It took a week to get in to see Dr Denys. Which I felt pretty fortunate about, considering his schedule is pretty booked most of the time. It was a typical visit where I waited for a while (maybe an hour). At least I had my iphone to text people and play games and read, until it had less than 10% of power and I thought I should turn it off so I can call my wife on the way home.
It was weird going to the same room where we were originally given the news that I had thyroid cancer over 2 years ago.
Dr Denys looked over the tests etc...and decided that I should remove the jelly bean size node in my neck. Despite the negative pathology reports, we had a high number for the new thyroglobulin test. We set a date for March 20th to have it removed. He thinks we should be able to do an outpatient surgery, which means I will be able to sleep at home not the hospital. (much lighter on my HSA)
Here we go again for surgery.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Biopsy guided with an ultrasound
This was a pretty cool idea. Stick a needle in my neck and watch it on a screen so you know you are not sticking the needle in the wrong spot. Genius right?
The day came for the the biopsy and I found myself waiting for an hour in the waiting room. After an hour they called me back and told me that they are not sure if they want to do it because they are worried that the tissue samples would not be kept frozen since it was a Friday and they did not know if everything was the same on Saturdays for the labs doing the testing. Nothing like waiting an hour to wonder why someone did not do some homework before scheduling me on a Friday and making me wait. This is just how going to the dr is like. Waiting and you cannot ever be concerned with the endless amounts of wasted time due to inefficiency. There has to be a doc somewhere that is efficient and doesn't waste patients time and treats patients better.
Finally, they discovered the tissue samples would be fine if they took them out and they asked me to change into an open robe with my shirt off. They had me lay on a table and cleaned the area with the iodine like sterilizing stuff that is dark orange and makes a mess. The radiologist came in and put a general anesthetic in my neck and then started taking samples. He must have gotten around 8-9 samples since he was in and out around that many times. I did not mind since I could not feel much and I wanted to make sure the tests had enough samples. Soon enough the poking with a needle while looking at a monitor was over. (they should have had a monitor built into the ceiling tile so I could watch what the doc was watching on the screen behind me) They cleaned off the orange stuff and then put an interesting bandage that had a cold compress built into it. But why they did not shave my lower neck (upper chest some) was beyond me. That hurt more than the process itself when a few hours later I had my wife rip that thing off as fast as she could.
It hurt for a few days, but I read and heard that using some of the doTerra essential oils would speed the healing and reduce the bruising, so I tried that. I was pretty happy that it healed quick and did not stop me from most of the physical activity I usually enjoy.
The results. Of course the annoying thing about tests is that you do not get results until a day or two or even three later. Many people start to know you are going in for test beforehand and the moment a test is over friends and family want results. Well so do I, so their instant questioning only worsens the frustration. It is not a friends fault that they are trying to be a good friend and show they care, but being easily annoyed at times it makes me want to shake them up and tell them they obviously have not been through our amazing medical testing system lately. Even if you want to get a blood test for anything simple they usually send it somewhere and you don't get results for a day or two. This blog may be sounding that I am hyper critical, but most of these things are just thoughts and sarcasm, as I usually am not really bothered by most of these things that I want to improve.
So the test was done on Friday. On Monday we got a call from Dr Maturlo and she said that the pathology was negative, but the thyroglobulin test came back extremely high, like 28,000 in some unit. So she wanted me to meet with Dr Denys (the ENT surgeon that removed the thyroid to begin with). So good news, but not that good, considering something is still wrong even thought the pathology doesnt show it.
The day came for the the biopsy and I found myself waiting for an hour in the waiting room. After an hour they called me back and told me that they are not sure if they want to do it because they are worried that the tissue samples would not be kept frozen since it was a Friday and they did not know if everything was the same on Saturdays for the labs doing the testing. Nothing like waiting an hour to wonder why someone did not do some homework before scheduling me on a Friday and making me wait. This is just how going to the dr is like. Waiting and you cannot ever be concerned with the endless amounts of wasted time due to inefficiency. There has to be a doc somewhere that is efficient and doesn't waste patients time and treats patients better.
