Kathleen Donahue’s PTC Treatment Updates

I just got back from my Pre-Op appointment. I thought it would be a little more involved, but it was quick and easy. I basically had to fill out all the insurance paper work; pay the bill (goodbye shopping!); complete a medical history; give a little bid of blood; and then get a chest x-ray. I don’t think I will hear anything about the blood or chest x-ray until the day of surgery.

The nurse went over the schedule for next Wednesday. I will arrive at the hospital around 10:30 to check-in. After getting admitted, I will do some more quick tests as a part of the normal procedure. Then, I will have a quick meeting with my doctor and then off to the OR. Surgery is estimated at 4-5 hours. After about an hour in recovery, I will either be moved to ICU or the 4th floor surgical unit. Obviously I am hoping I get to the 4th floor rather than ICU, but even if I am in ICU, my family will still get to come see me rather quickly after recovery. The nice thing is that the whole hospital is private rooms. I wonder if they still even do roommates anywhere!?

It was my first time inside Medical Center of Lewisville, and I was generally satisfied. I did some research and found out the hospital underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2003. It is a part of the North Texas Division of HCA hospitals. The Day Surgery Center operates as a full service surgery unit. Here is a picture:

Things are wrapping us nicely at work. I have been wrapping up projects I am working on and my coworkers have been very helpful in helping me manage my clients while I am out. After the holiday on Monday, I will be at work on Tuesday to wrap up any loose ends. I scheduled myself off until the following Wednesday, but I will play it by ear if recovery is longer than anticipated.

Outside of work, I have been trying to finish up projects here and there so that I can relax and not worry about anything when I am recovering. For those of you have been at my house, I have had a half-painted brown wall for over a year now. It is rather famous and there have been many attempts to finish it, but nothing ever panned out. I decided it was time to call in the professionals and had them finally finish it, as well as paint my bedroom. I took a risk on the bedroom color and went with a medium-tone gray. I think it looks awesome. I also enlisted the help of a handyman and had my fence totally repaired (no more escaping doggies) and thanks to my brother Jon, got a nice new Kohler toilet upstairs. Home sweet home is new and improved, so come visit!

This weekend I will do some last minute things and hopefully spend one day in Arlington so that I can visit with family and friends and go to church before the big day. Check the blog on surgery day afternoon (Wednesday 9/3) for updates on how things went. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers..and cards!

Have a great Labor Day!
Kathleen

On Monday, 8/12/08, I went for a second sonogram to get an idea on if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. On Friday, 8/15/08 AM, my doctor called and I went in around lunch time to discuss the results. He informed me that he believed the cyst (which resulted in the noticeable lump in my throat) was actually in the lymph node adjacent to the thyroid. The main indicator of this was that the cyst was on the opposite side of the carotid/jugular veins as the thyroid, which indicates that the cyst was outside the thyroid because the thyroid is found between the two carotid/jugular veins.

What this means is that my surgery indeed will be more complex than originally thought. In addition to removing the entire thyroid, my doctor will also remove all the lymph nodes on the left-hand side of my neck. My right-hand side lymph nodes are not being removed as of now, since it appears the cancer is contained within the thyroid on this respective side. Totally visible masses include three nodules in the right-hand side of my thyroid and one cyst in the lymph nodes on the left-hand side of my neck. Since there is more to remove (and from what I gather that the lymph node removal process is bit tedious), there is of course more risk to this surgery. However, with that being said, the additional risks are largely complications and other risks (like bruising of certain nerves) to the related area. This also means a larger scar that extends up the side of my neck, so scarves will be appropriate X-mas presents this year! Surgery recovery is estimated for one week and I am still scheduled for just a one-night stay at Lewisville Medical Center. Surgery is estimated for 4.5 hours, and is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 12:00pm.

Besides mental preparation for my surgery, the only thing on my “to-do” schedule until then is a Pre-Op appointment. I am scheduled to go for this appointment on Thursday, August 28th at 2:30pm. Aside from the normal Pre-Op stuff, I will have a chest x-ray. Please keep my in your thoughts and prayers for the hope that the cancer has only spread to the lymph nodes in my neck.

After the surgery, I plan to recover at my house in Flower Mound. My sister Christine has already been a wonderful help in helping me get organized at home. She is planning on staying with me for a few days after the surgery. My mom will still be recovering from her knee replacement surgery in Arlington. If Christine needs relief, I will either move to my parent’s house or my mom will come over to my house.

Thanks again for all of the support from friends and family, it really means a lot.

