Leslie Gottlieb (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lesliepear) wrote2004-03-08 05:02 pm
lesliepear) wrote2004-03-08 05:02 pm
Post Surgical Visit
I had my post surgical visit today and got a copy of my biopsy (actually I have 2, I'm going to be the one bringing it to my endocrinologist, the surgeon and endocrinologist haven't talked.) He is leaving my treatment entirely up to the endocrinologist at this point.
Surgically, everything is fine. I have just 3 restrictions for one more week: no hyper extending the neck backwards (like if someone were shampooing your hair in the sink), don't rub the scar and don't put anything on it (no creams, lotions, etc). He'd like me to keep the scar out of the sun for the next 12 months or so to avoid a burn. But I should never have to see him again. And as far as driving, since I can turn my head, I can drive. He was pleased I wore a vneck sweater with a scarf over my neck, he said so many people come in turtlenecks even in the summer. He thinks my tickle/cough when I drink should clear up in a month or so (I've just been using straws as it seems to bug my throat if I try to drink quickly).
There were three items biopsied (I'm paraphrasing a little): A delphian lymph node, the right thyroid lobe and the left lobe. The lymph node had a 2 MM mesatstic papillary cancer. The right node had a microfocal papillary cancer appx 0.5mm that was well contained, there were goiterous changes in that lobe, and an adherant lymph node with 2mm papillary cancer also. The left lobe had 1.8 x 1.4 x 1.3 cm papillary cancer. "The carcinoma has penetrated the thyroid capsule, broadly invades the adjacent soft tissue and is present on the inked external surface of the specimen". (That last quoted sentence sounds a little scary).
He did say that he took out a bit of esophagus tissue (I guess I'll see it on the surgical record when I get it, there was no mention of that on the biopsy) and he had to stick one of the parathyroids in the neck. But as I've had no calcium problems, it appears that it was unaffected.
I see the endocrinologist Wednesday at 1:30. That will be a great relief as I will know the time table for my further treatment.
Surgically, everything is fine. I have just 3 restrictions for one more week: no hyper extending the neck backwards (like if someone were shampooing your hair in the sink), don't rub the scar and don't put anything on it (no creams, lotions, etc). He'd like me to keep the scar out of the sun for the next 12 months or so to avoid a burn. But I should never have to see him again. And as far as driving, since I can turn my head, I can drive. He was pleased I wore a vneck sweater with a scarf over my neck, he said so many people come in turtlenecks even in the summer. He thinks my tickle/cough when I drink should clear up in a month or so (I've just been using straws as it seems to bug my throat if I try to drink quickly).
There were three items biopsied (I'm paraphrasing a little): A delphian lymph node, the right thyroid lobe and the left lobe. The lymph node had a 2 MM mesatstic papillary cancer. The right node had a microfocal papillary cancer appx 0.5mm that was well contained, there were goiterous changes in that lobe, and an adherant lymph node with 2mm papillary cancer also. The left lobe had 1.8 x 1.4 x 1.3 cm papillary cancer. "The carcinoma has penetrated the thyroid capsule, broadly invades the adjacent soft tissue and is present on the inked external surface of the specimen". (That last quoted sentence sounds a little scary).
He did say that he took out a bit of esophagus tissue (I guess I'll see it on the surgical record when I get it, there was no mention of that on the biopsy) and he had to stick one of the parathyroids in the neck. But as I've had no calcium problems, it appears that it was unaffected.
I see the endocrinologist Wednesday at 1:30. That will be a great relief as I will know the time table for my further treatment.