was nice and quiet. It was funny since the nurses kept coming in for her since they needed to move her, so they were getting all prepared for it... the roommate was all concern about them waking me up. The one nurse said she was sorry for waking me up and I told her it was okay. At some point they moved her to her new room on a different floor and I was alone for like an hour or two. I took this time to call my mom and Justin and figure out what time everyone was coming.
The woman in the room next to me would not stop yelling and causing problems... walking in the hall making noise, not caring if she's waking up other patients. In the morning Justin told me that she was doing that a lot while he was visiting me. She just would not shut up and kept going on and on about what her doctor said this and that,who did not work at that hospital and was not seeing what the doctors and interns where seeing.
Anyways, in the morning some interns came in to take the huge wrapping off of my neck, it seemed the one was showing some of them how to go about it, and the one unwrapping it seemed happy that I had short hair. I purposely got my hair cut for my surgery since I didn't want my hair get stuck in stitches. They also had to take the tubing out, which oddly didn't hurt, but it felt so weird. It turned out they super glued my neck closed instead of using stitches.
Justin came to the hospital first and was able to order my breakfast since it was still hard for me to talk. My nurse came in and told us they will call for someone to get me a wheelchair, so I can leave. Shortly after that my mom came to the room, but my dad was on the phone interviewing someone for a job, which had been scheduled in advance, so he got stuck with it. My parents had gotten me a candle from Bath and Body Works that was scent specially for stress relief and then a nice, fake bamboo plant. We waited and waited for a wheelchair for about an hour to two, but no one came with one. My dad was leaving that day to go back to Texas, which meant he had to drop my mom off at my sister's and then get to the airport, so they had to leave.
Eventually the main nurse that was dealing with me walked passed my room and noticed I was still there, she seemed upset I was still there too. She said she will ask again for someone to get me a wheelchair and help me out, but a nurse behind her said she could do it since I had been waiting for so long. The nurse was nice enough to push me to the parking garage, but not in the garage... I'm not sure if this is normal or not, oh well. Justin was able to help me walk into the garage and to the car, it wasn't that hard or at least I didn't think so.
I thought maybe the hard part was over with and that now with my new medication it would get me back to normal, but now I'm noticing this is only the beginning.
Most of the day is now hazy because of the drugs, stress, and nervousness. I remember them taking my blood and giving me stuff through an IV. Justin held my hand throughout all of that. The next thing I remember is being pushed down a hallway to my surgery for a minute and then falling back to sleep and then waking up for a few minutes when they pushed my bed into the surgical room.
My surgery was three hours long and after it I woke up from what felt like someone tugging on the nose oxygen tube around my ears. Since my throat was so dry I asked for something to drink, but the only thing I could have at the time was ice cubes. I was so out of it that my boyfriend feed me the ice cubes with a spoon and from what my family told me I was being demanding on the sizes of the cubes. I vaguely remember people telling me to go back to sleep if I'm so tired, but I kept saying I wanted to stay up and talk to everyone. I guess, I'm very stubborn when I still have the effects of anesthesia.
They told my parents and boyfriend to go to my overnight room and they'll bring me upstairs. It seemed they forgot about me since it took them hours to get someone to take me to my room. Eventually they got me to my room and I was met with my parents and Justin. His parents were in the waiting room as only so many people can stay in the room. It was weird sitting up in a bed for me, especially with this HUGE wrapping around my neck and a tube with a plastic bag attached to it coming out from underneath the wrapping that was collecting blood and stuff from inside in my neck. I had to sleepover night with this thing, which was weird.
I talked to everyone and then they left around 9:00pm as visiting hours were over. Most of the night was fine for me as my roommate was nice and quiet. It was funny since the nurses kept coming in for her since they needed to move her, so they were getting all prepared for it... the roommate was all concern about them waking me up. The one nurse said she was sorry for waking me up and I told her it was okay. At some point they moved her to her new room on a different floor and I was alone for like an hour or two. I took this time to call my mom and Justin and figure out what time everyone was coming.
The woman in the room next to me would not stop yelling and causing problems... walking in the hall making noise, not caring if she's waking up other patients. In the morning Justin told me that she was doing that a lot while he was visiting me. She just would not shut up and kept going on and on about what her doctor said this and that,who did not work at that hospital and was not seeing what the doctors and interns where seeing.
