Surgery, it is...
 

I have been biposied to death trying to determine what is going on in my thyroid gland. I had 3 needle biopsies and still, none of the pathologists agreed on the findings. Finally, all slides and reports were sent to a Dr. Rosai, who apparently authors pathology textbooks. Interestingly, his findings oppose our medical school pathology findings.

My husband, a teacher, said their report looked more like a math problem on a test, where the answer was given, but no work was shown. Perhaps Dr. Rosai's microscope works better than theirs... This fiasco has been going on 7 months now...

At any rate, I am scheduled for surgery next week and will have at least the left lobe of my thyroid removed. The surgeon said it would be sliced and diced by Pathology during surgery, and hopefully, if malignancy shows up, then my surgeon will go on and remove the whole gland... The downside is that the full report does not come back until way after you are home eating chicken soup, or maybe even by then eating hamburgers, so it could entail 2 surgeries...

I am having still a rough flareup with my overall health issues and have been unable to reduce my Prednisone like it should be. I have no idea what is causing the problem. I hate going into surgery in this condition, but I don't have much choice... I have been using Alka Seltzer to offset some of the inflammatory problems, but now with surgery a week off, I had to discontinue that due to the aspirin content...

I have a lot of confidence in my surgeon and my Pulmonary Doc (also a Critical Care doc-who will be in charge of my care). Sooo I have two very competent people in my court...

That's all for now, folks. Wish me luck!

Cathie

Best of luck...
 

...in your upcoming surgery. It sure doesn't sound like a fun experience. You will be in my thoughts and in my prayers, Cathie, hoping they do not find anything serious.:hug:

Cathie,

I had my out on 7/31. I will call you to talk about it.

:hug:
SHelley

Cathie, I will be waiting anxiously for the results but as I have said before, you are one of the strongest people here - especially mentally. You are so philosphical and I know you will come through with shining colours.:)

You will be in my prayers and thoughts as usual and please let us know more about the exact day as soon as you can.

I will email you over the weekend - you have so much support here.

Tony

Hi my dear Cathie:

I am so sorry you have to go through this.
Sending hugs and lots of good thoughts your way

:hug:

About time!
 

It's about time Cathie! I know you have been suffering for a long time now. I've got fingers and toes crossed that this will take care of some of your problems. I just can't believe that a top medical school is this inefficient. (I don't know why I said that, I've been thru their routine.)

I know this won't be pleasant, but maybe it will help. Please let us know more about which day you'll have surgery. Perhaps your husband could let one of us know how you are doing. Good luck, old friend.:hug:

Billye

Cathie,

I agree totally with Tony . . . you have so much strength. I am not trying to downplay all the suffering you have been through or that the surgery will bring . . . but I look forward to seeing you on the other side of this operation. It looks to me that you are already preparing yourself in the way that you do -- marshaling your resources, getting your focus, etc. etc.

I will hold a thought about coming through fine, with marked improvement.

rafi

Cathie,
I'm really sorry that you've had to be miserable with the biopsies and not get a definitive diagnosis until now. I've been there myself with biopsies for 5 years and then had the same surgery 7 years ago.
I hope that that your surgery is uneventful, that the biopsy results are completely benign and that your recovery is swift and complete. I'll be thinking about you and wish you the very best. :hug:

Alkymst
I

I surely wish your docs were more...well.
 

ASSERTIVE and decisive about what they want to do! Geesh!
From my own other diverse experiences...all I can say is GET THIS STUFF outta me!...... That's the way I approached it. And I am glad it was done.
Get it over with, then go on to the next part of the 'issue' should there really be one.

As long as the docs and surgeons and anathesiologists know you are an 'at-risk/sensitive' person, things should go and be done super!?!

I know I approached my own surgeries last year with a similar angst as you are feeling now, but, in my case it was a bit more straightforward? I think of it this way, [biopsies and all?] I did the best I could to do the best I could...Sounds redundant, but really it's not.

Special tender :hug: :hug: :hug: 's of the kind that give you a bit of courage as well as some comfy re-assurance. I WILL be her for you and any concerns you may have should you have them. I believe all here will be pulling for you in every way one can 'electronically'. - Super special thoughts! - j

I just wanted to add my sincere good wishes for the op, it sounds like you will be in very good & capable hands and i am sure that it will be all over shortly & you will be back home before you know it.
best wishes
Brian :)

Heh heh heh... In the midst of trying to maintain my sense of humor during this fiasco, I thought I would share what FIRST popped out at me from RFinney's posting above:

"but I look forward to seeing you on the other side"

:) :) :)

Cathie

P.S. Meanwhile, thank you all for your kind words. Surgery is Thursday. Hubby can call if it is convenient for someone. Please PM a message...

Reminds me of the first time I was ever put out for surgery. The first thing I remember after is seeing this bright white light and this mist rising up in front of my face. I remember thinking..... Oh s**t...someone F****d up. Next thought was, well at least I went in the right direction.
.....
.....
Then the pain hit and I knew I was still alive.

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. :hug:

Barbara

I
 

wish you luck and love and after what Jarr just said i wish you pain.He he
I hate people telling me i'm stong,know why??? Because you can't
let them down ,you gotta be strong.. Tony is right you are,and sweet
and so gentle. Now my 12 year old son went through all this, 30 in 1 day
so you can 2...I agree with Joan get that stuff out and get it out now.
Cathie i was begining to wonder if it was ever going to happen and with
all our prayers,you will do fine. And we will all go to some strange
place and have a party. Please tell us soon,it's no easy finding stange
places anymore. Do you know how much your cared about,well i hope
so..Many :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: sweet one. Sue

You've every right to be annoyed--
 

--that at this point the whole situation is still so . . .uncertain.

