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Post by PattiA on Mar 6, 2021 21:49:36 GMT -5
wallycat, I had a thyroid cancer scare in 2013. A 5cm nodule on one lobe of my thyroid + inconclusive biopsy results = a partial thyroidectomy. My endocrinologist and surgeon took a conservative approach and only that lobe was removed. To our great relief, the nodule was benign. There was hope that the remaining half of my thyroid would be able to sufficiently regulate thyroid hormones, but after about 9 months, I needed thyroid meds. There are now some nodules on the remaining side and they are growing, not yet at the point where biopsies are recommended. In retrospect, I'm often find myself wishing that we had gone the route of removing the whole thing because now I get to have an annual worryfest over the nodules on the remaining lobe. These new nodules are on the back of my thyroid and hard to see with ultrasound. I had a malignant melanoma removed in 2003. That's another annual worry. This is all just to say that I understand some of what you are going through and send you a boatload of wishes for positive outcomes. -Patti
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Post by wallycat on Mar 6, 2021 22:32:45 GMT -5
Patti, I am so deeply sorry you are dealing with this. I sometimes think the vigilant watching is more stressful than knowing and having a plan of action. I feel for you. I did a bilateral mastectomy to NOT have to watch and check every year or 1/2 year, and now this. I have to remind myself that I am a type A personality and a worrier and I wonder if that ever goes away. My DH has actual metastatic prostate cancer and his attitude and monthly doctor crap is just a day in the life for him. I wish I had his genetics!
I did read that 95% of thyroid nodules are b-9. They are also common. I'm sorry about the melanoma dx. I guess the one constant is that there's always something lurking around the corner. I wish I could wrap my brain around that and live like my DH.
May you have many more unscathed years in your future.
Thank you for sharing your story and empathizing with me.
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Post by wallycat on Mar 17, 2021 16:28:55 GMT -5
I hope not a bad omen....MRIs and I do not agree for some reason. Everything was going splendidly till he got to the last 10-12" of my femur. His machine could NOT scan me...he kept saying software glitch....yeah, right. Just like when I had the breast MRI in WI and WHILE they are doing the biopsy, the machine breaks and I'm laying there till the service guy gets there, with my boobs hanging out. Too scary. Bad omen. After 20-25 minutes of working on the legs, he gave up. Said if we have to redo it, we will. I figure if I'm riddled with cancer above the femur, 10" won't make much difference.
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Post by karenw on Mar 17, 2021 18:53:54 GMT -5
Ugh! How frustrating, Wallycat. Think optimistically and hang in there!
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Post by wallycat on Mar 18, 2021 12:12:33 GMT -5
BENIGN!!! All normal.
Even the "incidental findings" noted are....grossly unremarkable (lungs, abdominal cavity and muscles)
I hope that means the femur is of no consequence...I emailed her to make sure.
So in May, I redo all the labs again and we'll just see what happens. If it is MGUS, this will be 6-12 month checking. But labs are easy except for waiting on the results, LOL.
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Post by Catbatty on Mar 18, 2021 14:04:45 GMT -5
OH PURE JOY!!! That is WONDERFUL news!!!    BENIGN!!! All normal. Even the "incidental findings" noted are....grossly unremarkable (lungs, abdominal cavity and muscles) I hope that means the femur is of no consequence...I emailed her to make sure. So in May, I redo all the labs again and we'll just see what happens. If it is MGUS, this will be 6-12 month checking. But labs are easy except for waiting on the results, LOL. |
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Post by PattiA on Mar 18, 2021 16:37:36 GMT -5
Hurrah!
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Post by karenw on Mar 18, 2021 18:22:34 GMT -5
YAY!!!! So happy to hear the news, Wallycat. I had labs every 3 months at first; then every 6 when the first few came back normal until they finally said....go away!
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applecrisp1
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Post by applecrisp1 on Mar 18, 2021 19:50:59 GMT -5
Fantastic news!!!!
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Post by wallycat on Mar 18, 2021 23:41:09 GMT -5
Appreciate all the support. And like KarenW posted previously...mine may never be normal but if it "just hangs out," I'll take it.
