All Journal Entries
Journals
Aug 13, 2009 11:04PM
- 3 comments
Tags:
Tags:
Finally found the ultrasound results from my thyroid ultrasound which led to the beginning of the thyroid cancer family saga (there was a 5mm area of papillary carcinoma in one of the nodules).
Luckily I was able to watch the ultrasound while the technician was performing it and was able to see the nodules. The nodule which ended up containing the cancer looked very irregular and I could see the solid areas, jagged edges, and irregular shapes. That is where the "bad gut feeling" kicked in and I went straight to a surgeon.
My results after surgery:
Stage I papillary carcinoma - right lobe removed '03, left lobe removed (benign) '04, recurrence and RAI '06
- Two months after my diagnosis my youngest sister was in a mild car accident and a nodule was found on a chest x-ray. She had a biopsy which was negative but opted for TT anyway. She had Stage II papillary carcinoma (she is included in the count below). After that, the other 3 sisters had thyroid ultrasounds as did my two children. One other sister opted for a biopsy, which was negative, she too had papillary carcinoma which was found after TT. (Yes, the family was 0 for 2 with the biopsies finding cancer)
Here are the surgeries for the rest of the family:
-three sisters with papillary carcinoma (all complete TTs in '04). Youngest sister had three recurrences and three doses of RAI. Her cancer metastasised to breasts and liver. Today she is 100% cured.
-other sister and my teenager (16 years old) daughter also had TTs in '04 - both had atypical (precancerous) nodules
-my son is still 100% nodule free (yipee!!!) but is checked every year
******************************************************************************
THYROID ULTRASOUND: Examination dated 10/22/03.
HISTORY: Evaluate nodule.
FINDINGS: The right lobe of the thyroid measures about 5.1 cm in maximal length and about 1.3 x 1.5 cm transverse. The left lobe measures about 4.6 cm craniocaudal and about 1.3 x 1.3 cm transverse. The left lobe has diffuse regular normal homogeneous echogenicity. The isthmus is also normal. The right lobe, however, has 3 complex oval cystic areas in the mid and lower lateral right lobe. The larger two measure about 1.2 and 1.0 cm each craniocaudal and 1.0 x 0.6 transverse is the largest transverse measurement.
RADIOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS:
1. Mild thyroid asymmetry with the right lobe slightly larger than the left.
2. Three predominantly cystic complex nodules in the mid and lower right lobe of the thyroid with the largest measurement being 1.0 x 1.2 x 0.6 cm.
Luckily I was able to watch the ultrasound while the technician was performing it and was able to see the nodules. The nodule which ended up containing the cancer looked very irregular and I could see the solid areas, jagged edges, and irregular shapes. That is where the "bad gut feeling" kicked in and I went straight to a surgeon.
My results after surgery:
Stage I papillary carcinoma - right lobe removed '03, left lobe removed (benign) '04, recurrence and RAI '06
- Two months after my diagnosis my youngest sister was in a mild car accident and a nodule was found on a chest x-ray. She had a biopsy which was negative but opted for TT anyway. She had Stage II papillary carcinoma (she is included in the count below). After that, the other 3 sisters had thyroid ultrasounds as did my two children. One other sister opted for a biopsy, which was negative, she too had papillary carcinoma which was found after TT. (Yes, the family was 0 for 2 with the biopsies finding cancer)
Here are the surgeries for the rest of the family:
-three sisters with papillary carcinoma (all complete TTs in '04). Youngest sister had three recurrences and three doses of RAI. Her cancer metastasised to breasts and liver. Today she is 100% cured.
-other sister and my teenager (16 years old) daughter also had TTs in '04 - both had atypical (precancerous) nodules
-my son is still 100% nodule free (yipee!!!) but is checked every year
******************************************************************************
THYROID ULTRASOUND: Examination dated 10/22/03.
HISTORY: Evaluate nodule.
FINDINGS: The right lobe of the thyroid measures about 5.1 cm in maximal length and about 1.3 x 1.5 cm transverse. The left lobe measures about 4.6 cm craniocaudal and about 1.3 x 1.3 cm transverse. The left lobe has diffuse regular normal homogeneous echogenicity. The isthmus is also normal. The right lobe, however, has 3 complex oval cystic areas in the mid and lower lateral right lobe. The larger two measure about 1.2 and 1.0 cm each craniocaudal and 1.0 x 0.6 transverse is the largest transverse measurement.
RADIOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS:
1. Mild thyroid asymmetry with the right lobe slightly larger than the left.
2. Three predominantly cystic complex nodules in the mid and lower right lobe of the thyroid with the largest measurement being 1.0 x 1.2 x 0.6 cm.
Jun 18, 2009 12:38AM
- 3 comments
New liver labs: abnormal (high) Alk Phos, Alb, Cl - need to call GI (looks like bile duct is scarring closed again) :-(
Apr 25, 2009 09:42PM
- 5 comments
I have been so sick, and, yes, I'm still in the hospital. I can't respond to everyone so I'm going to post here what happened then, when I'm released from the hospital and feeling a little better next week, I will respond to everyone personally.
As some of you know I have *a lot* wrong with me. I have pretty bad IBS and some days it is so bad that I have to take muscle relaxants or put a heating pad on my abdomen a lay down until the bowels "unkink". Monday I was having that type of pain with my bowels but it wouldn't stop. I figured it was stress so I took a pain pill and pushed on. I started vomiting nearly non-stop but that's pretty common for me too.
