Wendy's Story

Wendy told her story of her recent cancer. It is quite interesting and informative. Her story shows that you should have anything unusual checked out. If a doctor shrugs it off and you feel that something isn't right, feel good about going to another doctor before you, too, shrug it off! Here is her story:

Well, let me start in the present: Recently, I was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer...then had my thyroid removed (1-20-09) which turned out to be 5 tumors and some lymphnodes that had cancer too.

While I was in the hospital, my calcium dropped to dangerously low levels...as in my feet and hands went numb, my stomach...then my face started twitching at which time I hit the nurse button, I grabbed the phone and called my husband to say, "I think I am dying, I love you, good bye"...lol...Seriously, they kept me 9.9 days. arghh.

Today (3-13-09), I received 2 big radioactive iodine capsules to kill any remainder thyroid cancer cells. So things should be on the upswing right? I should add that the radioactive iodine pills (2) that they SAY don't make you sick, did make me sick: very nauseaus and my face and neck are very swollen. But no pain, no gain.


A few months ago (10-2008), I went in to have 3 moles removed. One was a mole that I had on my nose my whole life...turned out be Invasive Malignant Melanoma. Yeah me :)...Had a sentinel lymph node biopsy done which did show that melanoma had not traveled to those nodes and was clear, so I should be good. :)

I could show you some pictures, but they are not pretty. Especially, when they cut my face open to fix the hole they created in my face...like 40+ stitches externally and 10+ internally. stretching from my eye down my nose over to my mouth...Can't even tell now, but you should see day 2, ha ha ha. Scary!

Moral of the story...ummm, seriously have your whole body checked by a qualified dermatologist, especially if you spent time in the sun as a kid and/or frequented tanners...AND...when they tell you it's nothing, go with your gut and be your own health advocate.

They told me the nodule they felt on my throat was no big deal too and to sometime, way down the road, get it ultrasounded... & the mole, same thing...looks okay, we'll just send it out just in case, blah blah blah... Who knew you could die from a mole OR low calcium?...so now you know, the rest of the story. :)