DEAR THYROID^TM

I’ve looked at life from both sides now;  from win and lose and still somehow, it’s life’s illusions I recall. I really don’t know life at all — Joni Mitchell

Invisible Illness Week, Chronic Illness Statistics – 133MM hav a chronic condition. Do you see any reference to thyroid disease or thyroid cancer?

CDC, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion – Do you see thyroid disease or thyroid cancer?

Medline Plus – Coping with Chronic Illness – Do you see thyroid disease or thyroid cancer anywhere?

I could go on for days of the statistics I found that OMITTED thyroid disease and thyroid cancer as an invisible illness. We’re not invisible, we don’t exist. What does that say? What is the lesson to be learned? This month is Thyroid Cancer Awareness and this week is Invisible Illness Week. They,whoever they are, receive recognition for having a disease that is recognized under the Invisible Illness umbrella. While I celebrate invisible illness week with gusto and fervor, because I don’t want ANY ILLNESS TO BE INVISIBLE, my heart breaks; knowing that thyroid autoimmune diseases and thyroid cancers are not part of that list. In Wikipedia‘s defense, as of today, Thyroid Cancer and Thyroid Disease are listed. Last week, they weren’t.

Not only do we have to fight doctors and educate individuals, we have to fight the autoimmune and cancer communities respectively, too? The statistics I unearthed regarding the numbers are staggering. No matter how you slice it, thyroid disorders lead the pack by over 50MM. What does it take to make the coveted list? How many more letters and literary things do we need to write? How many petitions should we create? How many pamphlets and flyers should we design and offer as downloads? How many support groups and INVISIBLE NO MORE bracelets do we need to wear?

Whatever it is, we need to make a commitment. Right here and right now, that we are NOT going to take this lying down. By next year, we NEED to be on the list. Dear Thyroid will create a petition this year to send to all of these organizations where invisible illness doesn’t recognize thyroid disease or thyroid cancer. We need your help to circulate these petitions. We need more letters, more stories, more comments, more EVERYTHING, if we’re going to create awareness and change, and VISIBILITY.

We deserve the best, so let’s fight for it. If we take this lying down, we are sending a clear message that it’s okay to omit thyroid disease and thyroid cancers, that you have our expressed permission not to include us. Next year, if we want change, we need to act TODAY.

Please get involved. Join us. Participate in offline support. Buy a T-shirt. Send a SASE for a bracelet. Submit more letters, Acrostic poems, anything literary thing you wish. We will publish your work and our voices will be heard.

Love,

Katie

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So Many Cancers, So Little Time… In College, As An Adult, And, In Life, Thyroid and breast cancer survivor, Caroline, has written an ferocious letter to her thyroid; one that needs to be heard and read. Please check it out and connect with her in comments.

Excerpt: I was diagnosed at 19 with thyroid cancer, papillary and follicular, 8 of 11 nodes positive, encapsulated, approximately 4 x 4 x 4cm tumor. That was in 1981. Treatment standards were different. I never had a neck ultrasound until this year.

Comment of the day…

Mary says:

Yes that damn tissue does like to grow back doesn’t it. I also have a returning thyroid after 34yrs. No cancer so far knock on wood. But they are watching it I’ve had one ulta sound and not having insurance they are watching it so am I. Good luck, girl. Mary

Acrostic Poem for Invisible Illness Week, Written By, Keira

For Invisible Illness week, we’ve asked our community to use the word INVISIBLE and write acrostic poems. Please keep them coming. I want as many poems as possible. Please don’t sit on the sidelines of invisible illness. Keira’s poem is angry, brutal and unrelenting. If you haven’t connected with her, please do.

Comment of the day…

Lolly says:

Great poem Keira love it.

Our Thyroid Cancer Blog Tour, BRINGING SEXY OUT OF THE THYLOSET, featured two bloggers today, Adelina Plait, Dorienne’s mother. Please check out her amazing post and blog. Bringing Sexy Out of the Thyloset: Adelina Plait. Additionally, Bringing Sexy Out of the Thyloset: Dena L., aka Justi’s post was equally moving and well written. Send some love and get to know these incredible bloggers.

Chronic Snarkopolist: A Big beautiful mess! We love Melissa – We love her bravery and brazenness. She vomits onto the page everything that she feels. Today’s installtion was no different from the others; exceptional, beautifully written and on point. Please connect with her in comments.

Excerpt: We are supposed to make a giant mess of life and then look at the tangled up clusterfuckery and roll it up into a ball and use it as a mop for the rest of the spills! LIFE IS A BIG BEAUTIFUL MESS. Sometimes it can only be viewed that way in retrospect.

Comment of the day…

@chemo_babe says:

oh my goodness… that post was awesome.

EMBRACE THE MESS! <3

and the phrase “f-bombbarilla” is like the WHIPPED CREAM on my sundae! i’m gonna steal that lady!

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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