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My Thyroid’s Affair With Cancer
Dearest Thyroid,
Even though I know our separation was inevitable. It still hurts to have you gone. It hurts me to know that you allowed something else to come between us. To separate us when we were working so perfectly together. I am angry that you helped it hide inside my neck and grow without my knowledge. When I found out that you allowed “C” into my body, I was heart broken and devastated. I was angry and bitter, and wanted you out of my life. In my honest opinion I don’t think they could have kicked you out fast enough for my taste.
Where once you kept me happy and full of life… I now feel like an empty shell.
The questions bounce around in my head like balls on a billiards table.
“Why me?”
“How could you?”
“Did I do this?”
“Will it come back or spread?”
“is it hiding anywhere else?”
You make me question the rest of my relationships too. You fill my heart with doubt and concern where there once was love and trust. Who else is harboring cancer in there? Ovaries? Lungs? Colon? Who is going to turn on me next? Or just maybe you are the only Benedict Arnold that was here. I hope with all my heart you were my only traitor.
Oh, thyroid. Your secret relationship with cancer also made once close friends distant… and a once distant friend close. You have turned my life upside down, like an amusement park ride. You should know that I find none of this amusing.
I am grateful for a wonderful doctor that has looked after my health for the past 11 years. she could see you… and she helped reveal your affair with cancer. I also have many other doctor friends that are helping me now, too! Around 6 doctors and countless nurses and support staff are working hard to make sure you are gone and never to return.
In fact, my surgeon removed you 12 days ago. Now, and only now am I coming to realize what all you did for me. It hurts me to know how much I depended on you. You let me down.
You should also know that just in case you decided to hide out anywhere else… My other doctors, an Oncologist and Radiation Oncologist are on the case to seek you out and rid you and your little cancer pal out of my life. I hope you and cancer will be happy together. Traitor.
I never want to see you again. If you ever think that you and cancer can sneak your way back into my body… well, it will be the last thought you ever have.
I have an army of people behind me. Not just medical professionals… but friends and family that hate you just as much as I do. You see, I am burning this bridge and have no plans to rebuild. I will be replacing you with a daily pill. A pill that should bring me some peace.
I will never stop fighting. I will never lose hope. I choose LIFE! A life without you and cancer in it.
Oh! What a wonderful life it will be!
Written by, Charity
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(Bio) Hello! My name is Charity Elkins. I am a 32 year old, stay at home mother of one insanely cute three year old boy. In March, at my son’s 3 year check up, our family doc just happened to notice that she thought my thyroid looked large. She was right. I had a total thyroidectomy on July 22nd.
I just started feeling the effects of being hypothyroid. My next steps are an I -131 scan and then a Radioactive iodine treatment.
While I am struggling with being hypo right now I know that as soon as I can start the replacement therapy I will start feeling better and I will be stronger than ever. Thank you for giving me a chance to share my letter! Blog, Facebook.
Tags: accidental diagnosis, Dear Thyroid Cancer Letters, recently diagnosed thyroid cancer patients, thyroid cancer awareness, thyroid cancer community, thyroid cancer forum, thyroid cancer letter support, thyroid cancer literary support, thyroid cancer support, thyroid letters about cancer
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7 Responses to “My Thyroid’s Affair With Cancer”
Leave a Reply to Lolly
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There is light at the end of it 🙂 I’m 24 and had great big lump in my neck doctors,wanted to take it out so they took out the lump plus half my tyroid.
I was recovering well then three weeks after surgery I got called to hospital they found that ugly cancer in what they had taken out …so I had to have a second surgery.
Followed by Radioiodine treatment,which involved being isolated for a few days.
It was worth it because that was six months ago and last week had my radioiodine check up, And it was totally clear !!!!!!!! 🙂 there is currently NO tyroid cells in my body couldn’t have wished for a greater success!!! don’t get me wrong having no tyroid is tough a tiredness that nobody understands but I’d rather struggle with tablets than cancer that was all in space of ten months …..GO TEAM !!!
Charity,
You will have a wonderful life without your thyroid and cancer and be able to watch your 3yr old grow and he in turn will see how courageous his mummy has been and still is..Yes it won’t be easy at first while you wait for treatment to finish and medication to start..
Here’s to getting the all clear and being cancer free and then getting stable on thyroid hormone replacement. I wish you all the best now and for the future.
BTW I never had cancer even though it was a big possibility I too have no thyroid.
Lolly
Thank you so much for your kind words Lolly!
Charity
Hi Charity (love the name by the way) – Hope all is going to plan with your recovery and continues to do so with the planned further treatment. Beautiful writing – thank you for sharing. Positive, healing thoughts to you. xxx 🙂
Charity,
I watched you grow from a quiet, little girl into a strong, beautiful woman. If I were “C”, I’d be shaking in my boots right now because she is no match for you and your team of doctors, family and friends. I will be keeping you in my prayers … love you!
Deena
I know i’m being stupid but I’ve been putting off having a biopsy on my thyroid nodule that was detected a year or two ago. My insurance sucks, and I’m so nervous about having to get my thyroid removed if it is cancer. After reading this article I feel even worse about putting it off!
Jeni
Dont put off having that biopsy on your thyroid(nodule)even if it is cancer it will still be manageable.
I had quite a few FNA’s on mine all inconclusive meaning that they couldn’t get a good result. My ENT surgeon didn’t want to put me through anymore, so I left it for some time while I made my decision about the surgery.. with that nagging feeling wondering if they had missed the cancer.. i had this suspicious nodule quite large hanging over me like a dark cloud..In the end I did opt for surgery in some ways I regret the surgery but i don’t regret finding out that it was benign. Don’t waste time get answers or you will always have that worry is it isn’t it Cancer may seem scary but caught early enough can be treatable.
Fine needle aspiration can be done easily enough in you Dr’s endo, surgeons office.
Fingers crossed that it is benign but always best to be sure.
Lolly