“When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.” Author Unknown

This quote pretty much sums up how we are feeling at Casa de Miserable these days. Because I am lazy I am just posting the updates I emailed to family.

Here is the abbreviated version of what happened. The big nodule on the left side is believed to be Hoshimotos thyroiditis. This is an auto-immune condition that does open the door to may other autoimmune diseases such a Celiac's, Lupus, Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune liver Disease and scleroderma. The main thing that concerns them about the larger nodule is that she shows no antibodies for Hoshimotos thyroiditis. So it may be something else or just presents in an abnormal fashion. She will have to be monitored for this for the rest of her life. The nodule is pressing against the trachea and making her cough all the time. So of course because the size and location it will have to be removed.

The right side still presents as a malignancy they are opting to remove the whole thyroid. No sense in doing a needle biopsy because they are removing the whole thyroid anyway(which I agree with and they would have had a fight on their hands had they told me they wanted to do one.) So she needs to have a nuclear study to see exactly the position of the big nodule before surgery because then they know the position to major structures in the throat. They do not do the test at Children’s so we found a place locally that does them and we will get in Wednesday. It is a 2 day test so she will go in Wednesday morning then goes back again Thursday. We are anticipating meeting with the surgeon on Friday or Monday, then surgery sometime next week.

We will know after the pathology is back after the surgery what the next steps are. The Endocrinologist put her on Inderal for her heart rate which was 148. So that is the long and short of it. Things could be worse, they could be better. He said he felt with surgery and radiation she would probably be fine depending on what the nuclear study shows.

Riss is actually doing very well considering and liked the Doctor. She just wants to get busy, get well, and get back to track and school. She is having horrible neck pain now and feels very weak most of the time. They said this is just the excess thyroid hormone catching up with her. Thank you for all your emails and prayers. They were much appreciated. We are not out of the woods but can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope that it does not end up being a train.