I am a newbie here and I really appreciate any input you have!! I am a 54 yr old woman (don't know if that matters) and so far my thyroid blood work has been okay...even after the subtotal.
As you read my progression you will see I have a subtotal thyroidectomy on 10/21/08 and am scheduled to have the rest taken out on 11/18/08 and I am kinda overwelmed.
I have so many questions, but I can't hold a thought to save my life. I am scheduled for a pre-op soon and am trying to get a list of questions for the doctor. It is a shame that we have to be so pro-active (is that the word I want?) in our own health care.
Any suggestions of things I need to do??
This is the progression of my thyroid issues so far:
10/21/08 Right subtotal thyroidectomy with recurrent nerve dissection and Stryker drain placed and secured. Frozen section. (I think they took out 1 parathyroid also) Found possible Papillary Carcinoma. ..small tumor sent to Pittsburgh for testing (could take 2 weeks). Surgery took longer, benign tumor ok. Left side looks ok. Normally when the find a larger papillary tumor, they take out the whole thyroid; he said it is so small that it may not be a problem…need biopsy report before determining next step. Said not to worry, if there is cancerous cells it is the most non-aggressive, may need a small dose of radiation. Will take tube out at 7am and get ready to discharge. Things didn’t go so well this time, nurse missed vein and hit a nerve or something….hurt like hell. Stryker drain came dislodged in ICU…when Renee removed it, stuff (blood?) went all over…down back and down front.
When I got up to go to bathroom, I felt something was wrong…it hurt, whereas it didn’t before getting up. Told nurse, but she insisted that it was the bandaging, and said not to worry about it..
10/28/08: physician assistant –Post-op. Removed staples (10) and said no restrictions.
I went home and vacuumed and pounded nails---TOO Much!!! Incision opened in middle. (Doctors don’t understand that when they tell me ‘no restrictions’ that I take them literally !) OOPS.
10/30/08: Coughing jags. Incision opened more and yellowish stuff coming out. Cleaned and put steri-strips on, continued oozing. Pic of incision 2 weeks old.
11/03/08: ERMC for thyroid hormone blood work. Incision still oozing Renee wants to see it. Went to office and she said my body was rejecting the inside stitches. Gave injection of anti-biotics and a RX for another. When getting it refilled pharmacist said it would inter with Cymbalta and needed another kind. Received Amoxicillin.
11/07/08: Renee called and said that the biopsy showed that I have Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and will need to have the rest of my thyroid removed. Scheduled for 11/18.