Out The Other Side...

... that's how I feel, like I've made it out the other side of all this craziness. Well, at least the craziness of the cancer stuff, life is still pretty crazy just with four kids!

Last Friday I had my follow up appointment with my Endo doctor for all the radiation stuff. Things went great! The scan showed exactly what we wanted it to show (localized activity in the neck basically abolishing all remaining thyroid tissue - which was to be expected) and nothing that we didn't want it to show (no spread outside the neck area!). That was great news and left me feeling quite relieved.

It was possibly the shortest post-cancer-treatment appointment one could ever expect. I was actually a little bothered by it. The doctor didn't even tell me the results of the scan or any blood tests until we left the office and were scheduling my follow up appointment and I asked what the results were. I couldn't believe that he was about to send me off without telling me. I thought we were just checking something and then heading back to the exam room to go over a few more things, but nope, not in his plans. So in the middle of the office I straight up asked him what the results were and he looked through my chart and after bumbling around for a bit told me things looked good.

I also had called earlier that week to check if I needed any blood work done in advance of my appointment to ensure all of my hormone levels were correct and they told me that it wouldn't be necessary. I was a little confused but said okay and didn't get any done. Then when I was in the appointment the doctor asked if I had my levels checked and of course I had not. So he wasn't able to tell if I needed anything adjusted and I had to go get blood tests done right after my appointment and wait until the following week to find out the results and get things adjusted. I complained in the office about how tired I had been feeling and how it just didn't seem right and that I had been feeling much better before the radiation, following the surgery, when I was on a different hormone replacement med. So after getting my levels checked the doctor decided to add a little extra thyroid hormone to my current pills. And although I'm not a big fan of now having to take three pills instead of one, I actually feel like my old self again! It's so nice to have energy and feel like I can actually deal with the kids and still be in a decent mood for Jeff when he gets home, not just complaining about how tired I am. And I'm sure Jeff appreciates it too!

So I now have an appointment at the end of July to follow up on my hormone levels and ensure things are still going well. As long as everything goes as it should at that appointment I'll basically be down to every 6 months getting my levels checked and then every year. I also will have to go and do another full body scan early in the new year just to make sure that nothing has decided to try and return.

And that's it! Life is ready to move on! It's weird sometimes hearing the word "cancer" and realizing that I've come out the other side of it. That God healed me. I almost forget that that's what I had. But then I have this scar on my neck that reminds me of all that God has done for me. How he made miracles happen. How he worked through our immigration frustrations to bring me to the right doctor at the right time. How he got me to one of the best surgeons around. How he showed me his love, mercy, peace, and healing hand. He has been in this whole thing, working everything out perfectly as only He can. And now, not forgetting what is behind me - the greatness of God shown in my life - I'm moving on to whatever future He has in store for me.

God has blessed me and my family so greatly and I trust and believe that this is only the beginning of all that He has in store for our family. Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for me and my family. I can never fully express my gratitude! I hope that everyone out there reading this would know God's amazing love, grace, mercy, blessings and healing hand. If there is anything that you need prayer for, please let me know, I'd love to lift you up before God just as you have done for me.