Isn't this just peachy.

[Meerkat]

Thyroid Cancer.
:eek:
:eek:
:eek:
:eek:
:eek:
:eek:
:(
:mad:

[John Bell]

You!? Damn... :(

A quick Google says that thyroid cancer is usually very treatable. Here's a prayer that your is one of those.

[Meerkat]

Oui, moi! :(

I read up on it too and it does look hopeful: we'll see.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

You? :(

[Keith Wilson]

Oh, man - - Terribly sorry; I hope it goes well for you.

[Jack Heinlen]

Golly I'm sorry. You and I have had our tiffs, but I've never wished you ill.

If the prognosis sounds bad step outside the boundaries and try some different things. I had a friend who was diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer, had the operations and such, none of which stopped it. She went on a fresh fruit and vegetable juice diet. The cancer retreated, and she's very much alive, the last I heard.

Good luck Meerkat.

[ 08-10-2004, 08:02 PM: Message edited by: Jack Heinlen ]

[km gresham]

:( Sorry to hear it! Hope everything goes well. Modern medicine is pretty effective on some of these nasty things. Take care and do what they tell you to. smile.gif

[Dave Fleming]

Aw Geeze, Pointy Nosed One, that is sad news.

Here is hoping that it will be fully treatable.

Sure it is the 'big C' and, not an under or over active gland?

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Oh My God David I'm so sorry how was it detected, what are your options ? Has is moved or spread ? How far along ? How can I help?

[Gresham CA]

Take care and good thoughts coming your way!

[Paul Pless]

I wish you luck and a return to good health my friend.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyroidca.html

Types of Thyroid Cancer

There are four types of thyroid cancer some of which are much more common than others.

Thyroid Cancer Type and Incidence

Papillary and mixed papillary/follicular ~ 75% [now a new page on specifics]

Follicular and Hurthle cell ~ 15% [now a new page on specifics]

Medullary ~ 7% [now a new page on specifics]

Anaplastic ~ 3%[now a new page on specifics]

What's the Prognosis ??

Most thyroid cancers are very curable. In fact, the most common types of thyroid cancer (papillary and follicular) are the most curable. In younger patients, both papillary and follicular cancers can be expected to have better than 95% cure rate if treated appropriately. Both papillary and follicular cancers are typically treated with complete removal of the lobe of the thyroid which harbors the cancer, PLUS, removal of most or all of the other side.

Medullary cancer of the thyroid is significantly less common, but has a worse prognosis. Medullary cancers tend to spread to large numbers of lymph nodes very early on, and therefore requires a much more aggressive operation than does the more localized cancers such as papillary and follicular. This cancer requires complete thyroid removal PLUS a dissection to remove the lymph nodes of the front and sides of the neck.

The least common type of thyroid cancer is anaplastic which has a very poor prognosis...it tends to be found after it has spread and is not cured in most cases. Often an operation cannot remove all the tumor.

What About Chemotherapy ??

Thyroid cancer is unique among cancers, in fact, thyroid cells are unique among all cells of the human body. They are the only cells which have the ability to absorb Iodine. Iodine is required for thyroid cells to produce thyroid hormone, so they absorb it out of the bloodstream and concentrate it inside the cell. Most thyroid cancer cells retain this ability to absorb and concentrate iodine. This provides a perfect "chemotherapy" strategy. Radioactive Iodine is given to the patient and the remaining thyroid cells (and any thyroid cancer cells retaining this ability) will absorb and concentrate it. Since all other cells of our bodies cannot absorb the toxic iodine, they are unharmed. The thyroid cancer cells, however, will concentrate the poison within themselves and the radioactivity destroys the cell from within. No sickness. No hair loss. No nausea. No diarrhea. No pain. More about this on the pages for each specific thyroid cancer type.