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Post by swedishcook on Mar 28, 2021 12:45:44 GMT -5
Dear wallycat, I am so happy for you!!!
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Post by beth on Apr 24, 2021 23:18:49 GMT -5
So glad to read through and find good news at the end. Here's hoping you and MRI's won't need to challenge each other again. It must be your magnetic personality, right?  |
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Post by wallycat on May 12, 2021 23:05:38 GMT -5
Just a quick update. Had my labs redone last week...my CBC is all back in the normal. My M spike never changed. Saw onco today and she is already thinking 6 month repeat vs 3 month repeat. A bit un-nerved but unless there is a huge change, I just chug along. The juggling act will be to ensure any labs that are needed won't need to be redone next year till May because I will officially start medicare...do not want to pay 2 deductibles next year if I can avoid them
Beth, thank you again for the boot link; my b-day gift to me should arrive on monday. I'll post what I ordered once they arrive and I like them! I had to smile at your post...LOL, magnetic personality...Don't I wish, LOL.
Thank you, lovely ladies, for all your support.
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Post by Catbatty on May 14, 2021 12:44:02 GMT -5
Well, well!!! Congrats!! Thank you for posting this great update on your happy health!!
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Post by beth on Jun 17, 2021 8:57:25 GMT -5
Wallycat, I don't always post when I pop in and out here, but I do think about you every time and even in between. In case I don't get another chance to say so, I hope you are doing well and you have good thoughts coming your way from Texas more often than you know. Or anyone would think from the headlines.
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Post by wallycat on Jun 17, 2021 10:04:22 GMT -5
How sweet of you to post that, Beth. Thank you. So far, so good. Onco pushed my recheck to November (I'll spare you the medical jargon) instead of Sept. so I hope it just hangs out. I"ve been meaning to post an update. I ordered my b-day boots from the place you recommended. Have not had a chance to wear them, but love their looks. Had a small issue with the store but resolved easily and politely. Thanks again for the recommendation! Have a good summer and stay cool. Our first warm temps (seattle will hit 90 so we out here will be 78) are coming and I am already over summer, LOL.
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Post by beth on Jun 18, 2021 16:13:52 GMT -5
I am ready to be over summer too. First hot weather and ERCOT says raise your thermostats, turn off lights and unplug appliances or we'll lose the grid! So after a week full of that and we aren't even into July -- and the start of hurricane season --- and a bumper crop of mosquitoes, and the news talks about rising crime rates as the politicians decide it's a smart thing to go permitless and training less on guns and even holstering requirements. This is not the peaceful contentment we wanted for retirement. And he wants to build the wall Trump couldn't. But we aren't helping our infrastructure, education or any of the the constructive things we could be doing. Makes me ill to see the governor grandstanding on all these bad decisions. Winter wouldn't make it better -- but I fear heat, hurricanes or tropical storms and floods can make it all worse.
Glad you are doing well for now and hope it will stay that way. Sometimes medical science advances and tells us more before it can tell us what it means. When I was PG with my youngest, the ultrasound done with the amnio showed cysts in his brain -- but they couldn't tell me what would happen. They said the technology had advanced so much that they probably wouldn't have seen them with my older son 3 yrs earlier. Maybe they would resolve on their own. Maybe they would get larger and cause hydrocephalus. So we watched. And they got bigger. So we waited. And then checked again -- last possible time to be able to make an impossible choice. No change. We had to take a leap of faith that it was at least better than bigger still and go forward hoping for the best. That kiddo is about to turn 25 -- is a high school choir teacher. He loves the kids and they love him back. So all that story to say I hope you will watch and wait and you will be no worse off than a few grey hairs -- if that. I will continue to send good thoughts.
