A Wonderful Person-Lets Open our Hearts

[Laura Lee]

I went to the thyroid surgeons today as you know.  Came home not feeling well.  He had to spray stuff into my nose and throat so he could slide a camera down to my voice box from my nose.  That stuff, plus the medication that i took for the anxiety and all the collected information I received regarding what's going on made me very nauseous.  Then I had to drive up to the hospital that I had my CAT Csans done and pick up the images and reports for both surgeons to review (they want to review the chest lymph nodes in the film).   The surgeon I saw today is going to call the thoracic surgeon and organize the plan.  The plan thus far (as explained to me by this surgeon) is that he will go in through a 6" slice in the fold of my neck and remove the thyroid and lymph nodes in my neck and send them off to the lab for testing (this will decipher how much radioactive treatment I will need after the surgery).  He explained the risks of damaging my parathyroid glands (if damaged I would be on high dosages of calcium for the rest of my life..not that bad) and the nerves in my neck that control your voice, swallowing and breathing.  He also explained  the risk of coming out with a tracheotomy if the nerves are torn or cut which can happen (niiiiiice  ).  He then said after the removal of the thyroid and lymph nodes in my neck, the thoracic surgeon would then go through his opening and down behind my breast bone to collect some lymph nodes from my chest for the biopsy.  If there are any complications from that (say the surgeon can get to the nodes, or he does get to them and they come back from the lab and show cancer) my chest would need to be cut open, but is hoping it won't be the case.   

So, as it stands right now, this surgeon wants to do this asap, so he's calling the thoracic today.  I will see the thoracic on Thursday and will most likely he will tell me (after speaking with the surgeon I saw today) what day I'm going in. 

Needless to say, I am a nervous wreck and not thinking very well.   So please excuse me for any typos or if something doesn't make any sense.  I just want this to be done and over and everything good again.  

Thanks everybody for all your prayers, well wishes and support.  They really do help.  And I truly appreciate you all.   

[Butterbean]

will continue.  love you 

[CQ]

.

[Quickerblade]

I know it sound cliched and all but were rooting for you, 'rooting' means Sex in australia, i mean it in American terms.

[newmom]

Laura
Me and Jacks are thinking of ya. Get well soon and we know your gonna be alright

Mike, you better be keeping that house clean and making sure Laura wants for nothing

[Quickerblade]

Mike, you better be keeping that house clean and making sure Laura wants for nothing

yeah Mike..

[ripitupbaby]

Laura
Me and Jacks are thinking of ya. Get well soon and we know your gonna be alright

Mike, you better be keeping that house clean and making sure Laura wants for nothing

Yeah!   

[Laura Lee]

He's rubbing my feet as we speak....er I mean type.   





Surgery is set for August 12. There will be both the ENT surgeon and Thoracic surgeon doing the surgery.  Next week will be filled with pre-op testing, mri on thyroid and final doctor visits.

[Mr. Zimbabwe]

Awe, Laura.... sorry to hear that so much still lies ahead for you on this.

But I will continue to Pray for you.  Tell Mike to keep rubbing those feet!

Grant.

[~weed~]

He's rubbing my feet as we speak....er I mean type.   





Surgery is set for August 12. There will be both the ENT surgeon and Thoracic surgeon doing the surgery.  Next week will be filled with pre-op testing, mri on thyroid and final doctor visits.

  Laura Lovely!!  You know you are in my thoughts and I told you before you kick ass so I know you will be kicking whatever ass comes your way!!

  Do you know that approx time on the 12th so everyone can send good vibes/prayers/juju dweetir your way?

[Laura Lee]

  Laura Lovely!!  You know you are in my thoughts and I told you before you kick ass so I know you will be kicking whatever ass comes your way!!

  Do you know that approx time on the 12th so everyone can send good vibes/prayers/juju dweetir your way?

Thanks Amy.   

I don't but I'm thinking it will probably be in the morning.

