Wednesday, January 01, 2003

Cancer, Health, Medicine

This is an index post with links to my writings about my experiences with cancer, all sorts of health issues, and topics relating to medicine in general.

2006
January 22
Progress report: 3 months post-op

January 17
My kids' pediatrician is becoming a homeopathist! Yikes. Submitted to Grand Rounds.

January 8
Call your doctor if you need advice! Submitted to Grand Rounds.

2005
December 30
Bloodwork was drawn for my endo in Houston before Christmas; the results were waiting for me after our trip to CA. Your labs are perfect, my endo declares.

December 23
Alicia's discussion of body image sparks one of my own; submitted to Grand Rounds.

December 21
A discussion of my neck dissection scar, and how I'm actively managing it.

December 14
The Stroboscopy Experience; submitted to Grand Rounds.

December 11
I love my physical therapists. Submitted to Grand Rounds.

December 10
The return of the ornery salivary glands.

December 2
Post-op progress report

November 19
Starting to feel better (psychologically.)

November 11
Cancer update

November 10
The Neck dissection experience, 3 weeks post-op.

November 7
I'm making good progress, but I don't have any post-op reports from Houston.

October 28
Working through all the post-op stuff, again.

October 25
My surgical drain makes me feel like a member of The Borg Collective.

October 22
My slightly drug-hazed post-op report from Houston.

October 18
During my ultrasound, the radiologist tells me I need surgery.

October 17
At the end of my first day in Houston, a run-down of all the procedures I had done.

October 12
A visit with my ENT, Dr. O. He puts me on Prilosec.

October 6
A discussion of the problems with laboratory results, submitted to Grand Rounds.

October 2
Getting my pre-registration paperwork from MDA sends me into a tailspin.

September 27
New research shows I'm at an even higher risk for breast cancer than I had previously thought.

September 26
I've got a weird red patch on my tongue.

September 21
The schedule is set for my trip to MDA.

September 17
A discussion of combined T4/T3 therapy for hypothyroid patients. Submitted to Grand Rounds.

September 13
The FNA comes back negative, and my endo's nonchalant attitude really gets on my nerves. I still have to go to Houston.

September 8
I take up swimming and yoga. The first day nearly killed me, but here are some thoughts on the second day.

In the meantime, my dermatology appointment went very well, and the wonderful "Y" at my endo's office gets the ball rolling on my referral.

September 5
I wallow a bit in the anxiety caused by the MDA referral.

September 2
I am referred to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for treatment, and sort of freak out.

August 30
A freaky photo of my asymmetrically dilated eyes following my dilated eye exam.

August 19
Thyca (thyroid cancer) update.

August 18
Physical ailments continue to drag me down. A discussion on the idea of the anonymous patient, which was submitted to Grand Rounds.

August 15
Eating lots and losing weight are a scary combination.

August 12
After a long and delightful summer, I brace myself to head back into the wonderful world of healthcare, with addendums.

July 11
Being old sucks.

June 16
Still feeling crummy, post-RAI.

June 13
Following my second round of RAI, I had another whole body scan.

Alicia's Story is the very moving chronicle of a young cancer victim.

June 10
Some post-RAI symptoms mimic those of early pregnancy.

June 5
Brief notes on the RAI experience

June 3
The scan was negative! But my Thyroglobulin was elevated, so the doctor recommends another round of RAI.

May 31
The first day of my Thyrogen protocol, and a very long one at that: 100 miles, 6 stops, 3 sticks, one sore arm.

May 29
After giving me a few months' respite, my salivary glands start acting up again.

May 26
When all you have is a hammer... Discussions of the off-label usage of Thyrogen, including RAI treatment while under Thyrogen stim. Included in Grand Rounds.

May 22
HIPAA v the jury selection committee: guess who wins? Here's a hint: it's not the patient. Submitted to Grand Rounds.

May 9
Having been on the Low Iodine Diet for a while, I realize that doctors aren't schedulers. This post was also submitted to Grand Rounds.

May 4
Saw my endocrinologist and found out about my upcoming Thyrogen scan.

April 12
Inventory -- how everything's doing. Good Lord, I really am falling apart.

April 6
My last three punch biopsies of the 10 required by my dermatologist.

March 30
Test results showing a decline in Tg (thyroglobulin) leave me cautiously optimistic.

March 28
A comedy of errors: "The story of my thyroid cancer is one screwup after another."

March 20
I know accepting the idea that I have cancer would help me, but I still don't wanna go there.

March 16
Lab reports and my first visit with Dr. O, my ENT - and my first indications that there will be a neck dissection in my future.

