We have a game plan...

This has been a hard week. Memorial Day weekend was long...nice but long. We spent a lot of time together as a family and Curtis and I were even able to sneak away and hit a movie just us (thanks mom) and then got to go on a bike ride another day. It was nice to have some time together to talk things over. We always felt better when we were together as a family. On Monday Katie and Jake invited us over for a BBQ and that was a great distraction. Can't beat good food!

Then I had to work Tuesday and Wednesday. Those were long days. I just kept telling myself to take it one hour (or one patient) at a time. They were good and busy days but I was really glad to be done for the week.

Curtis and I woke up early this morning to be at the Dr. by 8:15 am. My mom came and stayed with the girls and good thing she did because Paige didn't wake up until 10:00 am. She been a little sick this week so she needed her sleep.

Dr. Mayes is a really nice guy. We went over my cancer, symptoms, history of everything and we scheduled surgery. He pretty much said I have more than likely had cancer since the first node popped up in 2012. He told me it was unusual that there isn't a large nodule on my thyroid but that there are lymph nodes that are papillary carcinoma. He said I should have a good prognosis but that my cancer may be a little more aggressive because of how it is my lymphatic system.

He said that we will do surgery, then the Radioactive Iodine, and then a full body scan to see if the cancer is anywhere else that wasn't killed by the Radioactive Iodine.

The surgery was first scheduled for June 17. Then the nurse told me there was a chance they could do it tomorrow (May 29) because they may have a cancellation. They then called me this afternoon and said that they would do June 5. He will do a total thyroidectomy and a Modified Radical neck dissection. Right now it looks like just the right side of my neck but after I have another ultrasound tomorrow (where they map out my lymph nodes) they will determine if he has to open up the left side as well. If he does then I will have a scar almost ear to ear. But I don't care about that. I care about being cancer free. 

After that I will heal for a week or two. At the post op appt he will then refer me to an Oncologist who will plan the Radioactive Iodine. This is a form of Nuclear Medicine. I will swallow a pill that will make me radioactive. I won't be around my kids (or anyone) for 3-5 days according to Dr. Mayes. This is an effective treatment for Papillary Cancer because the iodine attracts to any remaining cancer cells and it will kill them. I forgot to ask Dr. Mayes this but from what I have read on the cancer websites, even if it has gone to my lungs it will kill those cancer cells.

Sometime after that I will have a full body scan. It may even be 6 months after...I'm not sure. But that scan will then tell them if I have any cancer left anywhere. 

So that's the game plan. My staging and prognosis may change as soon as we get in there but he told me my prognosis is good so I am going to trust in him for now. I am praying that doesn't change. 

We have felt so much better since the appt. I am ready to fight. It still won't be an easy road to travel but I love having a plan and I am ready to go. I believe in Dr. Mayes and I know he is the best surgeon for what I am going through now. I wish I had gone to him 3 years ago but no what ifs going forward.

Please continue to pray for me and my family. The amount of support we have had has been so uplifting. We appreciate it so much!