Re: (TC) Hi!...I am NEW.....

[Guest guest]

,

Hello. Your letter really hit home with me. I am new to this group (just signed

on 3 days ago) but I've been going through this ordeal for a year now. I don't

know how much help I can be, but I have just went through it all. Here's my

story:

I found a lump on my right side last Thanksgiving and had it operated on Feb.1,

2001 (after I was told it was just a fluid cyst, not to be worried.) The same

week I was told I had papillary cancer. My nodule was fairly large, so on March

19, I had my entire thyroid removed. The surgery was more severe the second

time, but recovery went well both times. (FYI - I have been married for 4 years

and have a 2 1/2 year old. We too had been trying to have more children when

this happened.)

I had my FIRST RAI on April 22 and my SECOND Oct. 26. I thought all was going

well, when I found another lump 2 weeks ago that has been diagnosed as another

Lymph Node that will be removed on Jan. 4. I am awaiting word on what it is (dr.

is assuming it is cancer.) I've also been told that I'll need atleast another

RAI in April again.

The word CANCER can be so scarry and I have went through all kind of emotions.

Telling people is the worst, and watching family members deal with this isn't

easy. People ask how I can be so upbeat, and all I can say is there are people a

lot worse than me. Being isolated for my RAI (I received 175 the first time and

220 the second) was hard. I had to be away from my daughter and it wasn't easy.

But after the first time, the second went much easier and I looked at it as a

time to relax. (Trust me, you'll need it.) I went off my meds Sept. 9 and

started my wonderful diet Oct. 9 and around Oct. 13, I really started to feeling

tired. I didn't want to do anything but lay around, so the rest was nice. The

whole thing is very hard to deal with, but I can say now that I've been through

it all, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Now I obviously still have a

road in front of me, but I know I'm alot stronger than I believe I was this time

last year. I hope this helps and it sounds like you have a good husband to help

you get through it. I know my husband and daughter is what gets me through every

day!! I kinda of wished I had been diagnosed before I had my daughter and was

married, because I feel like a burden, but having someone to share this makes it

so much easier to handle.

Hope this helps, and anymore questions, please feel free to ask me.

Sheila

heists@...

Hi!... I am NEW

Hi all,

I just found out about your support group. I was diagnosed almost 3

weeks ago, and have been trying to find out as much information I

can. You can't imagine how happy I was to learn there is a support

group out there. As you can also imagine, it's been difficult to

grasp the concept that I have cancer. It's difficult to hear and

difficult to say. It's been a challenge telling friends and family

about the challenges that lay before me. I am trying to be as

optimistic as possible! I had my first surgery on Nov 5th to remove

a nodule on my left lobe, the surgeon said that everything looked

fine so I went about healing and getting on with my life, then almost

4 wks later on Nov 30th, I got the dreaded phone call! so much for

not giving anyone bad news over the phone! on a friday night no less!

My husband and I have been married just over 1 year and were going to

start our family when our gp suggested i have the surgery to 'just

get it out of the way'. (the nodule was actual found about 3 years

ago and thru vast tests and needle biopsies/ultrasounds and blood

work they could not find out if it were bad or not, and all

parties 'assured' me that it was likely nothing) So i had the

surgery to " get it out of the way " and WHAM found out that it

wasn't 'nothing'... it was something and it was something I should

have had looked after 3 years ago!!! So i was a little disappointed

that there was no urg in urgency when i was first pronounced with a

problem. They just kept telling me that i was a healthy young female

(i guess i didn't fall into any 'categories' of concern!) well, now

i am out of my small town specialists and at Princess Margaret

Hospital in Toronto.

I have a second surgery booked for a TT (remove the right side) and

to check for any lymph node damage on January 28th. I have been told

by my surgeon (cuz i am going to believe him when he had me believing

for 4 wks that everything was fine!?!?!) that i have a mild case of

papillary cancer. I have also been booked for the RAI on March 4th.

I have been reading all kind of horror stories about this treatment

and if anyone has any not so terrifying experiences with this please

please let me know! I hope that I will be 'okay' after all of this

and go on to have a happy healthy family. I am usually a very

optimistic HAPPY person and I have definately rec'd my " Challenge " to

test my outlook. I have good days and bad days as i am sure everyone

does. I try to pick a time and a place (usually my poor husband) to

have my breakdowns.

If anyone would like to share their personal experiences I would be

forever grateful!! you can email at 'rachelnsean@...'.

Thanks a bunch to the networks supporting this wonderful tool! and

too all of you out there who have the courage to share your pain.