Finally, they discovered the tissue samples would be fine if they took them out and they asked me to change into an open robe with my shirt off. They had me lay on a table and cleaned the area with the iodine like sterilizing stuff that is dark orange and makes a mess. The radiologist came in and put a general anesthetic in my neck and then started taking samples. He must have gotten around 8-9 samples since he was in and out around that many times. I did not mind since I could not feel much and I wanted to make sure the tests had enough samples. Soon enough the poking with a needle while looking at a monitor was over. (they should have had a monitor built into the ceiling tile so I could watch what the doc was watching on the screen behind me) They cleaned off the orange stuff and then put an interesting bandage that had a cold compress built into it. But why they did not shave my lower neck (upper chest some) was beyond me. That hurt more than the process itself when a few hours later I had my wife rip that thing off as fast as she could.
It hurt for a few days, but I read and heard that using some of the doTerra essential oils would speed the healing and reduce the bruising, so I tried that. I was pretty happy that it healed quick and did not stop me from most of the physical activity I usually enjoy.The results. Of course the annoying thing about tests is that you do not get results until a day or two or even three later. Many people start to know you are going in for test beforehand and the moment a test is over friends and family want results. Well so do I, so their instant questioning only worsens the frustration. It is not a friends fault that they are trying to be a good friend and show they care, but being easily annoyed at times it makes me want to shake them up and tell them they obviously have not been through our amazing medical testing system lately. Even if you want to get a blood test for anything simple they usually send it somewhere and you don't get results for a day or two. This blog may be sounding that I am hyper critical, but most of these things are just thoughts and sarcasm, as I usually am not really bothered by most of these things that I want to improve.
So the test was done on Friday. On Monday we got a call from Dr Maturlo and she said that the pathology was negative, but the thyroglobulin test came back extremely high, like 28,000 in some unit. So she wanted me to meet with Dr Denys (the ENT surgeon that removed the thyroid to begin with). So good news, but not that good, considering something is still wrong even thought the pathology doesnt show it.
Low Iodine Scan - Uptake
I thought doing the scan or uptake was a waste of time after doing it a few times already. Dr Maturlo had me do an ultrasound which I also thought was a waste of time.
The good news was that the scan came back negative, there was no cancer tissue that was responsive to the radioactive iodine (r131). But I did have a higher than normal level of thyroglobulin during my blood test while I was hypothyroid. So when Dr Maturlo called with these two tidbits of news she also asked that I go and get an MRI. My wife encouraged me to go that day so I went and got an MRI. An MRI, must be a form of torture in some countries. Sitting still with a cage on your head reminds me of that movie, the man with the iron mask. When I got there they asked me to change into a set of scrubs. I did bring my Serenity essential oil with me this time around to help me relax and sleep. It helped and the 45-60 min went by fast as I was mostly asleep.
I asked for my own copy on a CD on my way out. I figured since I just paid around $1000 for that torture device, which was actually pretty relaxing this time around, I might as well have something to show for it. When I got home my wife and I looked at the MRI, and of course it all looked crazy and we did not know what we were looking at. As you would guess my wife found many things that made her worried from looking at the MRI.
We got a call the next day from Dr. Maturlo and she wanted to meet with me right away. That could not be good, right? As we guessed they found a mass that was around 8mm x 12mm. I assumed it was like a jelly bean or so. The next step was to either remove it or try and figure out if it is thyroid cancer coming back or not. We decided on me having a biopsy with a guided ultrasound.
The good news was that the scan came back negative, there was no cancer tissue that was responsive to the radioactive iodine (r131). But I did have a higher than normal level of thyroglobulin during my blood test while I was hypothyroid. So when Dr Maturlo called with these two tidbits of news she also asked that I go and get an MRI. My wife encouraged me to go that day so I went and got an MRI. An MRI, must be a form of torture in some countries. Sitting still with a cage on your head reminds me of that movie, the man with the iron mask. When I got there they asked me to change into a set of scrubs. I did bring my Serenity essential oil with me this time around to help me relax and sleep. It helped and the 45-60 min went by fast as I was mostly asleep.
