Interesting Times: Update 16

As in February: I feel wonderful. I work hard on that. However, one number in my bloodwork (thyroglobulin – which acts for me as a tumor marker) is problematic. It never hit zero after my treatment, and in fact has ticked up tiny bits. So scans and tests continue, and this time it’s a Thyrogen-stimulated whole-body scan.

So I’m dancing around scheduling and restrictions all this week, and spending most of next shuttling to all the appointments for the shots and draws and scans and pills that get it done. I don’t expect it to show anything bad – but I’m having a rough time with it playing games with my head.

Best case, everything would be gone – but realistically, it is more watching and waiting, in what will likely turn out to be a lifetime of watching and waiting. A while ago, the amazing Allison said something about cancer, and she said it perfectly. Go read it sometime.

So that’s what’s going on, and that’s kind of where my head’s at about it.

But I know I’m okay, and it’s because the people in my life pull me in and hold me tight and keep me safe, and I am more grateful for that – more grateful to them – than I can ever possibly express. Thank you for making me okay.

Background on these interesting times:

First post – Diagnosis
Update 1 – The plan / fear
Update 2 – Giving blood
Update 3 – Post-surgery
Update 4 – The other half of the time
Update 5 – Infection
Update 6 – Grossly unremarkable
Update 7 – All about RAI
Update 8 – Withdrawing
Update 9 – Isolation
Update 10 – A neck, in 5 pictures
Update 11 – Don’t look up
Update 12 – Business as usual
Update 14 – Yes, I skipped 13
Update 15 – Copy paste