My Thyroidectomy Experience

All is well that ends well! Past one and half years I didn’t post anything. My health is not so good Last week only Doctors gave me clean chit that I am free from all diseases. I am so happy to hear that word. In past six months my life turn upside down I had a rebirth not once thrice. I had two major surgery in my neck then corona.  Here I am sharing my Experience.

What is a thyroid?

Sitting at the front of the neck below the Adam’s apple, this tiny butterfly-shaped gland has a huge impact on our life as it produces hormones that regulate our body’s vital functions including metabolism, growth, development, mood and fertility and affecting many of the body’s most important organs, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin.

Your thyroid plays a crucial role in so many of your body’s systems, but how much do you know about the little gland that has such a huge responsibility in your health and well-being? After my experience it’s the perfect time to learn more about this small but mighty organ and the importance knowing what to look for to ensure your thyroid is functioning as it should.

My Thyroidectomy Experience:

I had a tumour growth in my thyroid gland began in last July. My diagnosis came about from an almost an incidental finding. I had had a ‘feeling’ there was something wrong with my neck for over a year and numerous symptoms which I now know indicate thyroid cancer. When I noticed a persistent ache under my jaw, I assumed I was suffering from dental pain. My dentist identified a slight swelling in my neck and suggested that I had strained a neck muscle.

When the ache refused to go away, my dentist advised to do USG... I had the scan on last Aug which showed a suspicious nodule attached to my right thyroid lobe and advised for further investigation. In the meantime I can see small lump near right collar bone along with swollen neck and pain spread to right shoulder and till my right breast .I started worrying about the pain. My family  Dr advised to do Thyroid Nuclear Scan. After 3 days report came with Cold nodule in right lobe of Thyroid. Report Advised to do FNAC. (A cold nodule is a thyroid nodule that does not produce thyroid hormone. On a radioactive iodine uptake test a cold nodule takes up less radioactive material than the surrounding thyroid tissue. A cold nodule may be malignant or benign.). Till then I am very blank about thyroid I thought Dr will prescribe medicine and I will be alright. Without suggesting any medicine after seeing this Report My Dr is serious. He advised to do immediately FNAC.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC): A thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy is a procedure that removes a small sample of tissue from your thyroid gland. Cells are removed through a small, hollow needle. The sample is sent to the lab for analysis. For me It done 3 times two times in September   then after 6 weeks November end it done. Report came as Suspicious of Follicular /Hurthlecell Neoplasam.

The experience of the FNA is more painful. Directly they injected needle  into the thyroid area and to remove some cells for testing. It was painful experience and feel uncomfortable. The wait for the results was much worse. The results came back as thy, no cancer cells was detected in the sample however the cells present were abnormal.

After seeing the report He advised surgery that to you need good hand of Dr.(That means you'll want a highly qualified surgeon to perform the procedure.)

Totally we are blank whom to approach where to find dr? Nothing we don’t know. I send my reports to known persons .but no one have the idea about this surgery. Here came one of my relative whom I met in marriage function is a Doctor and I discussed my problem. She came forward and send my reports to her colleagues .Within an hour I got message and got Drs appointment. Among the finest Neck Surgery Doctors in the city, Dr. Gouri Mam (Tata Memorial Hospital) is the best doctor for Oncosurgery.

We both went and met her she go through all my reports and spoke very kindly and gave me confidence and then advised to do few test in Tmh.

After seeing reports she confirmed my surgery date. Before that she advised to take pre anaesthesia test that is different department. They need to give OK certificate. Therefore a partial thyroidectomy was advised by my Dr.GouriMam
 

This news was hard to digest. I have always had a major fear my every waking day was spent feeling dread and of the verge of tears, I wasn't sleeping and struggling to eat. I had the surgery on December 24th it underwent 5 hrs. and I kept in ICU for 9 hrs. The operation was successful, though, in the theirs words, ‘challenging’: a large growth was removed from my thyroid gland as well as one of the lobes of the gland itself.

 

 I had my drain taken out the next morning, which was unpleasant but manageable. the pain was minimal and controlled easily by paracetamol .My wound was held together by staples which is pretty shocking to look at to begin with but three days later to have the staples removed. The wound is red and swollen still but very neat I recovered well I discharged from the hospital  after 5 days, the worst bit of it all was the staying in hospital

 

I am waiting for the results of the biopsy test.but I am calm and keeping myself and feed a positive mind. Reports showed that the growth was cancerous: Hurthle cell carcinoma. A second operation would be required to remove the rest of the thyroid gland.

