After more tests and an MDT meeting I feel like everything that has been going on is slowly coming together now ready for my operation on the 17th.
Last week I had an ultrasound on my thyroid as, up to this point I had never had a scan or anyone look at it in detail. The doctor who scanned me was really thorough and took her time to explain everything to me. She showed me that the cancer was within the left hand side of my thyroid, as well as in 2 further lymphnodes. These are both located quite near my thyroid. She then gave me the bad news....I needed have guided biopsies on them. Whilst I understand the need to determine that the cancerous cells all stem from my thyroid, it didn't really make the propect of having needles in my neck any better!!
I left the ultrasound room with 4 lovely puncture holes and a very bruised neck. I knew that I would have to wait now as the MDT meeting was on Thursday and there was nothing more to think about in the mean time.
My consultant phoned me today to fill me in on all the details. I now need more scans...a ct scan and now another ultrasound as the mri I had back in July has indicated that there are cancerous cells in my parotid (salivary) gland. This is where my initial diagnosis of a salivary gland tumour is now starting to make sense. I was always confused as to why that has never been mentioned once since my preop as the focus shifted to my thyroid after my operation and biopsy. Obviously there was something there but when they first opened up my neck and discovered the enlarged lymph node this was removed.
The good thing is that after my ultrasound and ct scan which are scheduled on Wednesday I then have a few days to just focus on spending quality time with my kids and family before the operation 5 days later. I'll be so glad once that operation is over with. The sooner they can 'get this cancer out of my body' the better....
