Last week (22/9/16) I had a follow up appointment with my consultant following an operation to remove what I thought was a salivary gland tumour which has been biopsied and was benign. I dropped my kids off and went to the meeting with no thought for the news that lay ahead of me.
After my surgery (6/9/16) my consultant had said "it wasn't we thought" about the mass they had removed from my neck. Despite him telling me this, as I had had it biopsied under ultrasound I assumed that all I was going for was to be told what they removed from my neck. Everyone at work knew where I was going... friends did.... as although there was a slight chance it was something 'more sinister' I certainly wasn't assuming this would be the case for me.
When we got to the appointment there was a nurse in the room. Immediately alarm bells rang in my head... I later found out that she was the macmillan cancer nurse and that she would be the most helpful, caring person I have encountered! The doctor explained the surgery to my husband, who he hadn't met, and said that what they had removed was actually a lymph node between my salivary glands. Then he broke the shocking news. The lymph node contained cancer cells and in particular papillary thyroid cancer cells.
Over the last 3 years my mum, auntie and dad have all been diagnosed with different types of cancer. After being told that I too had the 'c' word I wanted to know what this meant. My consultant was very positive and explained about the cancer and the nature of it... it was curable... we weren't looking at a life limiting condition... but in my head was a sea of emotion. What next? Why hadn't it been picked up already? What does this all mean?
I had previously had an mri scan on my head and neck and not one person had mentioned my thyroid. I had a biopsy on the lump which I was told was benign. I had full bloods done in November and my thyroid function was normal. It all seemed hard to believe.... but facts were facts. This final biopsy was the conclusive one.
Next steps are another ultrasound which will happen in a few days. Then an mdt discussion next week followed by surgery on the 17/10/16. It all still feels like my head is swimming in this sea of medical terms, and uncertainties. I'm keeping afloat and my head high but my legs are kicking like mad. Once I have had my ultrasound I suppose I will know more.