[jwb]

I had a big thyroid tumor years ago that turned out to be okay - lost half my thyroid gland though.

She SHOULD be ok. Most of these ones turn out ok.

One thing though... you'll wake up with the sorest neck after the surgery. they throw your head back a long way during the surgery.

[blinky]

im so sorry to hear this Luara. i will pray for you tonight when i go to bed and will be the day of your surgery.
stay positive girl and you know your getbig family is behind you!! 

[Laura Lee]

I had a big thyroid tumor years ago that turned out to be okay - lost half my thyroid gland though.

She SHOULD be ok. Most of these ones turn out ok.

One thing though... you'll wake up with the sorest neck after the surgery. they throw your head back a long way during the surgery.

Thanks jwb.  Unfortunately we already know my thyroid has cancer, they will be taking the whole thing out along with the lymph nodes in my neck.  The big question or scare is whether is has traveled into the lymph nodes in my chest.  If it was contained in my neck then everything should be fine, if not...well, I don't want to really think about it.   






And Thanks blinky!     I like that..."getbig family"   

[michael arvilla]

There are a lotta great/good people on here!


(who woulda thunk?)

[benz]

All the charity goes straight to mike arvilla's budweiser weekly fund 

j/k 

[Laura Lee]

I want to thank Jedi    for thinking enough about me to join up with 240 and create the donation plug for me.

I'm sure in the process they didn't realize the outcome would be greater to me than it is.  Although no one has actually donated, lol, which is fine by me...I explained to Jedi that I really didn't need any money, the posts in this thread and the one on the G&O board mean so much more to me than anything.  Each post opens my heart and gives me that much more strength (even with a tear in my eye) to not let this disease get the best of me and keep on fighting.  And although the thought of the surgery scares the crap outta me, the support of all you people who I've come to look forward to playing with online each day...my getbig family...helps ease my mind as the day gets closer.

Thank you all...   

[ripitupbaby]

Jedi's a sweetheart!   

[CQ]

Hope all is well

[24KT]

Wow, Laura keep fighting the good fight.

Hope you get through your surgery ok.

[Havenbull]

keep an open mind to alternative cancer therapies.
I have not kept up with alternative cancer therapies , but I know the gerson therapy has been very successfull for many incurable forms that western medicine gave no hope for.

If I recall correctly ,the base of the therapy is built around rebuilding the liver which takes 18 months to complete.


http://www.gerson.org/g_therapy/default.asp

http://www.gerson.org/
http://www.gerson.org/videos/default.asp

You recommend coffee enemas??.      you must be joking

[kimura]

I am so very sorry.  I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma (stage III), so I understand how you feel.  Be strong and believe that you will be healed. 

[Laura Lee]

I am so very sorry.  I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma (stage III), so I understand how you feel.  Be strong and believe that you will be healed. 

My uncle had that, stage IV along with melanoma and something else.  When he was diagnosed, it was too late.  He passed shortly after diagnosis (they had to do some other surgery on him prior to them knowing about the cancer and when they opened him up they saw it...that was how bad it was...they stopped the surgery right then and closed him up.  There was nothing they could do, he was riddled with it.)   His sister...my mother, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 2 and 1/2 years ago, was given 6-8 months and only survived 4.  The last sibling...my aunt, was diagnosed with breast cancer 4 months after my mother had passed, received a massectamy, then found it had traveled to her brain.  She is still battling it.  The tumors have shrunk with chemo, but they are still working on them.  Seems like my mother's side of the family has had a lot of cancers,  all different though which is weird.   

[Butterbean]

Cancer is a bastard



Laura, have some nice wine etc this weekend....and go out for a nice dinner with Mike (or Rocky )!

[Laura Lee]

Cancer is a bastard



Laura, have some nice wine etc this weekend....and go out for a nice dinner with Mike (or Rocky )!

No wine 14 days before surgery.    But yeah, I want some good solid fatty food.  I'll be eating ummm drinking nothing but shakes for a while after the surgery.