Too Much on Our Plait: Like Daughter

Like Daughter - 25

Janina went to go see her endocrinologist today. The results are in: Janina had some spread to the compartment lymph nodes beneath her thyroid. Translation: This crap spread to other stuff, and Dori is pissed.

This pretty much means that Janina has to undergo more radioactive iodine (RAI) than we suspected from before. One of the nodules they thought was in her thyroid was actually a lymph node. The node was so close to her thyroid that they thought it was inside of it. Woopsie.

The plan for her is that she now has to stop taking her Synthroid and begin going hypothyroid. Her TSH will be checked each week, and as soon as she gets to 30 or a little below, she'll be brought in to get the RAI treatment. She'll have to go through the low-iodine diet within the next two weeks. *half-assed cheer* Yaaay...

This is my sister. Janina. The love of my life minus my parents. I can't believe this. I was really hoping and praying that there would be no spread; that this would be an easier ride for Janina. Mom and Michael got the lucky end of the stick. Why not Janina, too? Can't just ONE of us have a more difficult fight? I'd rather that have just been me. Not my sister.

I can't imagine how Mom must be feeling. I know she sounded fine on the phone when I talked to her earlier today, but both of her daughters are having a tougher battle than her. Mom is just like any other mother; she wants her kids to have an easier life than her own. She wants to get the brunt of every attack, no matter the cost to herself. Mom didn't have any spread to other lymph nodes, and her treatments will probably (hopefully) amount to only one. It must really be hard for her watching Janina go through all of this and she can't do anything about it.

I despise watching this happen. I'm so angry at our bodies. What is wrong with us? We have always been healthy people. The only other issue I have ever had in my life is asthma. That's it for me. Mom has always been healthy minus her tachycardia. Physically, we are all pretty healthy. Like Michael told me one day, "Cancer does not discriminate." If only it could just disappear like the plague.

Read More 4 comments | Posted by Adelina and Dori |

4 comments

Lindsey Plait on January 18, 2010 at 5:56 PM

I just want you to know that I've been reading your posts and that I keep you in my thoughts. I'm sorry to hear that Janina has a longer road to travel. You keep strong. I love you! - Lindsey
Anonymous on January 18, 2010 at 6:45 PM

Dori, I am so sorry to hear this news....My heart and prayers are continuing to go out to your family....I wish I could help in some way...Please stay strong..your are a wonderful person from what I know and what your sister and mom have told me...Janina is strong and she will be ok...things HAVE to get better...and they will...I miss all of you.
LNM
Kim on January 18, 2010 at 7:09 PM

Thanks for the update. So sorry to hear Janina had central compartment lymph node involvement. :( Hope she can tolerate the RAI OK! Glad to hear Adelina didn't have lymph node involvement. It's so true, cancer is the great equalizer - it does not discriminate and can happen to anyone. Most of my friends and colleagues my age I think don't realize it could happen to them too...
Hugs,
Kim
Luke on January 18, 2010 at 7:39 PM

Stupid Cancer! Doesn't seem like we get decent answers to all the whys in this life. We just have what we do and that's tricky enough.

Best wishes

Always
Luke

Post a Comment

Like Daughter, Like Mother: Our Thyroid Cancer Journey

Behind the Blog

Adelina is a full-time wife, mother, practice manager, and medical transcriptionist. After receiving an ultrasound and countless biopsies, she was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer on December 11, 2009. She successfully underwent surgery on December 29, 2009, and had her first radioactive iodine treatment in February 2010. Following treatment, Adelina now sees her doctor once a year for follow-up. She has been doing well, and refuses to let cancer slow her down.

Dori is 26 years old. She was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer at the age of 17 on June 1, 2006, just three days prior to her high school graduation. Dori endured two radioactive iodine treatments and two surgeries to remove her complete thyroid and 39 total lymph nodes from her neck. She is now under close watch by her doctors, and only time will tell if the cancer stays at bay.