Tuesday same pain. Took another pain pill, pushed through the pain and vomiting - drank a lot of water and dealt with my 4-hour meeting. About 2:00 in the afternoon my fiance asked if I was ready to grab some lunch, I had to pull the car over to vomit and I said that I really felt I needed to go to the ER (I *never* go to the ER so this is a biggie for me)
The labs were all normal and I was tender on the right lower quadrant of my abdomen but not extremely. They didn't think it was an appendicitis but pulled up my medical history and decided to to a CT scan, just to be safe. Here's the results:
*******************************************************************************
Stomach and small bowel appear normal. There appears to the
interval displacement of the cecum across the midline into the
left lower quadrant. Appendix appears normal. Cecum is mildly
prominent and there is focal narrowing of a more distal segment
of the cecum leading up to the ascending colon. Additionally,
there appears to be mild twisting of the cecal mesentery. There
is stool in the distal colon.
Bladder, uterus, adnexae appear normal.
No pathologically enlarged nodes identified. Vasculature appears
normal. No evidence of aggressive osseous lesion.
Impression:
1. Mild twisting of the cecal mesentery with leftward
displacement of the cecum across the midline and mild prominence
of the proximal cecum with focal narrowing of the more distal
cecum leading to the ascending colon. This could indicate cecal
bascule or volvulus, likely early or partially obstructive due to
the presence of stool in the more distal colon.
2. Normal appearance of the appendix.
**********************************************************************************************
The ER doctor sent in the trauma surgeon who explained that my right colon (including appendix) had twisted itself over and was now on the left side of my abdomen! They put me into a room, ran a bunch of labs, and three hours later in was in emergency surgery having 12 inches of my large intestine removed (and 6 inches of my small intestine). They said that there is another large area of my large intestine that looks like it kinks up on a regular basis - I pointed to the area on my left side on the descending colon and the surgeon said, yes, that's it - it must hurt. (duh!) He said they were going to take it out too but were worried that taking out that amount of colon all at once would have ensured I would be wearing a colostomy bag forever. They decided to leave that area for now since it hadn't kinked off and started to die and just deal with the critical part.
So, I'll be here at least until Tuesday or Wednesday on pain meds, trying to get my digestive system to figure out how to work again.
Talk about a sucker punch out of no where!!!
Okay, I'm exhausted and in a lot of pain but I wanted to fill you all in, sent lots of HUGS, and thank all of you for the warm wishes. You are the best!!
HUGS
Utah
As some of you know I have *a lot* wrong with me. I have pretty bad IBS and some days it is so bad that I have to take muscle relaxants or put a heating pad on my abdomen a lay down until the bowels "unkink". Monday I was having that type of pain with my bowels but it wouldn't stop. I figured it was stress so I took a pain pill and pushed on. I started vomiting nearly non-stop but that's pretty common for me too.
Tuesday same pain. Took another pain pill, pushed through the pain and vomiting - drank a lot of water and dealt with my 4-hour meeting. About 2:00 in the afternoon my fiance asked if I was ready to grab some lunch, I had to pull the car over to vomit and I said that I really felt I needed to go to the ER (I *never* go to the ER so this is a biggie for me)
The labs were all normal and I was tender on the right lower quadrant of my abdomen but not extremely. They didn't think it was an appendicitis but pulled up my medical history and decided to to a CT scan, just to be safe. Here's the results:
*******************************************************************************
Stomach and small bowel appear normal. There appears to the
interval displacement of the cecum across the midline into the
left lower quadrant. Appendix appears normal. Cecum is mildly
prominent and there is focal narrowing of a more distal segment
of the cecum leading up to the ascending colon. Additionally,
there appears to be mild twisting of the cecal mesentery. There
is stool in the distal colon.
Bladder, uterus, adnexae appear normal.
No pathologically enlarged nodes identified. Vasculature appears
normal. No evidence of aggressive osseous lesion.
Impression:
1. Mild twisting of the cecal mesentery with leftward
displacement of the cecum across the midline and mild prominence
of the proximal cecum with focal narrowing of the more distal
cecum leading to the ascending colon. This could indicate cecal
bascule or volvulus, likely early or partially obstructive due to
the presence of stool in the more distal colon.
2. Normal appearance of the appendix.
**********************************************************************************************
The ER doctor sent in the trauma surgeon who explained that my right colon (including appendix) had twisted itself over and was now on the left side of my abdomen! They put me into a room, ran a bunch of labs, and three hours later in was in emergency surgery having 12 inches of my large intestine removed (and 6 inches of my small intestine). They said that there is another large area of my large intestine that looks like it kinks up on a regular basis - I pointed to the area on my left side on the descending colon and the surgeon said, yes, that's it - it must hurt. (duh!) He said they were going to take it out too but were worried that taking out that amount of colon all at once would have ensured I would be wearing a colostomy bag forever. They decided to leave that area for now since it hadn't kinked off and started to die and just deal with the critical part.
So, I'll be here at least until Tuesday or Wednesday on pain meds, trying to get my digestive system to figure out how to work again.
Talk about a sucker punch out of no where!!!
Okay, I'm exhausted and in a lot of pain but I wanted to fill you all in, sent lots of HUGS, and thank all of you for the warm wishes. You are the best!!
HUGS
Utah
