I HAVE CANCER!!!!!!!!!! Help!!! Please help!

[Reese120]

I just got the call from the surgeon, it is pap cancer.  I am a mess.  I have to go back in on Friday and have this surgery again.  I am so scared!!!!!  I have 3 little kids, 5, 9 and 12.  Oh, I am a mess.

Please tell me positives stories.  Please.

[Thypatient]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this.

Obviously, you have a lot to take in but I hope you can find some comfort in knowing that we, here, will be with you as you go through this.  I also hope you can find some comfort in the stories and strength that are here.

May my most uplifting thoughts be with you.  Peace.

[ChitChatNine]

When you see the Dr., pls. ask him if these are different tumors they found or the same one that was biopsied frozen as benign.

C

[rellyrooly]

I wish you luck...

I am glad you are getting support from others here...at least someone is....

[Autumnx1003]

I'm so sorry to hear your diagnosis, and my heart truly goes out to you :(  You are in my prayers, and like everyone above has said, when--not if---but when you get through this, you will be a stronger person :)

[utahmomma]

Hi, welcome to the papillary carcinoma family!

First of all, you won't die from this.  There is a very effective, very targeted treatment for papillary carcinoma after your surgery.  You won't need chemotherapy or that radiation that you associate with *other* cancer patients.  You won't go bald or have to have IVs stuck in your arm a couple times a week and end up puking your guts up the rest of the time.

After thyroid surgery to remove the entire thyroid you will be off medication for a month or so and on a low iodine diet (your hospital will give you that diet or we can give you a link here too).  When your body has flushed out all of the iodine they will give you what we call RAI (radioactive iodine or I-131).  The thyroid (and thyroid cancer) absorbs iodine so it is very effective to radiate iodine - then the thyroid and thyroid cancer tissues absorb it (kind of like an ant taking ant poison back to the colony and wiping out the entire thing).

There will be radiation precautions you will have to do for a week or so after (like staying so far away from your kids, sleeping alone, not sharing utensils, etc.).  Don't worry, we'll help you through it all.

Papillary carcinoma has about a 90% cure rate!!!!!  Compare that to any other form of cancer - pretty impressive!  That's because of the RAI treatment and how slow growing papillary carcinoma is.  Here's some info:  http://www.endocrineweb.com/capap.html

We'll get you through it.  Hey, I had two surgeries and there are others out here who have too.  The second surgery is actually easier than the first.

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03, second surgery '04
three sisters with papillary carcinoma; another sister with precancer; and daughter with precancer

[MJ13]

I am a 2-yr papillary thyca survivor.  You've been through the hard part...going through the unknown.  Since you have already been through one surgery you know what to expect.  No, surgery is ever easy but you will get through this.  The survival rate for papillary thyca is extremely in our favor.  

You doctor will probably want to have you go through radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) to make sure any remaining thyroid cells are killed off.  It's almost impossible to get all thyroid cells no matter how skilled the surgeon is.  That's why many thyca patients go through RAI.  The hardest part of this is having to go hypothyroid before RAI.  You will have to go on a low-iodine diet, which can be a challenge, but is doable You can find the low-iodine cookbook at http://www.thyca.org/ThyCa%20Cookbook%20011804.pdf.

Bottom line is you WILL survive!!!! We are all here for you.  I know you will have tons of questions.  Just ask away.

MJ