The diagnosis that followed, together with all the information about the necessary course of treatment, was a lot to take in. The thyroidectomy showed that The Doctor explained to me that I would need radioactive iodine treatment after surgery, to destroy any remaining cancerous cells. I would also need to take thyroxine for the rest of my life. Before I could fully digest this news, I found myself preparing for the second surgical procedure. I was really scared about second surgery tat to in same place. My whole family were in shock hard to digest. My second surgery held on March 12th. After my relatively swift recovery from the first operation, it took longer to recover from the second, a total thyroidectomy. This operation became bit serious again I kept in ICU my oxy and pulse went down and I had low-grade fever and operated place bulge made worrisome to Drs. Continuous injections , medicine and Care made me Normal and discharged after 6 days.One happy note my second biopsy test is normal.

For several weeks after surgery, I experienced pain in my neck and felt very tired. Keeping to the prescribed low iodine diet before the radioactive iodine treatment wasn’t too problematic, though I really disliked the isolation in one room once the treatment began.

The overwhelmingly positive news that I received after the uptake scan On April 9th  , however, was that the cancerous cells had not spread and that the RAI treatment had been effective in eliminating the remaining thyroid cells.

If I’m honest, my experience of thyroid cancer and its treatment was sometimes frightening and often exhausting. The diagnosis was a shock, the gravity of which didn’t completely hit me until after the second operation. Beyond the discomfort of the surgery, I simply wanted to know how long the treatment would take and when I would be able to return to ‘normal’ life.

For me, the best way to do this was to gather as much of the right information as possible, I think the best way of doing this is to speak to someone who has gone through the same thing. , I had a wonderful family supporting me and excellent doctors but I still felt very isolated and lonely at times, no-one I knew had even heard of thyroid cancer, radioactive iodine, treatment in isolation, challenge scans, becoming hypothyroid for scans and treatment, let alone experienced it.

But unfortunately after my scan I got corona that was worst experience than ever. I had very high temperature with low oxy level .I thought I am going to die.I am in semi-conscious state for twenty days. As mentioned earlier, I had a wonderful family supporting me and excellent doctors saved me once again.

Over the course of the treatment I tried to find strategies for coping. I was determined to stay as positive as possible, despite doubts and anxieties. I found it important to keep my illness in perspective, knowing from the outset that the prognosis for a full recovery was very good. I am incredibly grateful to all the doctors team who treated me and made my return to health possible. While things seemed pretty grim just a few months ago, I can now look forward to making the most of life and realizing long-held ambitions.

I am also indebted to my family and friends whose support was invaluable in so many ways. I am enjoying life to the full now and am more fulfilled personally than I have ever been.

 There is a great deal of fear and anxiety that comes along with a thyroid cancer diagnosis, but with early detection and modern advancement in treatment technology along with proper patient education and appropriate care, excellent treatment outcomes are likely good.

I wanted to post on here my experience so far in the hope that it may help and give reassurance to others in a similar situation. If our journey can help someone else and make it a little easier, then that’s what counts!

Germany - My Travel Journal Part - 1

I went to Germany in march to stay with my daughter. In few months of stay I had an amazing opportunity of visiting few cities and town to explore Germany. Germany is a country that has been at the heart of Europe for centuries. From the unique culture shaped from historical influences, amazing cuisine, and architecture, there is so much to enjoy during a trip to this country.

 

First I landed in Frankfurt where My daughter stays. My son-in-law, my daughter and my grandson who is two years came to the airport to receive me. I was very much excited to see all of them after a very long time.

 Frankfurt  is a city that has some interesting contrasts, unlike Mumbai, when you are out of the airport you can breathe fresh air and there is no pollution. Temperature is usually low.

 With the financial powerhouse of the country being home to an amazing range of skyscrapers, there is also a great range of historic architecture and and mentally-stimulating attractions. There is a great exhibition hall one of the largest in the world  and several science museums to check out.

 As Frankfurt has the reputation of being a concrete jungle, travelers are invariably pleasantly surprised when they realize how green the city actually is. Apart from numerous tree-lined boulevards, Frankfurt is punctuated with lush green parks and gardens, many of which also have playgrounds. We take a look at the best green stretches in Frankfurt to escape from the hustle-bustle of the city.

Germany has open-minded and tolerant society. The country has a high literacy rate, great freedom, high standard of living and world class education that enable them to deal with challenges. Punctuality is very important for Germans and they follow rules very strictly. Social life in Germany can be quite interesting; you can see theatres, orchestras and museums everywhere, even in small towns. There are various exciting adventurous destinations that can be explored using bicycles.
 

