Just found out my thyroid has to be removed

[honestabe]

Thank you all for your kind words. Here's what I look like right now (bandage still on). Tomorrow I get to remove my bandage and count my stitches since my surgical team didn't give me any specifics about how big the tumor was or how many stitches I got.

 

[honestabe]

I'm not rushing anything. I had to have my wife help me lay down and get up from the bed last night because of how weak my neck is and the fact that I don't want to risk tearing open my stitches. I took my first shower since Friday morning before my surgery and I feel a lot better. Took the bandage off last night so I can now move my head a little more, but not much. The incision is only about 3" long, not sure how many stitches though since I have steristrips covering them. Here's what my throat looks like now (I'll be kind and just provide a link so those who don't want to look don't have to).

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/684/throatc.jpg/

 

[S.A. supra]

Glad you came out, ok. How long are they gonna keep you? Can you eat solid food or are you on a liquid diet?

 

[honestabe]

They just kept me overnight and released me yesterday around 11AM. I can eat pretty much anything, but I have to take small bites and chew my food really good. I had a chicken sandwich from McDonalds last night and had to cut it up with a knife and fork into small pieces. I can't open my mouth much but I can talk pretty well.

 

[te72]

Good to hear you're doing better man, and thanks for not posting up that picture out in the open.

 

[honestabe]

Thanks. Yeah, I didn't want to get yelled at by a mod or admin. I'm not that mean anyways, I know how squeemish some people are on here.

 

[te72]

Haha, seeing things like that in movies, tv, etc... doesn't bother me. In real life however, I'm kinda a wuss when it comes to that sort of thing.

 

[honestabe]

Took off my steri-strips today, the stitching technique is really impressive. You can't really see where the stitches are (I've only found one) and there are just the ends of the thread coming out my skin just past the ends of the cut. They used glue to help seal the would. Can't wait to have the thread removed next week

 

[te72]

Superglue, sealing up nasty cuts for 60 years.

Feeling better yet? I'm sure eating has gotten easier, no?

 

[honestabe]

Yeah I'm feeling better. Eating is easier although I still feel like I'm being choked because the cut is still fairly solid and inflexible but once it heals fully my throat should be flexible again.

 

[FullNelson]

So any answers if it was cancerous? I thought if it was cancer they wouldnt risk taking it out until its benign because it would risk spreading the cancer. Good luck on the recovery, I remember when I had my surgery all they used was glue; pretty neat stuff.

 

[S.A. supra]

The glue is amazing stuff.

 

[honestabe]

Found out earlier today that the tumor was Folicular Carcinoma. Translation, it was cancer. They removed my whole thyroid but I will be undergoing radioactive iodine treatment shortly to make sure they got all the thyroid and cancer cells.

 

[mk3_7m]

Well glad to hear you're all ok now.

 

[S.A. supra]

Man, I hope it all go well for you. Thats pretty heavy. No enhanced C.T.? or anything like that? Are they pretty confident it was benign?

 

[honestabe]

I'm just grateful to be finally able to get a job and support me and my wife again. Not sure about the enhanced CT, the removed the whole thyroid gland and tumor, hence me finding out the results from the testing on the actual tumor and thyroid today.

 

[te72]

No shit... glad you're doing better man. Cancer's some scary stuff, that's for sure.

 

[Justin727]

Glad you're doing well man. Real glad that they got this pretty early too.

 

[te72]

Too soon? Love the comic, thought this one you might find amusing Abe.

If anyone's bothered by it feel free to delete this post, just throwing it out there...

 

[honestabe]

ROFL, nice find