Pathology results

The endocrinologist called to say the pathology report on the right side of the thyroid that Dr. C removed shows "follicular hyperplasia"-- that's NO evidence of cancer to you and me. There's also no evidence of Hashimoto's disease. So now that we know we're dealing with a benign nodule, the emphasis shifts to making sure the thyroid hormone levels are appropriate. Since the thyroid regulates things like metabolism, calcium, and lots of other things, this is REALLY important. This will take some time though as it takes 6-8 weeks for the hormone levels to be affected by changes--like removing half of it. So if they took blood work tomorrow it would still show pre-surgery levels. It will probably take a month or possibly 3 (or even 6 the doctor said) to analyze blood tests which will show the gradual effect of the surgery and the other side of the thyroid which may or may not be able to maintain the right hormone levels. We'll get our first shot at blood work analyzed on June 3rd and go from there. But this a long-term process, not a quick fix. (I keep hearing "patience, grasshopper" in my head. Maybe that's leftover from the anesthesia).

Meanwhile, the Frankenstein-appearance of the incision is going away, leaving only soreness.... but nothing they didn't tell us to expect in the "follow-up instructions" sheet they sent home with us. They warn of neck muscle pain, tension headaches, and even say that the numbness over the incision will subside in 6 months! They project that people can return to "normal activities within a few weeks" of surgery. They're allowing me to go back to Jazzercise after two weeks.

I theorize that within my lifetime experts will determine that "general anesthesia" is barbaric, at least for surgeries such as this, and will find a way to do the same thing without the debilitating effects of general.