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Comments of the Day: October 14, 2010
Since being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, I’ve struggled with friends not supporting me like I thought they would. I have felt abandoned, betrayed, and forgotten. These people let me fall when I was expecting them to hold me up. I know I am not alone in this experience. I know so many of you have lost friends and family after being diagnosed with your illness.
As Katie wrote about in the Comments of the Day on Tuesday, we are a new family and we are walking together as we navigate our way through living alongside illness. With every word that you write, you’re supporting this community. Every letter that you submit reminds someone else they are not alone. Every rant and rave reminds us all that we are in this together. Every time you speak out you are changing the face of thyroid disease. You are making a difference.
Thank you for being such a fabulous, supportive community. Keep speaking out—your words are beautiful.
xoxo,
Joanna
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In today’s letter “Hashimoto, It’s Time We Had a Heart to Thyroid,” Guilia shares about her fight to have her autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed. Here’s an excerpt:
“I will fight you every day, but I do not want to fight you. I too have to fight the doctors, for you are making me do so. I have no other illness than you, it is proven. So, they ask, what do you think is wrong with you? It is you, I tell them. My thyroid. Every symptom, every waking moment. But they tell me you should not be making me feel this way, you are in normal range. What is your normal range? Can you tell me? No of course you can’t, you only speak in terms of making me feel this way. You are no help.”
If you haven’t already read Guilia’s touching story, please do so. Lend her your support in comments. Remind her she is not alone.
Comment of the day…
Dr. EricO says:
Hi Giulia,
I agree that too many endocrinologists pay attention to the reference ranges of thyroid blood tests, when they need to focus more on the patient’s symptoms. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Dr. Eric
Natural Endocrine Solutions
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The word for this week’s Acrostic Poetry is ENOUGH. We’ve had some breathtaking submissions. Today, we published a beautiful poem by Keira. Be sure to read it and connect with Keira in comments. Please consider submitting your own poem and tell us how you’ve had ENOUGH. Send all submissions to Katie.
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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One Response to “Comments of the Day: October 14, 2010”
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Joanna,
I completely understand. I’m a week out of bilateral thyroidectomy surgery as a result of papillary cancer and I’ve been in shock of how many of my ‘friends’ have not even called, emailed or tried to contact me.
I only found out mid-Sept and have been unsure of how to deal with all of my emotions. I thought I would be able to talk it out with my friends but they have assumed that since I’ve had surgery that I’m ‘fine’. Little do they understand that this is just the first step. They also don’t seem to understand the deep process of grieving I’m experiencing. I’ve lost my thyroid, this precious gland that regulates my metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, hormones and body temperature.
I have spent a great deal of time in bed recovering this week and wondering if I would have more support if I had a more publicized cancer like breast cancer. I have been teaching a wholistic program for breast cancer prevention and recovery for the past few years and I see pretty little pink ribbons everywhere but I see nothing to represent the wings I’ve lost and the support of my loved ones isn’t there.
I’m making it my personal commitment not only to myself but to all the other men and women who are dealing with this. I want to see us as a community of people looking to be well to be represented in the world to and not over looked. We bear our scars not under our clothes but straight and center right above our heart and at our throat chakra for all the world to see.
I want to hold all of your hands since my loved ones seem to be missing and let you know that I will no longer quiet my voice or swallow my words. I will talk about this disease and I will do what I can to make the world listen.
Thank you for having this site and giving me a place where I feel like I belong.
xo ~ Liberty