Christmas 2010--over 1.5 years since...

I have separated myself completely (mentally) from the tumor. It is so funny...friends will ask how I am doing but until they do, I rarely even think about the cancer anymore. I still set my alarm to take my Synthroid every day (4 a.m...I like to eat too often during the day to find a time that is 2 hours after I've last eaten and at least an hour before I plan to eat!), and I still play with my scar, but even the Synthroid and the scar are mentally separated from the tumor. I can be aware of my medication and my neck (the scar has recently faded again--it's like it is stable for months, then suddenly I notice that it looks a lot better and more faded), but neither of those "awarenesses" remind me of the cancer. How oddly wonderful is that? I even think of my every 3 month visits to my ENT more to check Synthroid levels than to check for recurrence, which obviously we do too!

Lisa

One year out: Surgery Anniversary

As life got back to "new normal" over the last year, I needed to blog less and less and concentrate on family stuff (normal stuff) more and more. Yesterday was my one year anniversary of my surgery. Funny how I thought about the days as there anniversaries occured...I remembered the day of the original FNA (biopsy), the day I got the results, and now my surgery. I anticipate the next step is the day of the radioactive ablation.

The good news is that all my blood work is perfect and my Chest CT and Neck US were clear. Other than waking up at 6 a.m. every day to take my Synthroid, life is normal...or at least "new normal." I took a picture of my scar's one year anniversary (above). Most people don't notice it at all, although I think it is like a neon sign. Not that it bothers me...scars a by definition tougher than than the skin was before, and so am I. I feel that I can do more than I could before. I too am tougher. Life doesn't scare me as much.

I am 30 pounds lighter than I was at my high point last summer. Being a.) hypothyroid, b.) sorry for myself, c.) having everything taste like metal for a month after RAI, and d.) having no energy to go to the gym packed on the pounds.

I feel good. In the great scheme of things, this wasn't an entirely bad experience.

Looking forward to the next year....

Lisa

Finally hitting me...

I think that this is all finally hitting me...I have been kind of down the last few weeks. Could be that I still don't have enough Synthroid in my system, but I don't feel like myself.

At least I have labs next week, so I can get a dose adjustment if I need it.

I WAS RIGHT!!!

...and now I have lab values to prove it!!! TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is supposed to be (although there are some who disagree with the range) between 0.4 and 4.9. If it is too high, you are hypothyroid (because your TSH is trying to stimulate MORE thyroid production--your body is low...it needs more hormone). And...my nuclear medicine doctor said that post-cancer, TSH should be <0.1.


Mine was 53. (Or 530 times higher than it should be!!!)

My doctor upped my dose. Hmmm...go figure...I knew that 4 weeks ago. My Free T4 was 0.8, low or low normal range.


I hope this new, higher dose helps.

HEY! I'm still here---sorry I haven't blogged!!!!!

Hi, all my loyal blog followers! I have been bad...not blogging.


We just got back from vacation (FAMVAC as it is known...a 16 year traditional trip to a state park with 25 - 40 of my relatives). Mike, the kids, and I started a day early. We spent Monday at Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN, one of the best places in the world. After my scare with blood clots, I was afraid I wouldn't be riding coasters this summer, but am happy to report that I was able to do whatever I wanted, arms high in the air on The Raven and The Legend. About 7 pm I "hit the wall" and got fatigued, but that was the first time all day I thought about my lack of thyroid except for making sure my scar was drenched in sunscreen.


Then...off to Brown County State Park. Monday we arrived at 11:30 pm so we didn't see the group until the next morning. Long story short...I got to spend 3 full days playing with my nephews Brian (age 5) and Ian (age 4) who I hadn't seen since last November.


So, now I am home and trying to get out of "vacation mode" (sleeping till 9:30 every day...far cry from my pre-radiation withdrawl period when I was up at 4:30 am). Next week I finally get to go for my first bloodwork check and hopefully get my Synthroid dose updated. I think I am still low, albeit functional, but my skin is really dry and I still am having weight gain issues. (Considering I got sick with some nasty gastrointestinal bug on vacation for 2 days, I doubt overeating on vacation has much to do with the gain!)


On the basement front (or as I have been calling it, "the Underworld") we are, for all intents and purposes, DONE. I even finished sewing the curtains and pillows. Of course, as time goes on, we'll add more furnishings, but the construction is COMPLETE. I love my craft room...I can leave all my stuff out and close the doors and no one will bother it (at least not if they value their life!) And my little TV/DVD player in there is wonderful when I am working on a project.

Feeling Crappy: may as well blog

Warning: the following has been written while PMSing and feeling like crap. Read at your own risk.


Welcome to Day +15. I still have all the taste alteration issues and now my skin is drying out (I am having "winter skin" in July--ugh), I am gaining weight, feel like a big balloon, have too much to do, time to do it, but feel like doing nothing. I have 4 more weeks until my next appointment with Dr. Myers, won't adjust my Synthroid until then, and I'm not sure the annoyance factor is tolerable. I want everything right RIGHT NOW. I feeling like I am wasting my summer.


Anyway, yesterday evening Mike, Anna, Josh, Anna's friend Kasey, and I went to the US National Swimming Championships at the Natatorium and got to see Michael Phelps break a world record (so I guess we are doing something fun!!) I just wish I had more energy.

Day +10; feeling OK

I have been on just the Synthroid now for 5 days (no "tide-me-over" Cytomel.) Although so far I feel pretty normal, my tongue feels numb at the tip (more like I burned my tongue) and I have a metallic taste in my mouth still. I was doing a bit of searching today and this might not be because of the radioactive iodine, but is a symptom of being hypothyroid (it is called "Burning Mouth (or Tongue) Syndrome). I hope it goes away as the Synthroid gets into my system, because a lot of stuff tastes funny. Strong flavors seem to be better (salsa tastes really good, but chocolate is just so-so; ham tastes good, but turkey is bland, etc.) Lemonade with extra lemon tastes great, plain water tastes like metal.

My doctor said that he usually low-ball estimates the Synthroid until the first set of blood tests (TSH and T4) are done and adjusts from there. (Too high can cause blood pressure and heart rate issues, among other side effects). I have a feeling with my size that 125 mg is probably a bit low...but we'll see. My body has a habit of metabolizing drugs oddly.

We spent the 4th of July at my in-laws and had a wonderful, relaxing time. I love going there...naps are not only accepted, they are encouraged!!! Fortunately, cheeseburgers and hot dogs are foods that still taste good!

My husband and several of his brothers, besides trying to kill the rest of us by not reading the directions for one of the fireworks, set off some great fireworks this year. If there is anything more dangerous than one Francis man not reading directions, it is 4 of them (Josh being one of them) not reading directions. Happily, the rest of the fireworks went up according to plan and we had quite a show. Anna, my niece Courtney, and I took shelter behind the pine trees until we felt like the men had it under control. Everyone survived.