We got a call the next day from Dr. Maturlo and she wanted to meet with me right away. That could not be good, right? As we guessed they found a mass that was around 8mm x 12mm. I assumed it was like a jelly bean or so. The next step was to either remove it or try and figure out if it is thyroid cancer coming back or not. We decided on me having a biopsy with a guided ultrasound.
Low Iodine Diet the third time around
The low iodine diet was much easier the third time around.
I started to make my own almond milk by soaking one cup of almonds in water for a few hours and then blending them with 4 cups of water. After they were blended I would strain out the gritty stuff using an unused nylon of my wife. I would usually add vanilla and some sugar to make it taste better.
Once I had my own almond milk I could make a protein shake using it as a base. Using protein powder from brown rice (vegan). Which also helped that after watching the movie Forks Over Knives, we started getting plant based protein powder instead of whey or animal based protein powder.
I also already knew I could eat Frosted Mini Wheats cereal. But now having milk was a nice addition.
My wife found unsalted peanut butter and I added iodine free salt to it.
She also made fresh bread a few times. Both wheat and french bread.
The ginger snaps that she made that did not have iodine in them were especially yummy.
I started to make my own almond milk by soaking one cup of almonds in water for a few hours and then blending them with 4 cups of water. After they were blended I would strain out the gritty stuff using an unused nylon of my wife. I would usually add vanilla and some sugar to make it taste better.
Once I had my own almond milk I could make a protein shake using it as a base. Using protein powder from brown rice (vegan). Which also helped that after watching the movie Forks Over Knives, we started getting plant based protein powder instead of whey or animal based protein powder.
I also already knew I could eat Frosted Mini Wheats cereal. But now having milk was a nice addition.
My wife found unsalted peanut butter and I added iodine free salt to it.
She also made fresh bread a few times. Both wheat and french bread.
The ginger snaps that she made that did not have iodine in them were especially yummy.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Annual check up 2 years since thyroid was removed
It has been two years since I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had surgery. I did a blood test and my endocrinologist (Dr Susan Maturlo) told me that I needed a higher does of Synthroid. So I started taking the 225 a day instead of 200 mcg. She also told me that she wanted me to do an ultrasound again. I need to do the low iodine diet for the third time (its an annual tradition now) and do one more scan to make sure I am clean. ARGH! Not what I would prefer to do, but I guess safer than sorry right?
In the last 6 months I have been introduced to doTERRA essential oils. They are natural oils from plants. They have medicinal properties and are natural remedies to hundreds of ailments (see my blog for that at www.doterraexperiences.blogspot.com ). The Frankincense oil has helped many people with cancer so I decided to start taking around 3-4 drops a day under my tongue. This way I can prevent cancer from starting anywhere else and kill any off that may have started. This way I can ensure my scan at the end of January is clean. For now I will have a fun Christmas and Hanukkah and New Years and save the low iodine diet till Jan.
In the last 6 months I have been introduced to doTERRA essential oils. They are natural oils from plants. They have medicinal properties and are natural remedies to hundreds of ailments (see my blog for that at www.doterraexperiences.blogspot.com ). The Frankincense oil has helped many people with cancer so I decided to start taking around 3-4 drops a day under my tongue. This way I can prevent cancer from starting anywhere else and kill any off that may have started. This way I can ensure my scan at the end of January is clean. For now I will have a fun Christmas and Hanukkah and New Years and save the low iodine diet till Jan.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Back to the low iodine diet
So it has been over a year since I was treated with the radioactive iodine. It is now time for another scan to make sure that there is no more thyroid tissue or cancer in my body. If there is some I will need to do the radioactive dose again. So I need to stop taking my synthroid and do the low iodine diet for 2 weeks to prepare for it. This second time around we felt a little more prepared and I wanted to document what I ate during this time.
