I’ve been reading a couple thyroid related FB group posts for the last few months. Seems there are all kinds of people out there with different levels of thyroid disease and different fear triggers. Sometimes it’s hard to read the depressing stuff about a related condition or disease you also may have….so I quickly skimmed through them and only read things related to nodules, goiteres and biopsies.

I had my thyroid removed this morning around 9am. It was very large with a goiter and 4 nodules…two of them were an inch in size. After the surgery, the doctor had a consultation with “him” and called my thyroid massive. It’s gone now…in a lab somewhere waiting for a biopsy and I am sitting on the couch tonight with an ice pack on my neck and feeling gratitude.

If you are reading this because of the thyroid tag, let me share briefly about my recovery 15 hours later. Because my thyroid was soooo big, they sent me home to recover rather than an overnight Stay at the hospital. Among the complications an overnight in the hospital might be needed would be swelling in the throat area with the possible complication of swallowing or breathing…that DOES seem like a problem! It was explained to me this was not a concern in my case due to the size of the thyroid and the area it used to live in. I was way past loopy until about 12 hours after I was given the first medications for pain while in the outpatient pre surgery area. As it wore off, I did feel some very minor pain mostly when I swallow. Apparently the tube they Intubate with is larger than most due to sensors on it to aid the surgeon in avoiding nerves. Icing the neck has worked well for me. Interestingly, my surgeon glued my incision closed which will allows me to shower sooner.

But I’ll still be wearing my latest battle scar with pride. Everyone says it will heal and eventually not be visible but until then.

It’s pretty visible right now and after my first glance in the mirror I thought how am I going to cover that up…but it’s not something I need to cover up. It’s me, it’s another scar of life, I’m still here…I’m a survivor….I am grateful!