Not all patients with thyroid cancer need radioactive iodine treatments after their surgery. This is important to know. Others, however, should have it if a cure is to be expected. Just who needs it and who doesn't is a bit more detailed than can be outlined here. Patients with medullary cancer of they thyroid usually do not need iodine therapy...because medullary cancers almost never absorb the radioactive iodine. Some small papillary cancers treated with a total thyroidectomy may not need iodine therapy as well, but for a different reason. These cancers are often cured with simple (complete) surgical therapy alone. Important!!! This varies from patient to patient and from cancer to cancer. Don't look for easy answers here. This decision will be made between the surgeon, the patient, and the referring endocrinologist or internist. Remember, radioactive iodine therapy is extremely safe. If you need it, take it.

[Meerkat]

About a month ago (just after the 4th of July), I came down with what I thought was laryngitis. Doc said the same thing. It didn't go away after a month, so I went back to the doc. A chest x-ray last week showed a left shift of my trachia (who knew a trachia could be liberal! ;) ) and the doc ordered up a CT scan, which I had yesterday. I found out today that the scan showed a mass in my thyroid.

When I was at the doc's back in early July, I had some normal bloodwork done, which showed normal thyroid levels... go figure.

From what I've read, I seem to have a sub-sternal thyroid - the thyroid has grown down into my chest rather than causing a neck goiter.

- Only 1 in 3 cases are found in males.
- Most of them turn out to be benign.
- 90% of actual cancers are easily treatable. 7% are more (ahem) challenging and 3% are... well, let's just say not good at all.

So, today, I'm helping Jamie Hascall move Victoria from Lake Union back to Leshi Marina. She had been moved away from there to avoid the Seafair madness and the very real possibility that the Leshi docks might disintigrate due to all the wake wash.

Tomorrow or the next day, they're going to stick a needle in my throat (SCREAM!) to do a "fine needle biopsy". After that, some mad slasher is going to cut my throat and take out the offending gland (out damned spot, OUT!). Maybe after that, i'll have some nice radioactive iodine pills to irridate you all with... ;)

In the meantime of course, I'm going to have to figure out how to not get evicted, keep eating and keep on looking for a job. Fuuuudge! :(

I think I'm going to go take a valium now...

[Ross M]

Sorry, Meerkat

I have a cousin who was diagnosed with this about 10 years ago. I do not know what treatments she recieved, but she is fine now...

Hoping for a similar outcome,

Ross

[Meerkat]

Thanks for all the good wishes folks...

Joe; thanks for that - the endocrine website was the first one I found and read. Most authoritative.

[Noah]

Meer, sorry to hear that...

On the up note I have a sailing buddy who was diagnosed last year with it. He had a few months of feeling ****ty, but never missed a race, and he is doing fine now. Heck, he didn't even loose any of his 265lbs of railmeat...

Good luck!

Noah

[cs]

Meer, I hope you can get it taken care of.

Chad

[Bruce Hooke]

Meerkat,

Wow, I'm very sorry to hear that.

I hope the treatment goes well...

- Bruce

[brad9798]

I hate to here that, Meer.

Prayers. Take care of yourself!!!

And, if anyone would have a liberal trachia, it would be you! ;)

[High C]

Sorry to hear it, Kat. :(

I had a colleague a few years back who had the same and did great with a bit of surgery.

Hang in there!

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

Relax David, all will be well. smile.gif
They work wonders when it's found early.
You'll sound like Louie Armstrong for awhile but they'll treat it and bada bing bada boom, you'll be good as new. ;)
You're just gonna have to trust me on this one,after all, I'm Mr. Know It All. :D

[Ian McColgin]

G'luck.

[Harry Miller]

We're thinking about you, good luck!

[Art Read]

Meer... Check your voice mail.

[LisaS]

Meer -

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!!

Lisa

[John of Phoenix]

Good luck buddy. Kick some bu^^.

[Jim H]

Sorry to hear it and I hope it's a "best case senario" type diagnosis. I wish you a speedy recovery.

[Concordia..41]

Ditto on the wishes for the best case scenario. Actually double or triple ditto.

- M

[imported_Daniel]

Meer, hope all goes well for you. Thoughts and prayers are on their way. Please let us know if there is anything we can do.

[Shang]

Geez... You didn't need this to prove how tough you are!