Kathleen

I keep forgetting to share news about my mom’s knee-replacement recovery. She had her left-hand knee replaced on July 29, 2008 in Fort Worth. She had an excellent doctor and things went smoothly. After a few days in the hospital, she was released and she has been recovering and doing physical therapy at home. I saw her yesterday/today for the first time since her surgery and she is doing excellent. She got all of her staples out Friday and she was walking around the house, barely using her walker. I stayed with her at the hospital two nights and Christine stayed three. My dad stayed during most of the daytime. She had some issues (nausea, hot flashes, etc.) with morphine, so that was an interesting few days! Overall, the surgery and knee recovery was great. Her scar is huge and curves around her knee, but that is mainly because her doctor basically traced a scar she had from knee surgery when she was in her 20s. She used to play a lot of basketball and had to have a pin in her knee ever since. Her knee deteriorated ever since; I was there when the doctor said that was one of the worst knees he has ever seen! She will be switching to a cane next week. She is doing very well, and she told me how lucky she has been to have such wonderful friends visit and bring her meals. Today was the first day my dad got to cook since the surgery. (Which is very hard for my dad not to cook!!!) My parents are blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community. Thanks to everyone who has helped my parents!

From the email on 8/7/08:

Although some of you may know, I wanted share some important news with you. I was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer this week. Although this news may seem like a devastating diagnosis, I hope you will find the news a little less shocking once you read about what treatment and prognosis entails. I have highlighted some of the recent and future events.

Approximately one month ago, I went to my General Practitioner for a check-up and also to check on a recently-discovered lump in my neck. He was concerned about the lump and referred me to a local otolaryngologist/ENT doctor (those who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders). After an initial visit, I was sent for a sonogram of my neck. After reviewing this, my doctor found that the large mass was actually a cyst, but a few other nodules (abnormal lumps in the thyroid glands) were present. At this time, he also performed a fine needle aspiration biopsy. (Basically a large needle stuck into my neck- not fun!). The fluid pulled from my neck was sent to a pathologist. When I was called in to review the results, my doctor revealed that he was surprised by the pathologist’s finding. They determined the cells to be highly suspicious of Papillary Thyroid Cancer. This term “suspicious” seemed somewhat confusing, but my doctor said that they rarely conclude to a 100% positive indication.

I will undergo the typical treatment for Papillary Thyroid Cancer. The treatment is basically 1) surgical removal of the thyroid; 2) a radioactive iodine treatment administered in a pill form usually six weeks after surgery; and 3) thyroid hormone replacement (daily pill) for the remainder of my life.

My surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3 at Lewisville Medical Center. I have heard the surgery is not that obtrusive and will basically involve a small slit lengthwise along the front of my neck. My doctor and his partner will both be present, so I feel better about two surgeons rather than one. They will remove the thyroid and some tissues that surround it. It is typically a one-night stay at the hospital.

I have another sonogram this coming Monday to explore other areas of my neck to see if the cancer has spread. If it has, the surgery will be a little more complex because it will involve removing more tissue, such as lymph nodes.

Although I am freaked out by the cancer diagnosis, I am very confident that this will soon be behind me. A good way to describe it is that this is the best of the worst. Additionally, I have witnessed Mrs. Bearden’s (April’s mom) brave battle with Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer over the past year, and her strength and success is a true inspiration.

Thyroid cancer is fairly uncommon, accounting for only 1.2% of all new cancers in the United States annually. Although thyroid cancer is still a cancer that requires treatment and lifelong monitoring, survival rates are high, with 95% of all thyroid cancer patients achieving what would be considered a cure, or long-term survival without reoccurrence. This website is a good summary of everything my doctor described to me. http://www.wikicancer.org/page/Thyroid%20Cancer?t=anon

I want everyone to know that I am doing fine! I will update everyone before and after the surgery. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers so far!

Kathleen

Well, the Beardens have always been the forerunners on technology….I remember Mr. Bearden having one of the first car phones I had ever seen – Although, it probably took up half of the front seat!! So, it is no surprise that ShanaBearden.com came about last year. I think anybody who has seen the blog, which narrates the Bearden family’s journey as Ms. Bearden’s battles Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer, has been touched. An avid reader of her the Shana Bearden blog, I can appreciate how the posts keep everyone updated efficiently and at their own prerogative.

I have always wanted to go into business with the Bearden’s at some point, so I guess blog endorsement shall be our first joint venture! Please visit shanabearden.com

This site will be updated with news relating to my treatment for Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Check here for the latest and greatest, as I am never far from a computer.

This is my first experience with a domain/publishing platform, so hopefully I can jazz it up over time….I did not waste four years of myspace html editing for nothing!! I must keep some form of simplicity though, as Christine (who even works in programming/IT for a living!) will be adding posts as well. I initially asked her for help, but she suggested I contact her IT friends!!! That said, I will now give props to a man named Sridhar from the internet. I did some googling and found his very informative video!