March 15
My MRI is "otherwise unremarkable." But I am having some problems obtaining medical records.

March 8
Frustrations with medical researchers confirming what we already know..

March 7
The MRI experience. For the record: I hate MRIs and would be happy to never, ever have another one.

March 1
Taking inventory: RAI damage, skin biopsies, and pending visits to the ENT and for an MRI of my lower spine.

February 28
Finding online and local Thyca support.

February 22
Foot biopsies hurt, and my endo is clueless about the RAI damage to my salivary glands.

February 21
I'm falling apart and completely annoyed by it. Oh, and having so many doctor appointments, too.

February 18
I figured out that the jaw pain, and salty saliva, are late effects from my RAI treatment in November.

February 17
My jaw hurts and I think it's TMJ. Also: I might have chronic appendicitis. (Eventually, that pain stopped bothering me.)

February 16
I'm worn out by everything.

February 8
Cancer management update

February 7
Making plans amidst hope and fear.

January 24
Tweaking of thyroid meds and skin biopsies continue, and I'm feeling particularly crummy.

January 18
One thing I don't know.

January 8
Researching and writing on distant metastases of thyroid cancer.

January 6
On Depression

The Gawande Kerfuffle, my first entry to Grand Rounds.

2004
December 28
"Inventory": a list of all my accomplishments and miseries.

December 8
In addition to dealing with the thyroid stuff, I still had to cope with all those punch biopsies at the dermatologist.

December 3
I had my first whole body scan. Unfortunately I had to have another one, because there was too much " starring" effect from all the uptake in my neck.

December 2
It takes a while for the effects of the RAI to really hit. By the beginning of December, I was feeling really dreadful.

November 17
RAI can give you the mumps. Also, I wrote the thyroid primer while in isolation.

November 16
The first day of my first RAI treatment.

November 11
More post-op pictures, and LID-related whining, but finally getting the schedule set for my RAI.

November 7
I'm on a Low Iodine Diet in preparation for my first RAI treatment.

October 28
My first post-op photos.

October 22 & 23
Back home after the surgery; and here's the report. It's very hard to get used to the idea that you have cancer.

October 18
Typical long-winded ruminations on my upcoming surgery.

October 17
As my surgery date approaches, "I have a bad feeling about this".

September 28
"It's going to have to come out."

September 27
More -- a lot more -- punch biopsies at the dermatologist.

September 26
I was still waiting for my diagnosis, but I didn't tell my girlfriends about it.

September 18
Here's an example of the kind of manic thinking that happens while you're waiting for a cancer diagnosis.

September 17
I had the fine needle aspiration biopsy of my thyroid that ultimately led to my thyroidectomy.

September 4
Running the cancer tests gauntlet.

August 6
Back home after vacation, and really not feeling well at all. On August 9, though, in spite of continuing to feel crummy, I quit taking the Ambien. Hmmmm.

June 28
Health update from my mother's house on Cape Cod, where we spend the summer. At this point I had been on the minocycline for a while, and my endo had increased my Levoxyl because of the changes in my TSH that the g/e doc's test had uncovered.

June 4
Got my lab results back from the g/e doc. They said everything was "normal." Ha!

June 3
Started physical therapy for my piriformis problems.

May 26
I got my prescription for my minocycline anti-biotic for my RA. Also, my gastroenterologist orders the bloodtests which will eventually lead to my cancer diagnosis.

May 13
Got that cyst removed from my leg.

April 28
Colonoscopy. Whee! Only, not. By this point I'd already been tested for celiac and the test had come back negative. And I had a skin biopsy on my shoulder just a few days before.

April 12
Another day, another invasive medical procedure.

Ongoing in here: taking Vioxx for RA, Ambien for fibromyalgia-related sleep difficulties, feeling crummy; seeing the dermatologist and learning I have to have 3 moles removed, along with the infected cyst in my leg.

February 28
An incidental infection in my leg progressed to the point of needing to be drained. Ew. And, ouch.

February 27
A long (heh) rumination on guarding, the behaviors we undertake to minimize pain, and the collateral damage that guarding can cause.

February 23
I had my gallbladder removed. There were various tests and complaints leading up to the surgery, but I was in the habit then of writing dreadfully long omnibus posts (my posts are still too long but at least I try to stick to one topic now.) The surgery went very well.

January 22
Here I begin to think that maybe there really is something wrong with me.


2003
December 31
I am not sick -- turns out I was wrong. This is a quick run-through of all the health nightmares I went through before I started to blog.

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