Know of several cases--all worked out okay.
Good luck!

[ken mcclure]

Aaargh. I forget the polite word for '**** .'

We have a friend who had the same problem. The "out damned spot" worked fine for him, and I hope that yours works out the same way.

You're in my prayers.

[bamamick]

Prayers to you, Meerkat. May God bless and keep you.

Mickey Lake

[Donn]

That sucks, rodent. I feel sure you'll beat it.

[huisjen]

Good luck.

Does this mean you'll bee some kinda speed freak for your remaining years?

Dan

[htom]

Prayers and good wishes, Meerkat.

[Phil Young]

Sounds like its not as bad as it sounds. Hope so anyway. Good luck mate.

[John B]

Damn. Sorry to hear about it.
As Phil says.. it looks like there's plenty of positives there. you'll beat it.Good luck mate.

[Wild Dingo]

To right youll beat it David relax take another valium or two enjoy the weird sights for awhile :D

Miricles happen... so you gots no worries :cool:

[Meerkat]

I'm overwelmed by all your good wishes. Thanks so very much for your posts, private messages and emails (one entirely unexpected!).

Special thanks to Art Read and Jamie Hascall for their phone calls.

I'll probably know more in a couple of days and I'll let you all know what's going on.

[SC-Lion]

Meerkat stay strong, my best thoughts are with you.

-Gary

[John C. Gresham]

Best of luck.

[Mrleft8]

I wasn't aware that meerkats even HAD thyroid glands! I meen....yer such lil'bitty critters!
You prolly don't need the damn thing anyway, kinda like an appendix...
In any case, keep the surgeons in stitches, (er....or something like that....) Laughter is the best medicine and all that.
Fingers crossed. (ask them to put the offending matter in a jar of formalin for you. THAT'LL get you some funny looks)

[TimH]

Sorry to hear that Meer, just be glad they found it. I had skin cancer a few years ago, but luckily they discovered it before it got into my lymph nodes. I got away with merely losing the skin off 1/2 my back. My neighbor had the same thing only he had to go thru chemo and radiation as did my mother for breast cancer. My aunt died from it as they didnt find it soon enough. Seems like cancer is quite common now days. :(

[carlg]

Meer,

You'll be fine. My wife had thyroid cancer more than 20 years ago and is doing just fine. Her thyroid was removed and she takes a Synthroid tablet a day. No recurrence, no problems.

[George.]

Sorry to hear that, Meerkat. Strength and good luck to you.

[Matt J.]

Sorry to hear that, Meerkat.

Best wishes to you. Hope it's one of the "easier" ones.

-Matt

[Jamie Hascall]

Mr. Meer,

I hope the biopsy goes well. Betsy (my dear Dr. wife) was definitely happy to hear that Thyroid was the basic prognosis as it is vastly more treatable and survivable than other possibilities that we were concerned about. Check all your resources including the VA to make sure there aren't programs that could help that you might be missing. I know our government isn't too helpful, but there are still people working with it who are trying to make a difference in spite of it.

Thanks for the hand moving Victoria.
Good luck,
Jamie

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Prayers MK... smile.gif

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

Damn Meerkat.... :(

I'm getting really sick of the Big C stuff....
I'll just say that I'm gonna add you to the mental list of folks I keep thinking of in a positive vein...

Nuff said..

[Bruce G]

Hope all goes well...

[Memphis Mike]

Good luck with it Meerkat. You're too mean to die. :D

[ 08-11-2004, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: Memphis Mike ]

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Fingers crossed.

Steven

[Leon m]

Damn this cancer stuff is going around these
days :(

Good luck Meer...I wish you the best.

[Wild Wassa]

Meerkat?

Only the good die young ... I'm expecting you to be around for a long time Mate. I don't need to say take care you're tough enough ... but take care. It is only a hickup, things will go well.

Warren.

[ 08-11-2004, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[JimD]

Knocking on a wooden boat for you, Meer. Prayers and thoughts as well.