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Post by wallycat on Nov 18, 2021 12:23:28 GMT -5
A quick update: had my 6 month labs/urine redone. It looks like I am stable. The urine has no M spike and has never had Bence Jones proteins, so that is good. The SPEP (serum) is pretty much the same (some a tiny bit up, some a tiny bit down). I see onco on Tuesday and we'll see if I am still on the 6 month recheck plan. Gotta say, I am horrible at waiting for the results to trickle in. I think the stress will kill me before anything else.  |
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Post by karenw on Nov 18, 2021 19:47:39 GMT -5
Wallycat-Good news overall!! I just went for my yearly physical and overall was pronounced boringly healthy. However, my (new) doctor was wondering why my MGUS had not been checked in the last few years and why I no longer was seeing the oncologist. She did go through all my old records and that answered most of her questions. However (yes, there had to be one of these!!) she wants to just re-check things since it has been awhile and make sure my numbers are still good. So now I sit and wait, too! My labs are the week after Thanksgiving. Not going to worry about it now but I hope they are all good and I can stay boringly healthy!
Karen
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Post by wallycat on Nov 18, 2021 20:18:11 GMT -5
((((((((((((((Karen)))))))))))) I hope you continue to be boringly healthy. I've read waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much about MGUS (never even knew that existed!)
I just wish my new PCP (first one out here) would put me on beta blockers so the stress effect is limited. So far, except during stress, my blood pressure seems OK but I think the vaccine has elevated it a tad (still in normal) but not "the ideal" they recommend.
I soooooooooooo admire you that you can not stress while you anticipate it.
Sending good thoughts and I hope you update us; I'll be thinking about you.
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Post by karenw on Nov 19, 2021 18:47:08 GMT -5
Thanks Wallycat!!
I will try to remember to report back after the labs are done and back. Trust me I do worry about many things but for whatever reason I am not as stressed this time around. I just try to remind myself that this is out of my control and nothing I have caused or can change because of lifestyle choices etc.... so there is no reason to stress about it...I'll just deal with it one step at a time if I have to again. But I still hope not!!!
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Post by wallycat on Nov 19, 2021 22:42:15 GMT -5
Karen, I love how your brain thinks. I wish I could borrow it!!! Of course, you're correct...we cannot control this and we certainly did not elect to have to deal with it. You are so wise.
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Post by karenw on Dec 3, 2021 18:50:36 GMT -5
Hey Wallycat-my labs all came back good so I am free and clear!! Yay!
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Post by wallycat on Dec 3, 2021 23:27:15 GMT -5
YIPPIEEIEIEEIE!!!! Thanks for the update! Happy Chanukah!
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Post by applecrisp1 on Dec 4, 2021 18:49:52 GMT -5
KarenW --- Wonderful news!!!
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Post by Catbatty on Dec 4, 2021 19:40:11 GMT -5
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Post by PattiA on Dec 5, 2021 8:20:47 GMT -5
Great news Karen!
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Post by karenw on Dec 10, 2021 14:23:42 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I jumped the gun! My doctor called today. I guess my "normal" labs were all the ones drawn for my routine physical. The electrophoresis just came back today and isn't completely normal so I guess I have to go back to the oncologist and let them stare at me and my numbers again  . I guess it is only one number this time so she's not too alarmed but since this is not her area of expertise, I have to see the oncologist. Chances are they will just follow it and monitor it again but grrrr....happy weekend, right!!!  |
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Post by wallycat on Dec 10, 2021 14:30:04 GMT -5
I'm so sorry. The good news is that it has been YEARS since your original dx and you are still just hanging out.....so do you still have an M spike or ?? Maybe no need to post the answer; I'm curious but it is your privacy. Thank you so much for updating us.
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Post by karenw on Dec 10, 2021 18:57:29 GMT -5
Wallycat-All I have seen so far is the results in my patient portal. I'm sure I will know more once I see a specialist. But the funky number does seem to be a spike in the M-protein according to the lab report summary. I don't know how this compares to my numbers from years ago and I am guessing they may need to analyze it further to figure out which M chain protein is being produced in excess. I think last time it was Kappa for me. Since it is Friday, I did not hear from the oncology appt office today. My doctor sent them a referral and they are supposed to call me to set up an appt. If I don't hear from them at the beginning of next week, I will call. My oncologist left the practice years ago when her husband was transferred to a new job in Florida so I'll be starting all over again with someone new. Oh joy!
Karen
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. I guess it is only one number this time so she's not too alarmed but since this is not her area of expertise, I have to see the oncologist. Chances are they will just follow it and monitor it again but grrrr....happy weekend, right!!!