In celebration of my five year thyroidectomy anniversary, I am captaining a Relay for Life team. If you have found this site helpful, please consider making a small donation towards my fundraiser, which raises money for the American Cancer Society.
What a wild ride it has been. I’d say overall my quality of life is amazing.
Here is a recap from start to present of my thyroidectomy journey:
- First 6 months after surgery – I have almost no memory of this time. It was like living in a hazy dream. Tired all the time. Tired and hazy.
- Next year – very difficult to explain but essentially I felt like I had to ‘re-learn’ my body. Not in a ‘bad’ way but… things are different.
- My short term memory feels severely impacted and I started using an iPad at work to help log notes – this has totally helped!
- One year anniversary of the thyroidectomy, I completed a triathlon. I felt like a champion.
- Year Two I learned that a low carb/high fat diet now works best for me to lose weight.
- I also realize that not only is my short term memory junk, but facial recognition has devolved. I have a difficult time telling humans apart.
- Year Three and Four I realize that I tire easily – endocrinologist confirms my levels are fine. I’ll chalk this up to age (I am in my late 30s) and lack of thyroid
- Year Four – three different doctors tell me not to go on Birth Control because it will conflict with my thyroid medications. I do not listen to them. I should have listened to them. What a mistake. Ugh.
- Year Five – just found out that my form of thyroid cancer was downgraded and is no longer a ‘cancer’! Follicular Papillary malignant mass does not spread outside the tumor and does not require radioactive iodine. I feel happy and justified that I didn’t go the radioactive iodine route.