Let's start with the good news: The biopsies done yesterday are benign! YAY! No new thyroid cancer. This is great. The TSH of 8.9 (way too high) might be from taking doxycycline for the upper respiratory infection I had last month. So we re-test that in 2 months.
Now for the not so great news: The "peanut" lymph node from 2012 does need re-treatment. I was offered the option of doing it tomorrow and Thursday as scheduled, or I could let it percolate some more and come back and treat later on. I figured since I'm here, I might as well get it done. Plus a snow storm is predicted for tomorrow...I'd rather ride that out and start the drive home on Friday when the weather is better. I also figured treating when I'm younger is better than waiting. So, that means tomorrow I get numbed up with lidocaine again and get multiple pokes with ethanol. It'll hurt. I've done this before. They don't numb the actual lymph node...just the path there. The ethanol will burn and the pain will be referred...likely down into my shoulder. I can do this! Then on Thursday it's a repeat of tomorrow. Tomorrow is St. Joseph's Day! This is an important Saint in my life. My original thyroidectomy in 1996 was done on St. Joseph's Day by a surgeon whose first name is Joseph. I love St. Joseph...an adoptive parent too! I doubt I'll find St. Joseph pastry (zeppole and sfinge) locally. If you are reading this from New Jersey - eat some for me!
The ultrasound shows that the peanut is stable from last time (July) but with increased vascularity. For many years it was undetectable or very small and no vascularity. So the growth and the increased blood flow is worrisome and best to knock it back with the ethanol. Last time the ethanol bought me 14 years. So hopefully this time it gives me even longer. The follow up is another ultrasound in 6 months. My provider is comfortable with me doing the ultrasound locally. I need to find someone who is really good with neck ultrasounds...so the research begins. I'll be looking at Tulsa and Joplin. I've had great luck in Joplin...so I'll start with some phone calls there. I like coming to Mayo...but it is a 10 hour drive. I'm willing to try something local.
On a side note...I used my rudimentary Spanish to help a guy from the Dominican Republic to print out his medical records. His name is Pablo. I'm praying for him. If my lung CT gets done in a timely fashion, I'll head to Mass at 3:30. Based on yesterday - I'm not hopeful ;-)
Let's hope the lung CT doesn't throw me any curveballs. I reviewed the one from 2012...turns out I have an old broken rib on the right side. Who knew? If I knew that back then, I'd forgotten.
I'm pretty black and blue today...more updates as the week progresses.
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