# PT 5 days ago - now need TT



## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi everyone. Firstly, thank you to you all for contributing to these boards - reading your journeys has made me feel a lot less alone through mine.

I had a PT (left lobe) on Monday. My surgeon phoned with my pathology results yesterday (Friday) - malignant. I am scheduled for a TT this coming Friday - when I got the news I was devastated.

I initially went to my GP with some swollen lymph nodes on the right side of my neck and I'd also generally been feeling scratchy. She ordered an ultrasound, which was when the 3cm nodule (with calcifications) was found on my left lobe. FNA biopsy showed Bethesda IV suspicious for follicular cancer, but not positive cancer diagnosis. My surgeon reviewed the slides a second time himself, just to be sure, and confirmed Bethesda IV. He recommended PT as he said the right side might 'kick in' and I might not need thyroxin.

He booked a frozen section during surgery - again the pathologist reviewed the tissue for a solid 45 minutes apparently, and still found nothing conclusive.

I had a bit of a rough time after surgery. I had very bad chest pains for 48 hours afterwards, and when I also had trouble breathing the night after I was rushed to the ER because they thought I might have post op pneumonia! NO thank god - just strange, unexplained chest pains and normal mucus build up (yech). I think the chest pains might actually be musculoskeletal because I've had a ton of neck issues in the past (including super-fun bouts of torticollis).

I am more upset about the idea of going through surgery again than I am about the cancer diagnosis. I feel so bad for my poor body - it's doing its best to heal, and today is the first day I have felt 'normal' since surgery.

My biggest fear is how much longer my overall recovery will take, given two surgeries instead of one. Has anyone had the same experience? Was the trajectory for healing similar with the second surgery as it was with the first? I am 5 days out from my first and feel like, if this was it, I would be feeli g very positive. I am swallowing okay, my appetite is back and I am starting to move around again (I went for a very long walk today).

Any insight people can offer regarding experience between first and second surgeries would be welcome. I'm scared and I feel a little alone in all this.

Thank you.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

KarenB said:


> Hi everyone. Firstly, thank you to you all for contributing to these boards - reading your journeys has made me feel a lot less alone through mine.
> 
> I had a PT (left lobe) on Monday. My surgeon phoned with my pathology results yesterday (Friday) - malignant. I am scheduled for a TT this coming Friday - when I got the news I was devastated.
> 
> ...












First let me say I am so sorry for this. I have not had the surgery. However, many here have and like yourself, have had to have a second one.

I am sure they will be along to share w/you their experiences and support.

Just wanted to make sure you were welcomed.


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Me too, I'm sorry. There are a few who have had second surgeries...as Andros said, they will be around shortly but I can tell you they all have had successful recoveries.

Hang in there and take care.


----------



## suzanna (May 13, 2013)

Welcome, Karen. I'm sorry about your diagnosis and need for a completion surgery. I am sure that this is not the way you wanted to spend the rest of your summer.

I had a my entire thyroid removed earlier this month, so I can't give any insight into recovery from 2nd surgery, but wanted to welcome you to this illustrious group!


----------



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I have not had the surgery but a friend of mine went through the same thing you're going through about a year and a half ago. They took one side, closed her up, sent it to pathology, it came back cancer, and she was back in to remove the other side about two weeks later. She told me it was actually easier to recover after the second surgery because she knew what to expect and the surgeons and anesthesiologist "knew" her body better. They went in through the same first incision so she only has one scar (and it's not even noticeable anymore) and she said even though they gave her more painkillers afterward, she didn't really need them.

Hang in there and good luck!


----------



## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

Firstly, thank you all so much for your warm welcome. I'm in Sydney, and waking up to all your messages made my day.

From what I have been reading, the PT to TT is a reasonably regular occurrence. I wish he had taken the whole thing, but I guess the benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I am feeling a little more pragmatic today, and trying to see the positives. Thank you for sharing the experiences of your friend, jenny v - I have been thinking the same thing. I know a little more about what to expect this time around. I only hope my body (which is being such a trooper) can recover as quickly the second time around.

I feel pretty good today - I have a dull ache coming from my wound and some mobility issues with my neck, but I'm eating normally and my swallowing is a lot better today.


----------



## KeepOnGoing (Jan 2, 2013)

I can really empathise with you here - sorry you are going through this. I had a PT followed by a TT last year. Yes, it would have been much better to have had it all done at once, but I really had no notion that I could have cancer, so it all came as a horrible shock.

There was about 6 weeks between the 2 operations, and I wish it could have been a couple of weeks, at most. However, it was just "more of the same" - at least you know what to expect. I was worried that the scar would be more noticeable because it had been used twice but it's scarcely visible now. Just give your body time to recover and you'll be fine.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Karen, I was in the same exact situation a couple of years ago. My second surgery was SOOOO much better than the first, and I can honestly tell you it did not set me back at all. By that time, I was just ready to "get on with it" as they say, and that's pretty much what I did--back to work in a little over a week.

I look back now, it the whole ordeal has been a major inconvenience, but not really life-changing or anything. You'll do great on your second surgery...you're practically an expert by now!


----------



## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

Keepongoing and Octavia thank you so much for sharing your experiences - you have no idea how much it helps to know people have come through this well.

I do feel like a bit of an expert now haha. I'm hoping, after the surgery, I will get back to recovery really quickly. I went back to work today and tonight I am exhausted - hopefully I will only have to take another week off.

I'm now just anxious for it to be done, so I can get on with things.


----------

