September 13, 2011 I received a call from my physicians office stating that my thyroid biopsy results came back "COLD" (which I know now means cancerous.) I have papillary carcinoma in my thyroid and possibly in the left lymph node. Whatever she said afterwards sounded like the teacher on the Charlie Brown specials, "wah wah wah wah wah." I heard "surgery", "radioactive iodine treatment", "cannot be around Thomas for almost a week because I would be "toxic." My head was spinning. I happened to answer the phone in bed. When I hung up I buried my face under the covers and burst into tears. How can I have cancer at 36. I eat pretty well, I get plenty of exercise. I have a two-year-old for heaven's sake. He is certainly not going to understand Mommy's "ouchie neck." Let alone that Mommy won't be able to sing or talk very well for a few weeks.
I cried. Carter held me. I cried. He held me tighter. I cried some more. For the next few days I was in a fog, didn't pray, didn't talk much, didn't even acknowledge the fact that I would have to make a decision regarding treatment pretty quickly as this carcinoma has been known to spread quite aggressively. Things like Wills, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Advanced Directive, Do Not Resuscitate kept swimming through my mind. We don't have any of those and really had never given them much thought.
I have now come to grips with the acceptance of knowing, yes, I have cancer but with God's abundant grace and my phenomenal surgeon, the cancer won't have me much longer! Please remember to always check your neck, thyroid carcinoma is one of the fastest growing cancers among women in the United States. Each year 350,000 people will be diagnosed with this disease far surpassing breast cancer yet it still is "the forgotten cancer." Do it for you, your loved ones, and friends. Thanks For Listening!
Love, Susan
