Monday, April 22, 2013

Thyroid Update & Happy Earth Day

Happy Monday everyone,

This morning before work I went to have my post surgery follow-up. I arrived and waited in the waiting room for a few minutes (during this time I obsessively watched the puffer fish swim back and forth...it was very memorizing). My name was called by the nurse and I went back to the exam room.

In came the nurse practitioner. She is great and I enjoy her personality and she makes you feel like a long lost friend, in short she is awesome. She asked me question about pain, fatigue, and look at the wound and said it looked great. However not all the news was good. She told me that the biopsy results came back and the 1.1 cm nodule that was on the left lobe of my thyroid was in deed cancerous.

The cancer is called papillary thyroid cancer and it is the most common thyroid cancer. It is most common in women (this must be a result of growing up with only sisters...I knew having a brother would have been beneficial). It is also the predominant cancer type in children with thyroid cancer, and in patients with thyroid cancer who have had previous radiation to the head and neck. This makes sense because I have had radiation to the chest on two different occasions.

So that is the update. I guess you could say I have a case of the Mondays. I have now been told I have cancer 4 different times and now my first cancer diagnosis (Ewing Sarcoma) will not have to go through life all alone. It will have a friend to keep in company!

I wanted to thank everyone for your positive vibes, thoughts, and prayers for me over the last week. It means a lot and I felt all the positive energy. Thanks to everyone who sent me words of encouragement through phone calls, visits, texts, and Facebook messages (especially Chad and Ian).




Lastly, Happy Earth Day to you All!

Also here is my thyroid surgery/cancer theme song...just wanted to share it again! It can also be your I have a case of the Mondays theme song...because You'll be Okay!




7 comments:

Alex said...

Dave, you really amaze me. You are so brave. Just stay positive. You are such a beautiful spirit.

Caroline said...

I'm glad the healing went well. That stupid little lump is just a pesky complication. Big hugs to you and stay strong.

Sarah said...

Ah man! That stinks. But welcome to the hypothyroid club taking Synthroid! I'm one of them too. :-)

Nik said...

Dude you are so tough! Does this mean you need chemo again?

Liz said...

I miss you Dave Chalk.

Silvija said...

Hi Dave, It has been a while since we had that great dinner together 2 years ago. Wish we were closer so we could do it again!

Our hearts ache for you and this news you have faced four times. I suppose this means removing the thyroid, or is it more complicated than that?

We will keep you in our prayers, again,

Silvija and Ron

Aimee said...

I'm sorry about the news Dave. You are always such an inspiration to me as I deal with health malfunctions. Keep on truckin.