In November 2007, I had an ultrasound-guided needle aspiration, aka biopsy, done on a thyroid nodule. Immediately after the appointment, we drove to Wichita to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Unfortunately, we did the same thing this year.
I have a lump/nodule/tumor on the left side of my thyroid. Three weeks ago, it measured 3 cm by 2 cm by about a cm. It looks like an adam's apple when I swallow. If I lay on my right side to sleep, it pushes against my throat and makes it hard to breathe. The rest of the time, it just feels like someone is pushing against my throat. It's also compressing a nerve to my ear and into my head; at least, we hope that's the cause of that pain.
The biopsy was to check for cancer. If it's malignant, I will have my entire thyroid removed and probably radiation. I'm assuming that is NOT the case. If it's benign, which I think it is, I will have surgery before Christmas to have it removed as well as the left side of my thyroid. It will be at least an overnight hospital stay. I'm hoping the recovery is simplistic, and I hope the surgery doesn't cause me become hypothyroid. I mean, who has time to be totally wiped out exhausted? At Christmas? With four kids?
So, I'm preparing the house for it. I plan to spend this weekend putting away a handful of meals. My mom said she'll come stay to give Jay a hand with the kids for a few days. (That, and she yelled at me for not telling her about the lump in the two months since I first noticed it.) I'm trying to finish all my Christmas shopping and get everything wrapped before Friday. And Friday, I have the second half of my First Aid/CPR class, so I don't want the schedule the surgery until the following week.
What am I forgetting? What else can I do/should I do before I'm down for the count for at least a few days?
1 comment:
You suppose to name your nodule Madam's apple:)
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