She is a fellow thyroid cancer survivor, about my age. She was smart and funny and interesting and carried around a great black and white picture of her son.
She has had two bilateral modified neck dissections and a thyroidectomy, and this weekend she was waiting to hear back from her doctor if the lymph node that was swollen in her neck was positive for cancer. It was.
***
The whole thyroid cancer thing is frustrating to me on many levels. It's not a quick and easy -boom- now you're cancer-free. "Remission" is a word used for other types of cancer. It's totally out of your hands. You have to get scans and go on ridiculous diets for the rest of your life. Going off of synthroid sucks.
I cried when I read her email. I cried because she was my friend that was supposed to be free of this monkey on her back (or in this case, her neck). I cried because cancer sucks. I cried because it could have been me.
It's not easy walking down a fearless path, but this weekend I met several fearless thyroid cancer survivors, including one particular gal who isn't done fighting it. And tonight I'm thinking of her.
I cried when I read her email. I cried because she was my friend that was supposed to be free of this monkey on her back (or in this case, her neck). I cried because cancer sucks. I cried because it could have been me.
It's not easy walking down a fearless path, but this weekend I met several fearless thyroid cancer survivors, including one particular gal who isn't done fighting it. And tonight I'm thinking of her.
2 comments:
Thank you for writing that. It moved me.
Wow, thank you...you certainly do have a way with words...you even got my husband to get a tear in his eye, and he's a Marine! There are no words to describe how this made me feel...all I can says is thanks, and it doesn't seem enough. As I go in Monday for #4, I'll be taking your thoughts with me.
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