BENIGN!

Just got the good news - ready to celebrate!

Huge sigh of relief. :-)

Fresh

I woke up today feeling human.

And optimistic.

Oh, how I have missed my optimism.

My thyroid meds might be working, I might get excellent news from pathology, and I might be able to move on with the business of living.

Today, I am embracing life and tossing the painkillers - the pain is to quite manageable levels and in the afternoon when it flares I'm going to take Motrin instead of the dizzy-inducing meds that were prescribed.

Carpe diem, family and friends. And my greatest love to all of you for loving me.

A mother's care

Today I am the recipient of my mom's care. In addition to vacuuming and putting away dishes she is currently on a run to pick me up some won ton soup.

Best of all is just having her here, telling me that she loves me, and supporting me.

I'm doing okay, up and down still but in the expected way. A little burst of energy and the thought "oh good I'm better already!" followed by "ohhh I'm a bit dizzy and I think I'll sit down again..."

Lots more herbal tea, wearing my favorite pajamas.

No news from the doctor yet, and not expecting anything 'til tomorrow at earliest.

Home from surgery

Things looked good, so I'm relieved, but also awaiting the final pathology.

Uncomfortable and groggy but glad to be home. Thank you for your continued well wishes.

Grateful for my friends and family.
xoxox

Surgery tomorrow

Well, I had an eventful morning! I met with the new neck surgeon (my surgeon from September is apparently in the Army, and he is serving in Afghanistan right now - please send him kind thoughts and prayers) and we talked about my lumpy nodes.

There is no way to tell if they are benign or malignant without removing them. After debating pros and cons, discussing medical history, and evaluating risks, we decided to remove them. The surgeon thinks they'll be benign, but there is only one way to tell. I am scheduled for surgery at Swedish tomorrow to have them removed.

It's a short surgery, out-patient. I'll be home in the afternoon.

I must get my head around this....yikes. I'm glad to put it behind me. I am starting to believe that it will be benign, that I will wake up with this chapter closed and a new - HEALTHY - one begun.

Continued thoughts, prayers, and white light are appreciated. Thank you!

Thank you to my team - you know who you are. Heather for driving me today, Laurie for taking Tessa early and getting her to school.....and everyone who has promised to help. I could never do this alone, and I am so grateful to all of you.

A long day

Today was filled with surprises.

I started the day not too anxious about my doctor's appointment - I knew my thyroid numbers, and now it was just time to correct them.

Surprise, surprise. The doctor felt my neck, and was concerned about a nodule on one side. We had a brief discussion about thyroid cancer. Immediate scans necessary. Next week? No, I can't wait that long. Today? Yes. And schedule a needle biopsy for tomorow - oh boy.

So I waited around, walked around Capitol Hill, and then spent a good part of the afternoon on the ultrasound table, craning my neck at unnatural angles.

The result? Hashimoto's thyroiditis, NOT thyroid cancer. Revised medication,a nd a follow up appointment. Canceling tomorrow's thyroid biopsy.

And this was supposed to be the easy day, but I'm exhausted.

Tomorrow I will meet with the neck surgeon to discuss my "real" problem of neck lumps. Let's hope it goes smoother, but ends just as well.

Winding down the weekend

This afternoon I feel so tired that it's like I took a sleeping pill. What's up with that?

I did what I am calling "cleaning therapy" at our new church today. A scrub brush and a bottle of (home made/green) cleaning stuff and I was off and going. I understand that at some ashrams in India the people scrub floors for hours a day, and while I wouldn't want to do that full time, there is indeed something to it.

(Meanwhile, at my own house, balls of dog hair are rolling around like tumbleweeds.)

I'm not tired because of the work, though, I'm just tired. All this worrying and waiting simply wears me out.

But on to happier things...
Our new church makes me happy. Tall windows, light streaming in. High ceilings. Rooms for the children to play safely. Places to put up children's artwork. A lovely office with a view of the water for Rev. Peg, and another for Shannon and Kari (RE). Spaces for groups to meet, spaces for parties, spaces for intimate chats, spaces for quiet contemplation.

I sat in the sanctuary today and reveled in it. Despite the mustard color on the walls and the faded pink carpet and the laminate pews....I fell in love. I see light, space, community, not bad paint. (Although I have volunteered to paint - trust me, mustard is not my color.)

There is a lot of work to do before we get to move in to our new building, and the first services will not be until September. The anticipation is lovely.

Our new church home

http://westseattleblog.com/2010/04/a-home-of-their-own-westside-unitarians-get-keys-to-new-church

WSUU has OFFICIALLY purchased a building, and I'm so happy about it. This morning we can't go to services to share the excitement because Ryan's on a bike ride and Tessa is dealing with a stomach bug :-( but this afternoon I'm going to attend the cleaning party. The West Seattle Blog article has lots of pictures and is (as usual) a well written article, so check it out.

And me? I'm doing a bit better than the rest of the week. Still scared, but my optimism is returning and I am grateful for that. I didn't even take a Xanax yesterday.