Are you ok now?, is it gone? are questions I'm frequently asked when people learn of my dealings with thyroid cancer. I sure wish I had a definitive answer for them, but I don't have an answer for me yet either.
I had another set of bloodwork recently. The Tg (thyroglobulin) inched up a little from the initial 2.5 post op level to 4.2. How significant is that? Wish I could say, but apparently significant enough that my endocrinologist wants me to get another ultrasound in the next couple weeks instead of waiting to see me in March as scheduled.
I guess the answers to those questions will remain unanswered for now.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Time does heal
Time does heal and it helps scars fade. This is 12 weeks out from second dissection. Not so bad now. The most obvious part is a segment where the new incision overlaps the old scar. Must say, I'm pretty happy with it so far considering how horrified I was with how it started out.
Looking up
When I last posted (more than 2 months ago), I was weepy and down. I hadn't revisited this blog until I received a message from another thyroid cancer patient who had read it. I had in part posted that and the preceding series of posts on my thyroid cancer journey in hopes that I might help someone else dealing with the same thing. Now I feel a bit guilty that I haven't come back with an update to let any of those readers know that things are looking up.
The sensitive area on my chest is pretty much gone. Just in the past few weeks, I've noticed that my voice seems to be back to normal most of the time. My energy level is seems to be back to normal. I'm back to being able to stay up like the night owl I'm used to being. The best thing so far is that my thyroglobulin level, test that is used as a marker for presence or recurrence of thyroid cancer, was down to 2.5 at just a month after surgery. That's lower than it's ever been. If it's same or lower when checked this month, I think I'll be in the clear for a while!
The only real downer at this point is that is that my shoulder doesn't seem to be recovering yet. I've been doing physcial therapy for 2 1/2 mo now to maintain range of motion and strengthen the surrounding muscles, but the trapezius doesn't seem to be working at all which means that the nerve still isn't firing. I know that nerves can be slow and next week will mark 3 mo since surgery, but it's still frustrating. I try not to compare, but I'm pretty sure I was seeing a little progress this far out the first time around. To end on a positive note, though my neck is till really stiff, I think my scar is finally starting to look better again. I don't really see the improvement when I look in the mirror, but I can see it in photos. I'll post a recent shot soon since the last one's I put up were pretty fresh.
On a different note, over Thanksgiving, I travelled with my family to Boston and New Hampshire to be with my brother-in-law, his wife, and little girl. We had a great time. And they were wonderful hosts and tour guides. I'm glad we finally made the trip. Just wish we had the means to do it more often.
Here's to a happy, hopeful, and peaceful Christmas season to you all (or to you both as the case may be)!
The sensitive area on my chest is pretty much gone. Just in the past few weeks, I've noticed that my voice seems to be back to normal most of the time. My energy level is seems to be back to normal. I'm back to being able to stay up like the night owl I'm used to being. The best thing so far is that my thyroglobulin level, test that is used as a marker for presence or recurrence of thyroid cancer, was down to 2.5 at just a month after surgery. That's lower than it's ever been. If it's same or lower when checked this month, I think I'll be in the clear for a while!
The only real downer at this point is that is that my shoulder doesn't seem to be recovering yet. I've been doing physcial therapy for 2 1/2 mo now to maintain range of motion and strengthen the surrounding muscles, but the trapezius doesn't seem to be working at all which means that the nerve still isn't firing. I know that nerves can be slow and next week will mark 3 mo since surgery, but it's still frustrating. I try not to compare, but I'm pretty sure I was seeing a little progress this far out the first time around. To end on a positive note, though my neck is till really stiff, I think my scar is finally starting to look better again. I don't really see the improvement when I look in the mirror, but I can see it in photos. I'll post a recent shot soon since the last one's I put up were pretty fresh.
On a different note, over Thanksgiving, I travelled with my family to Boston and New Hampshire to be with my brother-in-law, his wife, and little girl. We had a great time. And they were wonderful hosts and tour guides. I'm glad we finally made the trip. Just wish we had the means to do it more often.
Here's to a happy, hopeful, and peaceful Christmas season to you all (or to you both as the case may be)!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
