What I Could Have Done: Prevention

Throughout my whole "Cancer Experience" I have been thinking.. is there anything I could have done to prevent me getting this thyroid cancer of was if inevetable that I would get it. I began my research and here is what I came up with

Thyroid cancer isn't 100% preventable like most cancers they don't know enough about it to prevent anything. What they do know is that there are two ways of getting it one being, like me, a chance of bad luck or a gene mutation of the RET gene that runs in families. If this is you getting tested early for the gene mutation means they can take your thyroid out to prevent you contracting the disease.

Thyroid Cancer, like all cancer is scary and you do really have to fight for you life, but if you can do it you have an amazing story to tell. Thanks for taking the time to read and learn along side me while I walk this journey through thyroid cancer! :)

~Josie

The Scariest Part: Treatment

As if being diagnosed wasn't bad enough.. Now we have to talk about treatment. I have heard all the horror stories of getting sick with treatments and the sores and the time spent in treatment it's just so time consuming. Back to the doctor we go to discuss treatment options.

Options:

Surgery to cut out the tumor
Radioactive Iodine
Thyroid stimulation hormone suppression therapy

If the cancer is more advanced when diagnosed options like chemotherapy and radiation may also be used as forms of treatment.

surgery?! Radioactive?! I am never going to get used to those words. Ever.

To surgery I go I suppose. Wish me luck.

~Josie

How it All Started: Signs and Symtoms

Hi. My name is Josie. I used to be a normal 16 year old girl..untill the day I found a lump in my neck and it was hard to swallow. At first I didn't think much of it but then my neck started to hurt then I knew something was not right. After I showed my mom we made an appointment with my family doctor. The next day we met with my doctor. She thought the mass might be CANCER.. Cancer... I couldn't have cancer I was only 16 only people you read about have cancer not me. After many tests I was back in the waiting room, the longest wait I have ever been through in my life was waiting to hear if I had thyroid cancer. My doctor came and got us and brought us to a room. This was it this is wear my life takes a drastic turn whether for the best or the worst. I'm nervous. Here goes..

My doctor told me that the tests said that I had cancer.

Lets review:

The symtoms:

Lumps or swelling in the neck
pain in the neck or ears
trouble swallowing
constant weezing or trouble breathing
horse voice

The Causes:
No doctors really know the root cause of thyroid cancer. Like most cancers they believe that changes in DNA can cause cancer. Either DNA that's inherited or DNA that changes over time.

Well, I got my answer. I'm like the people in those books you read. But just like them I'm a fighter and I am going to fight with my whole heart to survive this!

~Josie.