My Dr said that the scan shows that the lympth nodes are shrinking... and no new signs of cancer anywhere else... Need I say more..
I will continue to be monitored but this is some of the best news we have had in a while. I will relish in it.

Didn't realize this post was still waiting to publish

Barbara Greses whom I met at Dr. C's office while taking my injections touched and inspired me immediately. She has been on her Thyroid surgery recovery journey for 3 years now and she is so full of hope and inspiration... I just have to say thank you for saying the very things that I needed to hear.  She is so greatful that our Doctor listened to her to know what was going on and not just dismiss her like all the others.  Like me she has started a blog while she work though it all.

Here we are again, traveling down the road of medical mysteries. As many of you know I have been having a cocktail of aloe and honey in hopes that it will rid me of any unwanted cancer cells that may have thought they wanted to take up residence ~ WRONG host, I don't play nice that way. Next week I will be having a series of Shots and a scan on the 14th  to make sure all is going well. I am excited about this stage of the game... I have always perferred pictures over words and numbers... so I will be imagining the scan as clear and pretty and expect nothing less.

Hello everyone, I decided we all needed a break from the issues of Thyroid Cancer. As I had promised, I used this break to spend time healing and nourishing my body on many levels. The holidays were so good to me. Spent Christmas weekend with my beautiful daughter, and  a Son in Law  that I refer to as "the hunk" and his sweet mother that was in from Florida.  New Years was quite and enjoyable too. The month of February my wonderful husband had done so much to pamper and make sure that I know just how much I mean to him. We now have an additional ceramic  birdbath  pictured above and took me camping a couple of weekends ago. I have to say that I am a spoiled princess and love every minute of it.
 Last Tuesday was my return visit to the surgeon with the extra blessing of an ultra sound which revealed that the Radioactive Iodine didn't kill all of the cancerous tissue like they/we had hoped.  I knew back when they did the scan that it hadn't eradicated all of it then but their encouragement of  wishful thinking that maybe some of it would just be slow in dying off, HUH.  So the ultra sound revealed that there are some additional lymph nodes that are suspicious  and the cancer has  spread to them. The official report from the radiologist should be back late this week hopefully. The surgeon looked at me and, asked if I understood and I said yes. So when I asked what the next  step would be, he said once I get the report back I will send it to your endo Dr. stat for her review and we will have a phone consultation. He said that there protocols again that would net to be followed and  a certain amount of time between  treatments and any other course of action they may want to follow. So it may not be a fast process. He also said "You are taking this well and try not to totally freak out it just yet, even though all indications are such that you would have the right to be  freaked out about it. "   Having been though Graves disease and thyroid removal and having  his cancer reoccur gives me tons of confidence that everything will turn out ok.  He really does understand what his patients are going though and understand the emotions when news like this told to someone.  He has a very positive attitude about his journey so I would have no reason to not to the same.  I will see the endo doctor at the end of March and hope to be able to share what is in store for me next.
After I left the Surgeons office I returned to work...I was a bit teary eyed mainly from disappointment that I wasn't' going to be able to  Blog about a more positive result from this appointment. Faith and hope are powerful fear fighters.  However I did get over my disappointment pretty quickly and reminded myself that there is still  some options and I am looking into all of them.  In the mean time back to more reading and researching on additional nutrition geared for the lymphatic system. 
One thing that I have been very pleased to be able to share with you is that I am seeing more and more information and stories of  team work between Doctors and complementary  alternative treatments and the acceptance of them.

Last week I went and had my hair cut shorter than normal. Why you may ask!  Well a chunk of the back broke off from being so brittle after the radation treatment. One of my goals through this journey, was/is to accept changes with grace and even graditude. So off with length. She cut it in a way that allows me to have "big Texas Hair, even with a shorter length and  when I want it. So I am having fun with it and learning that it is actually much easier to take care of it at this length.
I was so glad to return to work, even with the continued exhaustion, each day gets better. I am reminded on several levels that I need to pace myself. So I have been just focusing on one task at a time seems to be working well for me. "Focus" is a big word through this mess. For so long the ongoing "fog" of memory issues has been one of the biggest issues for over a year. However, I do think the fog is finally lifting and memory issues are resolving themselves on some levels.
Looking forward to getting back into some type of routine and with the holidays coming up... pacing myself will be more important than ever. So I will accept my limitations this season  and be pleased with what I do get done. Think I just might start taking pictures again next week.

AS the days drew closer to the Endo's appointment, I found myself very mentally busy and a bit overwelmed. I was surprised how I was unable to share the thoughts that I was having prior to the Radio Active Iodine (RAI) treatment as well. I filled my days with research and consultations. Ultimately we decided to go ahead with the RAI treatment in hopes that it would "fry" the thyroid cancer cells that had remained where ever they may have been in my body. Monday will be the total body scan to confirm that it is actively doing just that. This is one of those weird cancers that even though the organ is out of you, it (the cancer) still can be in the body, go figure. It has to do with the fact that it was part of the endocrine system which is made up of many other organs and operates many other organs.
Apparently it can sneak back up on a person rather quickly. They already have an ultrasound scheduled for Febuary  ad another body scan in 6 months to see if it has reared it's ugly head again.

I find myself here at the keyboard as I  ponder what some of my options be in store for me. As this heron stands on the slippery  rock, finding his footing, looking ahead and wondering what his/her next move  would be.
I know I am not alone and yet no matter how surrounded one might be, I know some decisons are mine alone to make  and we all have our waters to navigate to get the job done. I will always be greatful for this bird taking time to help me. Many  say we need to always listen to the universe, well nature also has a way of  teaching us a better way too.
The surgeon gave me some homework to do regarding  additional treatment. Seems there is some uncertianity  if the standard Radioactive Iodine treatment would be the right course for me. Seems that being over 45 years old and this treatment may actually increase my chances of  additional cancer/s.  The Ironic thing is in order to actually find out if it has spread, they need to kill (the radioactive iodine treatment/s) the remaining fragments of thyroid  tissue in order for any other possible cancer to show up in the scan. Some of the more comon places for it to show up might be lungs, kidneys & bones.  If the scan comes out clean, Then I am left with the realitiy that the radioactive Iodine will most likely create an additional cancer down the road. When I asked if there was anything I could do to be proactive to reduce this occurance, the answer was simply No.
By no means is this a pitty party, it is just me sharing this enlightenment on this subject.  We are often told that saying No to things is harder than saying yes, that remains to be seen.

I was much more alert last week than I am this week. I would have to think it is a combo of several events. The support from everyone was awsome.... I didn't want to disappoint anyone that wanted to visit, I enjoyed the company so so much.  The waiting of the pathology report, My body adjusting to not having a very sick thyroid. The staples only allowed for one way to sleep on my back and I am a tummy sleeper so that was a 180 for me.  For a lack of a better word, the excitement of it all plum caught up with me this week. Sunday evening I pretty much slept straight though till tuesday Morning. Was up all day Tuesday and then slept from 7:30 Tuesday nite till thursday morning with the exception of  a shower, visiting with a neighbor and egg tacos with hubby last night.  I have to stay off my thyroid medication so that when I see Dr. C the endocrinoligist on the 16th,  I will be that much closer to scheduleling my oblation treatment.
So have done some reading on that and have some more to do to be educated before my appointment. Well off to the shower for now...