Letter from the Hospital to Doctor

Hi Petal,
So sorry to hear that letter has made you anxious. Understandably so if it says you’re at high risk of a tracheostomy! I felt exactly the same when I was told the same thing in one of my appointments with my consultant. I had felt like I was coping until they mentioned the risk of ending up with a tracheostomy. It was actually what made me decide to go for the hemi thyroidectomy instead of the full, as I was happy to take the risk of having surgery twice than having the one surgery and risk waking up with a tracheostomy. Is that an option for you? 
If it’s not then from what I understood, the risk of the tracheostomy is small (even if one side of your vocal cord is damaged) as your surgeon should be able to perform the op without damaging the other nerve. However it’s a risk they need to make everyone undergoing a thyoidectomy aware of and esp if you already have damage to one nerve.
Hope it all goes ok for you! ️ 

Thank you @Blue Skies I am probably over reacting, I did when I had nasal polyps removed with 5 different operations when the complications were also worrying, and got through it ok.  I have been reading up about it today and have discovered some things I didn't know about, such as the paralysis of one side of my vocal cords has symptoms that I had always associated with my asthma, now I am wondering whether I have had this for years and just not known about it.  eg wheezing, exacerbated with certain chemicals, cleaners, setting lotion as I found out years ago after visiting the hairdressers, smoke, shouting, loud speaking, emotional stress, there is more but they are a list of things which have affected me.  Also heartburn and post nasal drip ( I suffer from that all the time as a result of nasal polyps).  These can all irritate and  contribute to VCD apparently.  So I am going to try and not worry about it as it is more important that I focus on getting rid of the cancer and a full TT has been suggested.  I received a phone call from a nurse yesterday asking if she could send me out package for blood test for Vit D level the week before my op on the 26th July.  That's the first I knew of the date as I haven't received a letter yet, well now I know when it will be and will probably get it this week.

Hi 

I have read a post on thyroid cancer forum few weeks ago and it was very similar to yours. The lady was told she has some problems with her throat and surgeon told her tracheostomy is on the agenda HOWEVER few days after she updated us on the outcome and she was fine and no need for tracheostomy at all. She was so happy about it. So I do think doctors need to make patients aware about all of the possible side effects but that doesn't mean all patients will get all of them. So it's best to stop worrying about something you cannot change. Take care.

Thanks @IsabellFel I know you are right and even if it is the case it is better than the alternative, I just need to get my head round things and feel the need to talk out my fears.  I am trying not to panic and to be sensible about it all, just not that easy at times.  Thanks for your reply it is much appreciated.

Its very standard for them to talk about all the possible scenarios before your op. I remember thinking, I really dont want this op as the possible side effects seemed so worrying. I had a radical neck dissection and total TT and had no issues at all and from talking to other patients at the hospital they all said the same thing, they were scared by what might happen after they heard the risks. I know its not easy but try not to focus on the very rare problems and focus on having your op and recovering. Before you know it, the op will be done and you will be home.

Hope so @berlinbaby and thank you for your reply.  I am also having a neck dissection as I have a lymph node which is also suspected to be cancerous, but was told I could have up to 100 lymph nodes removed.  Doesn't help that I have two nodes in my lung/s as well which is also worrying as I suffer from asthma as well, which is generally under control.  It takes some getting your head round it all doesn't it.  Pleased to hear you had no issues which is reassuring and I can totally understand that everyone facing this is going to have the same fears as I am having.  I am counting down the days now as I just want to stop feeling this anxiety about it all.

Anyone that knows me would tell you that I am down to earth practical person. I do believe in science and that doctors have power to make me healthy again. And yet I have times that I am almost in state of panic as I am so scared that all will not be fine. I have a screenshot from a page about thyroid cancer that says it is highly curable and rarely deadly (even if spread to lymph nodes) and I am looking at it when I feel scared. I also had a neck dissection and 50 nodes removed with my thyroid. As to your lungs: I saw few posts on a thyroid cancer Facebook group and there are people there that live happy life for years with some spread to lungs as it is well controlled. For now there is no reason to believe you will be different. It's amazing how good support you can find there and loads of answers from experienced survivors. Hope that helps.

I do understand, its a very tough time. I had about 60 lymph nodes removed with cancer in about 20 of them. Some of those nodes are tiny. Lots of people have this op and is very successful. And yes, there is a point where you just want it to be done so you can get on with your life. Take care and hope it all goes very well, am sure you will be fine

Thank you @berlinbaby.  I hadn't realised there were so many lymph nodes in your neck, did google previouisly and found there were approx 600 I believe all over the body, but was quite shocked when I read another person's message that they had had over 70 removed.  In their case there were only 3 if I remember rightly that proved to be cancerous.  As I could only feel one of mine which is quite near to my lump I assumed it would just be that one taken out.  We learn a lot through our experiences I guess.

Thank you @IsabellFel, I think I also am a person who tends to panic, staying rational is hard though isn't it.  I have joined a couple of FB groups, one seems to be American though, although quite active and lots of people chatting which is good.  The other is the BTF Cancer Group, which isn't very active.  Good to hear that people who have cancer in their lungs are surviving, I think that was the worse part of being told I had cancer was the mention of lungs.  I suppose being asthmatic it has always been on my mind that I could get it, and they have said it is only a small amount, then the letter mentioned 2 nodules, and I haven't had chance to clarify exactly what that means with anyone yet.  They said at my first appointment that the survival rate is somewhere between 96-98%, but then when I went online putting all the details I had been told about, eg size of tumour, whether it had spread and where to, my age (which is 66) the survival rate dropped to 63%.