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Thank you.
Wee... back from round two.
Left lobe removed Thursday, so now without the thyroid. This one was a little rougher than the first.
Made it home early Friday evening, got my first good night of sleep since Tuesday.
Now to deal with all the post-surgical care and watching for issues.
Follow-up with the surgeon on Wednesday, then with my primary on Thursday.
Will get first check of hormone levels 4 - 6 weeks from surgery, might result in meds adjustments. Not sure yet how frequently I'll be getting blood drawn for checks.
Biopsy should be back 1 - 2 weeks from surgery. Then a wait to see what I'll need to be doing with oncology.
Left lobe removed Thursday, so now without the thyroid. This one was a little rougher than the first.
Made it home early Friday evening, got my first good night of sleep since Tuesday.
Now to deal with all the post-surgical care and watching for issues.
Follow-up with the surgeon on Wednesday, then with my primary on Thursday.
Will get first check of hormone levels 4 - 6 weeks from surgery, might result in meds adjustments. Not sure yet how frequently I'll be getting blood drawn for checks.
Biopsy should be back 1 - 2 weeks from surgery. Then a wait to see what I'll need to be doing with oncology.
Thanks Karen. Just like last time, after anesthesia wore off, I haven't had anything other than Tylenol for pain. Swallowing, coughing, clearing the throat is more uncomfortable than the visible wound.
Irene McC
Legend
- Location
- CPT, South Africa
What an ordeal; I wish you speedy healing and a good prognosis going forward
Thank you Irene.
- Location
- Beaumaris, Melbourne, Australia
- Name
- John ...
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you, Gordon.
Waiting is terribly stressful and anxiety producing.
Try to stay calm, my friend.
Waiting is terribly stressful and anxiety producing.
Try to stay calm, my friend.
Thanks John. How have you been getting along recently? Stable, any improvements?
- Location
- Beaumaris, Melbourne, Australia
- Name
- John ...
Us old fogies have to stick together, mate.
Pretty stable. I suspect that the damage to Wernicke's area might be permanent. I still have the same difficulty recalling words that I know extremely well. Names, labels, that sort of thing. It often comes to me within several minutes, but that's still very frustrating at times.
As for my back. Well, no one realistically expects it to get any better! Powerful pain medication helps, but I will be taking that for the rest of my life. It means that I get to talk to my GP once a fortnight ...
I'm due for another Dexa scan in a few months, but there's no cure for osteoarthritis, and the (xxxx) injections (Prolia, I just remembered) help with the osteoporosis, but not the osteoarthritis.
I really consider myself extremely fortunate to have come through all this brain surgery with so few and such minor deficits. Even just having my intellect relatively intact is a huge blessing.
Take care of yourself, Gordon. It's realistically all any of us can do.
I wish you the best John. Working with family who had had a stroke with accompanying Aphasia and watching the frustration and anger as they try to speak, was an eye-opener. Still hoping you can still see some improvement as time progresses.
Agreed about sticking together and doing the best we can to take care of ourselves.
- Location
- Southeast Idaho
- Name
- Dan
Ouch Gordon, that looks painful. I hope the heeling goes well and you are back to youthful you when this is all done.
JayOC
Veteran
- Location
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Name
- Jay
Gordon, Sorry to read about your ordeal. To a certain extent, I can empathize with you. I am a Stage 4 Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma survivor. Cancer cost me a kidney, adrenal gland and damaged my lungs. It almost resulted in open heart surgery. I too have lasting impacts that will be with me the rest of my life. But we adapt and move on. Best of luck to you.
Thanks Dan.
Jay, thanks, and glad to hear you survived yours.
My family has an extensive cancer history so they're factoring that into decisions on treating a bit more aggressively. The thyroid stuff is less problematic, but one of the tumors found doesn't have defined edges and shows spread into surrounding tissue and possibly the vascular system, hence their use of "concerning" in the description. I'll know a little more after my follow-up with the surgeon next week, and more once oncology reviews and makes recommendations wrt further diagnostics and possible treatments. As with everything, there are always risks, even on "easy" or "normal" procedures and cancers with "low risk". So, I'm in a wait and see mode for the time being. Avoiding stress, eating well, exercising as much as I can is about all I can do and will help going forward.
JayOC
Veteran
- Location
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Name
- Jay
I am probably saying thing you already know but keep a positive mindset. A positive attitude helps in fighting cancer. It is difficult but the wait and see attitude is a good one. There is no point in worrying about things you cannot control or influence.
Agreed 100%.
I am back in the hospital in Texas for pneumonia. It has been a hard time since Thanksgiving with three times in the hospital for the same thing and for a leaking mitral valve. I am really about to give up since I have been losing weight and eating is not my priority and I have to make myself eat to just exist. I am hanging in and my doctor said I was no longer having pneumonia but I am still having trouble with breathing and of course, my Insurance company.
Hi Mel, glad to see you post. Sorry to read you've been in the hospital so much. Pneumonia can be a bear to kick and recover from, especially as we age. If you don't mind me asking, are they looking at a valve replacement for you?
I can emphasize on the insurance company thing - I do believe that is the single worst source of stress in my life. And it shouldn't be. For anyone.
I'll keep sending positive waves your way, hope you get better soon.
JayOC
Veteran
- Location
- Sugar Land, Texas
- Name
- Jay
Sorry to hear about the continuing health issues. You have to stay positive though. I know it can be easier to say than do but it does make a difference. Also dealing with the insurance companies can be draining and taxing. Fortunately, when I was going through the early phases of cancer treatment, my surgeon was fighting the insurance companies for me to ensure that I got all of the scans and treatments I needed prior to surgery. That really took a big load off of my and my family.
Not a replacement but a clip