[Meerkat]

Well, it should come as no surprise that having a needle stuck into the base of one's throat is not A Good Thing! It was followed by 3 more! Fortunately, the first needle, which hurt like hell, was lydocaine and the rest where fine until they hit the lesion - ooooouch!

The lesion is about 3.5 cm - 4 cm square. No news on the kind of cells it is and won't know until Monday at the earliest.

The other fun with Meerkat's body was to have a camera on a stick shoved down my nose to have a look at the vocal chords. One's paralysed! :eek: However, as the last act of the visiting camera, the tech tapped it and I felt it (to put it bloody mildly!), so it's just lost mechanical function and not all neural output. It's either the mass pression on the nerve or ... ulp ... eating on the nerve.

Another doc visit on Monday and then again on Tuesday.

Oh yeah, as if once wasn't enough, had to have two seperate blood draws before the fine needle biopsy . Yeesh - this 'cat don't LIKE needles!

FWIW to you antipodians, the Radiologist that did the needle work was a nice Kiwi guy who's bound home to Wellie soon. He's got over the US and can't stand the politics. Wasn't able to persuade him to take me with... ;)

[NormMessinger]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: The worse the experience, the better the story.

Keep notes.

In the mean time we're pulling for you.

[High C]

Wow, a paralysed vocal cord. Didn't you notice a problem during your daily vocalizing exercises? :D

Hoping for the best....
High C (get it?)

[ 08-12-2004, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: High C ]

[L.W. Baxter]

Ouch!

As The Six-Fingered Man said to Prince Humperdink:

"If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything."

The good news is, our medical professionals can fix you. My Grandad recently had a quintuple bypass. Danged if he isn't back eating butter brickle again... :rolleyes: :D

Here's to medical professionals! Thank goodness so many fine minds are dedicated to keeping the rest of us alive, or cosmetically enhanced, as the case may be! :eek: :D

Hang in there, Meer.

[Meerkat]

Take this as political or not, but it's curious how real life matters point out the puerile nature of the tempest in a teapot that is the bilge.

Your clock is ticking too friends. Is political bashing the way you really want to spend your precious minutes?

[km gresham]

Tempests keep the blood circulating ;) Take care and hoping for the best! smile.gif

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Had a 1/4" hose shoved up my nose by a nurse once. When it hit the back on my head and turned down my throat I started to puke. The nurse put a bucket under me and kept shoving that tube down my into stomach. When it hit home she left it there to see if I have any bleeding. The whole time any vibration would travel up and through my nose. IT WAS AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE. When she was done she yanked that tube out of my nose. With my eyes tearing and puking the whole time I said to her that was one of the most painful experiences I have ever had. She looked me dead in the eye and in her Jamaican accent said "You would be amazed at how much pain the body can take" :eek:

Good luck David, let me know what happens on Monday.

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

Be glad it wasn't a colonoscopy. :D
Glad that part is over for you Meer.
Hang in there. ;)

[LeeG]

ok,,I'm getting nauseous

[Ian McColgin]

Just temporarily filling in for the grammatically perfect Donn, surely you mean nauseated, not nauseous.

I know, the words are growing together but it's getting abit like the confusion of cause and effect that afflicts our political debate when we cannot see that that which is nauseous nauseates me.

There are folks on the forum who's words one might find nauseous, but not the people themselves.

Perhaps I should return to my permanent position of Global Commadore of WIMPP (World Institute of Maritime Perfectionism and Persnickitiness) and leave language to those less orthographicly challenged.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

In the Bronx NY the local colloquialism is nauseous - (NaW-shus)
So in The Bronx ok,,I'm getting nauseous is ok
I have to defend my American linguistic heritage ;)

[ 08-15-2004, 09:30 AM: Message edited by: Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson ) ]

[Ian McColgin]

It's true that language changes, and it's a very minor thing compared to the nasty things being stu ck into Meerkat. Hang hard but dangle easy - we're pulling for good news.

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

In Ohio we just say, "I'm gonna hurl" or "I'm gonna blow chunks". tongue.gif

Man, you guys talk funny. :D