5 Years


Hello Blogger's Nation!
How are we all!
So this is post is very important to me as today. Let me just explain why it is. So today five years ago is when I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 15.
Yup I had cancer at 15 and this is how is I found out.
Throw it back to January 2011, one night in bed reading a book I felt my right side of my neck pulsing a lot of that night. Now I told my mum about and we decided to go to the doctors as it was frequently happening a lot. Going to my local doctors they told me to go up in the hospital to have a x-ray.
After a few months later from x-rays and meeting an load of doctors in August my parents got a call to go up to Cork to meet a doctor. This day was the 5th of August 2011. So my parents came home with dinos (Cork chipper) while we were eating my parents dropped the bomb saying "You have cancer."  My reaction was laughing and then I realised they weren't joking.

From there my parents began to worry what would happen to me with this. Most of the time my family were praying and was at mass nearly every day. I was pretty overall calm with this situation.How I don't know!
A week later I had a meeting with a doctor who wanted to do my operation within a few days but on those days was when my family booked our holiday. I kindly asked the doctor could I go on my holidays as I badly wanted to go on it.
During my holidays I got to see Captain America The First Avenger I was so into it watching the captain and Peggy Carter little did I know my mum was thinking about the operation during the film worried out.
After my holidays I went for the operation in the Bons, Cork. My operation was five hours on a Thursday Morning. After waking up in intensive care for 24 hours I was very drowsy and all I wanted was my teddy bear to cuddle.
After intensive care I stayed in a private room for the weekend, during that weekend I had a tube attached to me waist up to my neck. That was a pain to carry around from my hospital bed to toilet to going outside for fresh air.
During the weekend I didn't overall eat as I felt sick most of the time as I found out i was allergic to morphine when I was in  intensive care and I every time it was meal time I refused to eat, and every time the lady who were handing out the food would just pop her head in and I just shake my head, I finally to start eating on Sunday afternoon. 
Me in October 2011
So after coming out of the hospital on the Monday I rested and I missed first few weeks of school and I was just starting my junior cert. When I finally got back into the school season I had to go into treatment in November. Now here's the thing, since the operation I have take tablets every day for the rest of my life, When I do go off the medication.
Here's Irish Cancer Society explains about Thyroid Hormone Therapy


If all or part of your thyroid is removed during surgery, it can no longer make thyroid hormones. You will then have to take medication to replace the thyroid hormone for the rest of your life."

I lose energy, go extremely tired, cold  along that I would gain weight basically it's like a battery wearing down,. For treatment I had to go off my medication for maybe 2/3 weeks before the treatment. My treatment was Radioactive iodine therapy. 
So I had to take a tablet which had very strong amount of iodine, and stay in this hospital room for three days. 
Iodine Treatment
"  This treatment uses large doses of a type of iodine that is radioactive to help destroy the cancer cells. Other cells do not absorb iodine as much as thyroid cells. It is mainly taken as capsules, but you can drink it "

Those three days were a total nightmare I hated it because I got sick in the middle of it, while doing that those three days  I had to go to the toilet and shower alot as this is how the iodine radiation would leave my body. Along that the room I was in everything from chairs and tables, TV, etc was cling filmed. When I got sick I finally felt better just at the third night I was able to eat again, I ordered some 4 start pizza which was across from CUH where I was getting the treatment.  It got delayed and by the time the pizza came, it was cold. I was not impressed!!
After treatment I came home to my bedroom had a make over!
Did the Junior Cert got really good results and I was one very happy person! Every year since then I have scans to check how I been meaning I go off my tablets and go for my scan very early mornings before everyone else has them due that I have take a very small dosage of iodine treatment.
After treatment my parents surprised me with my bedroom done up!
My bedroom 
 Through these five years I have been helped by the amazing doctors from my local GP to CUH, Bons I am eternal grateful for what you have done for me in the five years to get me better along my parents, rest of my family and friends I thank you for been strong, patient, and loving, caring about me Thank you!

So five years on now I'm clear from Cancer since then! I know I didn't have the worst of the types of cancer which I am very lucky. To those who have battled the battles of all different types of cancer You are the true heroes!  And those who are battling this sh*t, horrible disease fight it, say I will beat this! I know you can!
The quote I used when I was going through everything from operation to treatment is below

Thank you guys for reading this week's post and a very important post to me!
I see you all next week! <3
S


Comments

  1. Sheilann, I was nearly in tears reading this. You are such a strong person.

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