a cautionary tale/thank you note for everyone who reads this blog.....

a couple of days ago, i heard that Mary Murphy- a judge from the TV show " so you think you can dance" has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. she had her surgery in December, and her treatment (it sounded like) last month. she is having trouble with her voice(!) and i have never watched this t.v. show, but it seems that she screamed a lot. now it seems, she just squeaks.( been there, still doing that- the squeaking, that is). i always have a mix of emotions when i hear about some celebrity having thyroid cancer. how far along is it? how will they deal with their recovery? will they share good and reliable information about the disease, or spread worrisome or fearful untruths?

i do know that Mary admitted in waiting too long before she went back to see her doctor. she said that she was instructed to "keep an eye on things" and she did not. she said that she was too busy,etc. to get it checked out. this is a cautionary tale that i hope prompts others, in a similar situation, to go on to their doctor. you might be surprised at the power of suggestion sometimes. a friend/doctor of mine and i were talking a few years ago about health issues. she asked me if i was up to date on my screening tests for cancer. i told her that i was- and i had my mammogram coming up the following month. she said, "gee, that reminds me. i am over-due for mine. i think i will make an appointment today." turns out, she had breast cancer. her treatment was pretty rough going, but she has been cancer free for five years now. she of course, made the appointment, but i like to think that by us talking about it, perhaps i had a tiny bit to do with her going on to her doctor.

that is a major incentive in me writing this blog. i sincerely hope that i can provide information that might help someone else get testing or treatment. i, too waited too long before i had my testing. i was seeing a doctor, but he did not do any ultrasounds or biopsies in the five years that i was his patient. he just said, " well, your blood work looks strange, but it is probably just stress". finally, i knew in my heart that something was not right- and i found another doctor, one who ultimately did the tests that probably saved my life. i wish, about every day, that i had gotten treatment before my cancerous nodules "exploded" and spread into two of my parathyroids and some of my lymph nodes. they tell me that my prognosis is still good, but i would have felt better had my thyroid been removed when the tumors were encapsulated. i.e., not venturing out into the rest of my body to see what mayhem they might cause somewhere else.

my blog also helps me felt connected with all of you who  are dealing with thyroid cancer. i am not alone! and you are not alone. i appreciate all of your comments and input. i hope that  i have shared good information with you. i hope that i have inspired you to get treatment from a doctor that is both knowledgeable and sensitive to your needs. i hope that everyone is taking good care of themselves- getting extra rest, exercising- is it too much to hope that some of you are now as addicted to zumba as i am??

i have found that since having cancer i am especially thankful for any good thing- large or small- that comes my way. i am so thankful for being able to blog, and for everyone that reads my blog. thanks  to each and every one of you, and please continue to get good health care, and  also  to take care of yourselves. tonight is zumba class, and as i try to shake the coins off of my belly scarf, i will be giving thanks for just being there.