Germany is a densely populated country and has a very good transport system. The roads in Germany are well built and well maintained with proficient road signage. The construction areas were well marked. Germany is well known for its AutoBahn and the traffic on these moves fast with no speed limits for normal traffic. The German Autobahns (the no speeds limit highways that connect the whole country by roads) are world famous. Apart from roadways, Germany also has very good railways and waterways. S-Bahn (suburban railway) and U-Bahn (underground railway) are very common in cities in Germany and help you in reaching destination quickly and comfortably.

 We ran into this a lot in construction zones; it was typical for the two-lane highway to split off into a construction zone into two different directions but then connect back together once we were though the construction zone.I travelled in Tram, U-Bahn, Bus S- Bahn and Bus Like Mumbai it is not crowded I enjoyed  the trip.

Shops are closed on Sundays in Germany. Do not save your shopping for Sunday. It was surprising how whole towns shut down, even in tourist sections. Only some tourist restaurants and bars would be open.
 

You can find grocery stores throughout Germany. Stores like Rewe, tegut,Lidl, Netto, Penny and Aldi are popular among locals and have a great selection of goods. They are well stocked with anything you could want for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We easily cut our food bills in thirds by shopping at local grocery stores.My daughter Purchased things from Tegut and Rewe

Having lunch packed we could easily pull off anywhere, we found local parks, rest areas and lookouts were our favourite places to enjoy lunch.

If you are travelling to Germany you need Health Insurance. The German health care system specifies that every person in Germany is required to have a health insurance. Even those who will stay in Germany for a short time must be health insured, otherwise requests for visas will not be granted.

Statutory health insurance providers in Germany are legally bound to insure everyone, regardless of their health, age, income, employment status, and more. You can also sign-up for any health insurance provider of your choice. Once you’re insured, you’ll get an electronic health care card, which will cover things like doctor visits, prescriptions, and more. All you need to do is present it to your provider and they will automatically bill the health insurance company.

The people, language, and traditions are what make the German culture unique. Germans are very friendly people. They usually greet each other by saying "HALLO". It has had a key role in the history of Europe, and not only. English speakers call it Germany, Germans themselves call it Deutschland. Germany is known as the country of poets and thinkers.

 German dress is typically western. Both men and women wear dark simple suits and shirts in business context. However, each region of the country have their own traditional costumes, which differ a bit from one another. But, in the state of Bavaria, the traditional costume for men is leather trousers that end just above the knee, while for women it is a dress that incorporates a bodice, blouse, full skirt and an apron. You can see people wearing these costumes, especially during carnivals or festivals

The German cuisine is also rich with different types of delicious traditional foods, as well as vegetarian and vegan. In Germany you will always have a lot of choices on what to eat and drink.
 
 German cuisine includes numerous varieties of cheese, which include tangy and hard cow's milk cheeses like emmentaler and tilsiter, which are especially good for melting and grilling.

 As for bread, there is a long tradition of bread-baking of which Germans take pride in. There are breads with different shapes, black and white, with different tastes and names, sweet, soft, plain with all types of seeds you could think of. There are lots of ethnic restaurants offering vegetarian food in Germany. But if you want to try traditional German food, you also don’t have miss out as a vegetarian. There are enough traditional vegetarian German dishes for you to try. 
One popular vegetarian dish is Spargelcremesuppe (asparagus cream soup). Be sure to give it a try, if you happen to be traveling to Germany during white asparagus season!my daughter love this soup.
 

In three months of stay in Frankfurt my daughter's friends and Son In law's colleagues invited me for lunch/ dinner.  My daughter's Family friends showed their love and affection. I feel honoured. They cooked Indian Food. Indian Grocery is there in Frankfurt. They use Pressure cooker and mixer. Similar like India. Their Kids are going to German school Some are going to International Schools. Kids are having so many extracurricular activities.

 There are so many Indian Restaurants in Germany.
The country has gone through a tumultuous history, the signs of which are evident in its rich and diverse architecture. Its palaces, castles, cathedrals and monuments best tell the story of Germany. Night and day, rain or sunshine, there are people on bikes, people running, parents playing with their kids, old people taking the dog out for long walks. Everything here feels normal, human, with emotions. Not everything is transactional. We like Germans and Ifeel like we are somehow very similar to them. Germany is also a practical place to visit, as the transport system is modern and few of the people speak English.

Had a great time in Frankfurt for couple of months. Visited many places in and around Germany. Will share my experiences in my next posts..