But, my take on this is if there is so much ambiguity in your pathology readings, you are unlikely to have an advanced, life-threatening malignancy, if there is even one there at all.

Noobdy likes to go through surgery, but I'm confident you will be able to marshal your emotional resources and get through this with equanimity. And, you have all our support and good wishes.

Here's hoping when they take out the lobe they can find whatever it is that will give a definitive diagnosis so that you can plan accordingly (and that you won't have to go in a second time).

BTW, if you have any copies of those path reports that you fell comfortable posting--we'd all love to take a crack at them. (Our collective knowledge and power is formidable. Sort of like the Green Lantern Corps. :p )

To my good friend and such amazing support I'm sending hugs and healthy thoughts. I'm sorry for all your going through but am holding hope you will find some relief soon. I'm always here and please reach out for more support. This is your time and your always there for others but you need some tender love too.

To me
 

Cathie,
your husband can call me or email me. You have the address and the phone no. I'll be glad to post to the group.

Billye

Cathie? X days and 'counting'....???
 

It's only been in the last 10 years, the last 5 mostly that I've had to 'SUBMIT' to surgeries... Each one is a sleep-loser!? There is no way to get around it...but, I've found/learned form all wise here and other places that YOU GOT TO HAMMER HOME TO YOUR ANATHESIOLOGIST that you have a neuro 'condition' AKIN to MS! Once you get thru that 'barrier'...you are home free.
When I had my 'C' Surgery just over a year ago, that's what I did.. You know, they 'kept' me overnite...till the anathesia wore off.. BOY DID I FEEL HAPPY? No real PN PAIN, numbness yes, but little real pain other than the surgery site. It was Heaven - for about 2 days...then back to real-life. Best yet...NO residual side effects! BONUS TIME!
GET IT OUT DURNED SPOT! For me, it was a very good thing. I am gonna do my HOPING like HECK that it's the same for you!
OK WHO IS GONNA COORDINATE THE FLOWER/BIG BRITE BALLOON FUND? I'm Pay pal ignorant! Someone, come up to the plate! That way you've got the flowers to make ya sneeze, and all the bouncing mylar balloons 'going: What'd they say? REally? They don't MEAN THAT! Well, what's for lunch?' etc.
We gotta get ya on the serious ROAD TO RECOVERY and ASAP! We really need you here super person! Sooo...
Pm about biopsies to you.
Best of Best! - j

Well, tomorrow is the day gang!

Hubby will call Billye sometime later tomorrow and let her know what is going on so she can post something.

Wish me luck!!!
Cathie

let's see
 

Your right and it will be peachy king,gotta be we insist. Now nobody
look i got to give a kiss SMOOCH,there that should make you run to
the hospital..Your the best and we all PN and others in NT have our
bodies cross. But we don't need to cus,your going to brezze right
through this sweetie , This is not yesterday this is today,with means
all new technologies,and all new Iodine crap,so no worries. I will do
it all for everyone...I just plain love you,and we be looking for Billeye
to let us know,your just fine...Well they must with Hawaii,start thinking.
Wouldn't be weird if they found your wedding ring in there. Pm if you
need.:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Hugs Sue

Good luck Cathie - my prayers and thoughts are with you. I feel sure all will be OK, after all you have some of the best guys in charge of you and you have that strength :)

I will look out for all the news.

God Bless

Tony

If I'd not already 'trimmed'
 

my fingernails...so they'd only feel ONE size too small, I'd be a biting them down for sure?
Will be keeping an eye out for 'reports' as they come! Just imagine that I and others are [like I'd said to Billye about going to Mayo?] A bunch of 'balloons' hovering over you, going ...why? what the? Wha about? Always by your side, bouncing, bobbing and plain old being there!
Beside! I simply WANNA KNOW?

Soft, comfy pain-free hugs long-distance to keep ya warm when needed and air-conditioned when same.... I JUST WANNA KNOW YOU ARE OK AFTER?

Or, put another way: THIS WASN'T THE VACATION I WANTED?????

Good person [a real and solid one to boot], well, get on with it and than deal with the aftermath as cooly as you are cool.
Yeah it may hurt, maybe a bunch, but at least it's the surgery 'hurts' that kind of go away?. AND one more 'thing' off the list!

Special thoughts - j

Best Wishes Cathie!
 

I hope all goes well tomorrow so you'll be much better soon! I'll ring the chimes, rattle the beads and burn the incense for you! :)

Very best of wishes to you, Cathie; it's been a long wait to get to the point of decision, and I hope you regain your strength very quickly after this is completed.

Only the best....

Good luck with your surgery today Cathie!

Attachment 1631(((((cathie)))))

i can't beleive i missed this thread!:eek: been a rough few months for me, but no excuse for being a bad friend. :(

my thoughts and prayers are with you cathie. if you need anything or somebody to come help or just company, i'm a phone call and 20 minutes away. :hug:


ps billye....if you want..i can pm you my numbers.

And, Cathie--
 

--once you're back you will have the diminutive canines to commiserate with; they never get tired of hearing the stories.

Crossing my fingers, toes, eyes, and the few hairs I have left on my scalp.

So many hugs and thoughts. You will be in my thoughts all day and of course for recovery. I'm just a phone call or email away.

To Cathie and Courious
 

Good luck Cathie, I'll be thinking aboutcha all day!!!:)

If we aren't here please ask your husband to leave me a no. or a message on my answering machine. I expect to be here tho.

Courious..Thanks for the offer of the PM no's. It might be a good idea.

Billye