6 yrs ago this month I had life-changing cancer surgery to remove my entire thyroid, several lymph nodes, parathyroid glands and tissue. Hearing the "C" word was scary. Terrifying actually. I still struggle with some of the side effects of surgery and having had the cancer. "They" say that thyroid cancer is the "easiest" cancer to have. But if you ask any of us thyroid cancer survivors you'll hear a different true story. My thyroid cancer wasn't and isn't easy. Here's the rough side of my personal story about how cancer has affected me.
Due to complications during surgery I lost 100% use of one of my vocal cords. I couldn't talk for 2 months after that which drove me nuts! Honestly I'm not quite sure how to put things to words right now. No one person's cancer journey is the same. Just like no one person's lives are the same. For mine I've had a lot of struggles but I am thankful for the change that it has brought out in me.
In November of last year my cancer journey took a part of me that I never thought I'd lose. Due to me being severe hypothyroid for too long my body has lost the ability to ovulate. Which means that unless it gets healed I will not be able to have anymore kids. I had already struggled with loses but I never imagined that the possibility would be taken away from me.
It shook me to the core as I've always wanted a big family. And my life has always been about raising my babies. Ever since I was little I had this dream about having a baby girl with brown curly hair and brown eyes just like me running around the house. I struggle with that daily but am thankful that I at least have my two boys already no matter how crazy they are.
Every struggle that this cancer journey puts me through makes me into a strong person. I may not always see that in the moment but I'm learning to. I want to take the time to give you all a little information about the thyroid and its function in your body.
The thyroid is a small gland, measuring about 2 inches across, that lies just under the skin below the Adam's apple in the neck. The two halves of the thyroid are connected in the middle, giving the thyroid gland the shape of a bow tie or a butterfly. Normally, the thyroid gland cannot be seen and can barely be felt. In my case it become enlarged 4 times the size it was supposed to be.
The thyroid gland secretes thyroid hormones which in turn control the speed at which the body's chemical functions proceed (metabolic rate). Thyroid hormones influence the metabolic rate in two ways:
Thyroid hormones also affect many vital body functions: the heart rate, the respiratory rate, the rate at which calories are burned, skin maintenance, growth, heat production, fertility, and digestion.
I could go into a ton of posts about how the thyroid works but this post isn't about that. I want to reach out and explain to people how important it is to get your thyroids tested. I know
More than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime. An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. Up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.
With undiagnosed thyroid disease comes a lot of complications. I lived with Hashimoto Thyroiditis my whole life without anyone finding it until my surgery. Thyroid disease can mask as other disease and be missed. Here are a few thyroid diseases:
- Goiter (harmless enlarged gland)
- Cancer
- hyperthyroidism- Graves disease
- hypothyroidism- hashimoto thyroiditis
If let untreated hypothyroidism can lead to what is called myxedema coma a rare but potentially fatal condition which requires immediate attention.
I recently had read a story about a mother who had fallen into a myxedema coma while taking care of her young child which is scary to think about! Also having undiagnosed thyroid disease is also very dangerous for a developing fetus.
I think it is very important for all men and women to get their thyroids checked once a year just like any other thing along with eating a well balanced whole foods diet. I have come to find that while being on a natural desiccated thyroid hormone that everything that people do not think about affects the absorption of my thyroid medication. I am still learning and will always strive to find out the truth behind everything i use, do and see. Even if that makes me weird to most.
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