DEAR THYROID^TM

Today’s Dear Thyroid letter, I Hate You, Thyroid Cancer, And Love Is Bigger Than Fear, written by Joanna Isbill was about fear and thyroid cancer, among other things. Her letter is beautiful. If you haven’t had an opportunity to read it, please do. Here’s an excerpt:  “You know what, thyroid cancer, I hate you, but I do not hate the person you’ve made me. Oh, I did at first. At first, the change you put me through was unbearable. I balked at it, but once I got a handle on the fear you tried to destroy me with, I learned to embrace the change.”

The sense of community with respect to comments was mindboggling. So many people expressed their fears and concerns, in addition to relating to Joanna’s letter. Though this was very sad, of course, outstanding support was provided.

Thank you to everyone!

Today’s comment…

Christina says:

Joanna, your letter left me in tears. Hopeful tears. I still don’t know if I have cancer but after 5 months of scans, biopsies, and consults with doctors and my recent total thyroidectomy…I have already changed so much. Strength for me only comes in short waves. I hope this change brings out a stronger and more fearless woman. You, and survivors like you give me hope for that. I thank you so much for giving me hope.

If you missed today’s Thyme For Literary Healing: How Do We Deal With Doctors?!, we hope that you will click through and share your stories, too, as well as connecting with others and lending support. In short, we discussed the following: “our medical stories with each other, and talk about coping strategies. Here are a few questions, to get us going. Please feel free to share whatever you wish.”

Thank you to everyone for participating and sharing more of your thyroid story with us. I know it’s not easy. You’re incredibly brave. We appreciate your willingness to share. Every time you do, we learn so much more about our respective diseases and each other.

Elly says:

Wow. How many stories flooded into my head while reading this! ahahaha

I was misdiagnosed for years (even though I had a previous auto immune disease, nobody bothered to do the simple blood test for almost 2 yrs)

“I was CRAZY and ‘must have eating disorders”…I should have stuck up for myself but I knew nothing about the thyroid, I was scared that I was ‘losing my mind’ and unfortunately had full trust in the Dr.

Finally, do to an insurance switch I was given my savior nurse practitioner who met with me twice and said “I’m going to check your blood”

Next day, she had me in her office, took me off all drugs, except the one’s for anxiety, and started me on a dose of synthroid, PERSONALLY made the call to my GP to be seen the next day-

And the rest would follow-a TT, ablation-years of up/down levels, but I was thankful it was something that seemed ‘tangible’ that was wrong with me, instead of ‘my mind’…

‘My mind’ came back with hormone-

This reply could go on forever-I’ve had a lot of thankful moments (the nurse that caught it) and a lot of efffff you moments-(the Dr.)

I have been in a rut lately with my health stuff-

BUT I wasn’t always-

I think education is the best, nothing better than the feeling of walking into your Dr. with more knowledge than him/her……and walking out with exactly what you wanted, and being right, (I brought up my joint pain possibly being RA, and sure enough I tested positive and now see a rheumatologist)

If I had known back then, what I know now-

I guess that’s the best advocacy I can think of, that I did for myself-

Except a few letters to HIPPA and the Office of civil rights, here and there-ahahahahahaha

This week is going to be an exciting one on Dear Thyroid. Tomorrow, we have a new installation of “Life Redefined” (archives are here), with a request from our thylicious thymmunity. We need to rally. We’re also launching a very exciting literary contest, and the winner will receive a painting from an incredible artist (who happens to have thyroid disease).  Finally, we have a wonderful guest post from an integrative gynecologist. She’s going to be doing a few guest posts for us, and the first one is about various thyroid disorders and adjunct hormone issues. (Previous guest posts from doctors and other folks are here).

Stay tuned!

Tags: Comment of the Day, community building, Dear Thyroid, graves disease support, hashimoto's disease support, Health Community, health support community, hyperthyroid support, hypothyroid support, literary community, literary support, thyroid cancer support, thyroid community, thyroid literary community, thyroid support community

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