new doctor

I saw the new doctor this morning. He was great. His staff was great. Everyone was nice and helpful and I feel like I have so much more information about everything.

I have a date for surgery. If you'd like to know the date, email Jamie (or me if you don't have her email.) They will remove my right thyroid and its five nodules. They probably will not be able to tell if it is cancerous until the nodules are fully dissected (which I'll find out about a week after the surgery). If they do find out for sure during the surgery that it is cancer they will also remove the left thyroid. If they find out it's cancer after the surgery they will for sure go in and remove the left side in another surgery.

Right now I have the option of deciding if they should remove the entire thyroid in one surgery or if they should just remove the right side now.

Right side only: I may or may not be able to make enough thyroid with only the left side. So I may have to be on thyroid medication and I may not. I will have to get the left side checked yearly and I will probably eventually have to have it removed someday. Maybe 5 years, maybe 15, but it's likely it will also have to be removed eventually.

Total thyroid removal - Will for sure have to take thyroid medication for the rest of my life. The results could come back not cancer after they've removed the entire thing.

I'm not sure what to do yet. I would love it if you could specify your prayers for me to know what is the right decision. We have all been doing well around here emotionally, and I know all your prayers and thoughts are helping us with that.

September 6th we will be fasting that everything will go well with the surgery and that I'll be able to make the right decisions. I'd love it if you'd fast for me that day or be sending good vibes my way.

p.s. I'd love to be able to get back to each of you with thank yous and answers. But unfortulately I don't have the time. I've had so many well wishes and thoughts and comments and visits that I can hardly keep up with my everyday life. Keep those all coming (I really love all the love), but just know that I may not be able to get back to you right away. If you're in my family my sister Jamie is fielding questions for me. If you're in my neighborhood my friend Jane is fielding questions for me. Thank you.