Anyways, in the morning some interns came in to take the huge wrapping off of my neck, it seemed the one was showing some of them how to go about it, and the one unwrapping it seemed happy that I had short hair. I purposely got my hair cut for my surgery since I didn't want my hair get stuck in stitches. They also had to take the tubing out, which oddly didn't hurt, but it felt so weird. It turned out they super glued my neck closed instead of using stitches.
Justin came to the hospital first and was able to order my breakfast since it was still hard for me to talk. My nurse came in and told us they will call for someone to get me a wheelchair, so I can leave. Shortly after that my mom came to the room, but my dad was on the phone interviewing someone for a job, which had been scheduled in advance, so he got stuck with it. My parents had gotten me a candle from Bath and Body Works that was scent specially for stress relief and then a nice, fake bamboo plant. We waited and waited for a wheelchair for about an hour to two, but no one came with one. My dad was leaving that day to go back to Texas, which meant he had to drop my mom off at my sister's and then get to the airport, so they had to leave.
Eventually the main nurse that was dealing with me walked passed my room and noticed I was still there, she seemed upset I was still there too. She said she will ask again for someone to get me a wheelchair and help me out, but a nurse behind her said she could do it since I had been waiting for so long. The nurse was nice enough to push me to the parking garage, but not in the garage... I'm not sure if this is normal or not, oh well. Justin was able to help me walk into the garage and to the car, it wasn't that hard or at least I didn't think so.
I thought maybe the hard part was over with and that now with my new medication it would get me back to normal, but now I'm noticing this is only the beginning.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thanksgiving
Today is the first Thanksgiving without my thyroid and still getting
adjusted to my medicine increase that started on Tuesday (going from 125
to 175mg), which has been taking a toll on my emotional state. I spent
about a half hour crying in the bedroom due to how the medicine makes
me feel. I also snapped at Justin (my boyfriend) over the stupidest
thing ever... but anyways. We made three different kinds of chicken
that were all so yummy: Garlic Cornflakes Chicken, Funyun Chicken, and
Captain Crunch Chicken. We were about to make a french toast cinnamon
roll dish thing, but turns out we don't have cinnamon, so going to run
to the store.
I have much to be thankful this year and I don't think words are enough to thank the people in my life. I am thankful for my parents, my boyfriend, and his parents for coming to the hospital when I was having my surgery. Also thankful for my parents for coming up to where I live and spending a week with me, especially my dad who was supposed to leave Wednesday, but stayed an extra day (my surgery was moved back a day). I am thankful for my friends to let me talk and rant to them about the things I was and still am going through. Thankful to have siblings that truly do care about me. Thankful to be part of a great family.
Much thanks to the ones that have donated to me, so I can pay for some of my medicals bills and also to the others that shared my link for the donation page. It has helped me greatly.
I'm thankful for facebook support groups like Thyroid Cancer Awareness, Support Thyroid Cancer, and Thyroid Disease Awareness. These pages are full of great people that help each other understand what's going on with others, answer questions, and provide great information. I highly recommend them to anyone that is having thyroid issues.
I can't stop thanking Justin, the love of my life, for being there for me and never leaving my side throughout all of this. Some people wouldn't want to deal with something like this for long and would just leave, especially when the medicine makes you seem impossible to deal with.
Anyone that's in my life, thank you for staying in it. It might not seem much to you, but it means a great deal to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I love you all dearly!
I have much to be thankful this year and I don't think words are enough to thank the people in my life. I am thankful for my parents, my boyfriend, and his parents for coming to the hospital when I was having my surgery. Also thankful for my parents for coming up to where I live and spending a week with me, especially my dad who was supposed to leave Wednesday, but stayed an extra day (my surgery was moved back a day). I am thankful for my friends to let me talk and rant to them about the things I was and still am going through. Thankful to have siblings that truly do care about me. Thankful to be part of a great family.
Much thanks to the ones that have donated to me, so I can pay for some of my medicals bills and also to the others that shared my link for the donation page. It has helped me greatly.
I'm thankful for facebook support groups like Thyroid Cancer Awareness, Support Thyroid Cancer, and Thyroid Disease Awareness. These pages are full of great people that help each other understand what's going on with others, answer questions, and provide great information. I highly recommend them to anyone that is having thyroid issues.
I can't stop thanking Justin, the love of my life, for being there for me and never leaving my side throughout all of this. Some people wouldn't want to deal with something like this for long and would just leave, especially when the medicine makes you seem impossible to deal with.
Anyone that's in my life, thank you for staying in it. It might not seem much to you, but it means a great deal to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I love you all dearly!
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