Snacks
Almonds (unsalted)
Dried Mangos
Frosted Mini Wheats
Homemade Wheat Bread
Cornbread
Gingersnaps
Breakfasts
Egg Whites with
Oatmeal
MaltoMeal
Hashbrowns
Toast
Waffles
Pancakes
Dinner
Roasted Tomato, Garlic, Basil, and Oregano Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta
Turkey, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes, Gravy, and Corn
Turkey Noodle Soup (Made with broth from Turkey) with Cornbread
Flour tortillas with Chicken, avocado, black beans, and onions. (Yes you have to make your own tortillas and make the black beans from a bag since the canned ones have iodized salt in them)
Steak and roasted veggies and sweet potatoes
Chicken Fruit Salad. Mandarin Oranges, apples, lettuce, candied almonds (dressing with Jam, Oil, Vinegar, and sugar in blender)
Lunch (the hardest part if you dont have leftovers)Leftovers
Sandwiches
Salads
Snacks
Almonds (unsalted)
Dried Mangos
Frosted Mini Wheats
Homemade Wheat Bread
Cornbread
Gingersnaps
Breakfasts
Egg Whites with
Oatmeal
MaltoMeal
Hashbrowns
Toast
Waffles
Pancakes
Dinner
Roasted Tomato, Garlic, Basil, and Oregano Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta
Turkey, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes, Gravy, and Corn
Turkey Noodle Soup (Made with broth from Turkey) with Cornbread
Flour tortillas with Chicken, avocado, black beans, and onions. (Yes you have to make your own tortillas and make the black beans from a bag since the canned ones have iodized salt in them)
Steak and roasted veggies and sweet potatoes
Chicken Fruit Salad. Mandarin Oranges, apples, lettuce, candied almonds (dressing with Jam, Oil, Vinegar, and sugar in blender)
Lunch (the hardest part if you dont have leftovers)Leftovers
Sandwiches
Salads
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Radiation Story
Well the hospital finally got the R131, radioactive iodine in stock. There was a shortage of the stuff that delayed things a few weeks. Everyday that I could not have iodine or thyroid medication I thought that I should start another business and either make or import this radioactive iodine. It seemed ridiculous that there would be a shortage.
So I went in the hospital, they gave me a capsule, I swallowed it and drove home. They did of course take 30 mins at least to review all of the risks and the rules for outpatient care. There were a few rules, but the biggest rule was to stay 6 feet away from people at all times for a week. I could get closer to people, or my wife and children, but only for 10-15 min max at a time.
I never did research the effects of this radiation on my family, but I did try to stay 6 feet away as much as possible.
I also had to sleep in a separate bed. So I slept in the basement in our guest room. It was a lonely bunch of nights.
They told me that if I wanted to I could come in after 3 days and they would measure how radioactive I was at 1 meter. I needed to be under .08 and unfortunately after 3 days I was .12 so I had to continue the rules. The good thing was that after 48-72 hours I started taking my Thyroid medication (generic for Synthroid) and started eating whatever I wanted.
One of the first meals I had was take out from Bajio. (a Fresh Mexican place) I always get the Flauta Bajio Salad with Pork. It was so good that despite finding a piece of mud 3/4 into it in my mouth, I still finished it. (I first rinsed my mouth out)
So then they told me to come back after two more days and they would measure me again. This time they measured me at 1m I was a .02. (a good amount under the .08) So I was finally able to cuddle with my cute wife and kids again. Yahoo!
So I went in the hospital, they gave me a capsule, I swallowed it and drove home. They did of course take 30 mins at least to review all of the risks and the rules for outpatient care. There were a few rules, but the biggest rule was to stay 6 feet away from people at all times for a week. I could get closer to people, or my wife and children, but only for 10-15 min max at a time.
I never did research the effects of this radiation on my family, but I did try to stay 6 feet away as much as possible.
I also had to sleep in a separate bed. So I slept in the basement in our guest room. It was a lonely bunch of nights.
They told me that if I wanted to I could come in after 3 days and they would measure how radioactive I was at 1 meter. I needed to be under .08 and unfortunately after 3 days I was .12 so I had to continue the rules. The good thing was that after 48-72 hours I started taking my Thyroid medication (generic for Synthroid) and started eating whatever I wanted.
One of the first meals I had was take out from Bajio. (a Fresh Mexican place) I always get the Flauta Bajio Salad with Pork. It was so good that despite finding a piece of mud 3/4 into it in my mouth, I still finished it. (I first rinsed my mouth out)
So then they told me to come back after two more days and they would measure me again. This time they measured me at 1m I was a .02. (a good amount under the .08) So I was finally able to cuddle with my cute wife and kids again. Yahoo!
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