Cancer Journey Part 2 January 28, 2012

Saline Courier Column #7

I’ve had a few people ask me when I was going to write part two of my cancer story.  So, I decided this week is as good as any.  This part has a lot going on; I’ll try my best not to lose you.

Part two began the moment the negative results were back from the scan in November 2009.  There was nothing on the scan results indicating the presence of cancer.  However, the lab work that was done didn’t yield the same result.  I was not informed of this until May 2010.

I’d gone back to my endocrinologist’s office for my three month labs and he told me that the tumor marker (Tg) was elevated and that it had been since my treatment and body scan.  He told me he wasn’t sure why because the scan had come back negative.  He decided to raise the dose of my hormone medication to slow the growth of possible cancer cells and we waited a few more months to see what would happen.  So in August, I had what’s called a tracer dose of radioactive iodine (RAI), which is a very small dose of radiation, just enough to have a scan.  Again, the scan was negative but labs were not.  In an effort to try to figure out what was going on, I was scheduled to have a PET scan.  Radioactive sugar water is injected through an IV for the scan to work; I had to fast so my blood sugar would be low enough.  The results of the PET scan gave us an answer.  There was active cancer found in a single 7×11 mm lymph node on the left side of my neck right below my clavicle.  To be sure it wasn’t a fluke, I was scheduled for a contrast CT scan also; it produced the same result.  The cancer was back.

My endocrinologist wanted to wait another three months to do a second PET scan to see if the node got any bigger.  I said no; I didn’t see any sense in waiting or having additional radiation exposure when we had an answer.  I wanted to schedule a surgery as soon as possible, which is exactly what we did.  I met with the same surgeon who did my thyroidectomy but the surgery I was going to have is called a neck dissection and he didn’t do those.  I met with a surgeon he recommended and got the surgery scheduled for November 4, 2010.

He took out 15 lymph nodes and six of them tested positive for cancer…only one showed up on the PET scan results.  I was so glad I didn’t wait the additional three months my endocrinologist wanted me to wait before having surgery.  The aftermath of the second surgery was incredibly painful.  Whatever position they had me in during surgery caused a rib to be dislocated.  I thought a muscle or tendon had been torn during surgery.  I was prescribed pain medication that did not help.  Finally, I thought to see a chiropractor and she was the one to determine the cause of the pain.  It’s been over a year since the surgery and I still see the chiropractor for the pain it caused.  Also, nerves were damaged in my neck and shoulder, causing pain, limited mobility, and numbness that still have not healed.

My second round with cancer was, by far, the most difficult.  The physical and emotional pain was some of the worst I’ve ever experienced.  I struggled with my faith more at that point than when I was first diagnosed with cancer.  I know deep down that God was with me every second but when you’re consumed by heartache and fear, you don’t always feel God with you.  Knowing that I had so many friends and family praying for me made everything a bit more bearable.  Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and let others be strong for you.  Once you’ve come out of the situation you can look back and see God’s hand in your life, and you know it’s because people who love you lifted you up to Him in prayer when you couldn’t pray for yourself.  Until next week, be happy!

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