Hey Everyone 
.
My name is Jena and I'm 27(soon to be 28) and I wanted to share my journey with you guys.
I'd love to hear from others on a similar journey to me and for people to share their stories and advice to help us all through.
In June 2014 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, the next few months until surgery on 1st September were full of appointments, scans, blood tests and meetings with DRs. It felt like a whirlwind and to be honest I don't think I realised what was happening to me.
I continued on with life in a robot like fashion and it wasn't until I woke up from surgery that it seemed to sink in.
When my surgeon(who was an amazing guy) came to speak to me the next day he let me know the cancer wasn't contained only to the thyroid it had spread into the lynphnodes in my neck and he thought it had been there for at least 4-5 years and I hadn't known. How could I not have known?!
I didn't know because all the symptoms I had been having I had put down to anxiety/panic attacks and even sometimes slight depression!
My stay in hospital wasn't the best and I struggled to cope being alone at nights. I didn't sleep much and I was in so much pain. I guess I didn't expect it to be easy but I didn't think it would have been that hard. I also had a calcium deficiency which meant a day in High Dependancy on a calcium drip. I got home from hospital 3 days later with a lovely stapled necklace that had to stay in for another week.
When I got home I tried to get back to 'normal' as quickly as I could... I went back to work far too quickly. I started going back to the gym far too quickly and I tried as hard as I could to block everything out!
I hated looking in the mirror at this huge scar I had from behind my right ear, down and along my neck to almost under my left ear. In all the pictures you see people have a tiny little line in the middle of their neck and I had this? Later to find out I have a skin condition called keloids and my scar will always look this way.
In December 2014 I had RAI, this seemed so easy and it was. I swallowed a tablet, stayed in isolation for 1 night and then the next day I got home. I had precautions to take but these were easy and luckily I had no side effects from it !
This was a massive positive step for me and I was so happy that my journey would soon be at an end.
However in June 2015 I received an appointment from the hospital to go for a scan? I called to ask why and this was on the back of my most recent blood test... My throglobulin levels had been on the up and they didn't know why. After a few months of blood test, scans and appointments I was told it was fine and they would check again in 3 months?
I didn't think this was right so had asked for my scan to be looked at elsewhere and luckily enough I did as they found the metastatic spread into lymphnodes on my chest.
In October 2015 I was admitted into cardiotherasics at the Royal in Edinburgh for a mini sternotomy on my chest to remove these Lymphnodes.
And that's where I'm at.... Im recovering at home from this surgery, it's taking a lot longer than last time as I had my breast bone broken and am limited to what I can do.
I'm awaiting a further treatment plan at the moment.
This time around I'm making an effort to deal with my feelings and emotions so that I can start to move on.
I've been seeing a psychologist who thinks I have an adjustment disorder along with mild PTSD. I am really lucky to have a huge support around me with amazing family and friends.
Starting this blog and sharing my journey with others is a huge step forward for me and I hope you take the time to read this and share your stories as well.
Thanks
Jena
