I took Mallorye (16) to the doctor today to have her thyroid checked...I kind of had a feeling what they were going to tell us. We've been monitoring her thyroid function for the past 4 years when the first signs of a goiter appeared and it was discovered that she had a "marker"...elevated antithryglobulin antibody. Over the past 4 years her TSH and T4 has remained within normal limits, so we haven't stressed to terribly bad...but the past 3 months she has become more symptomatic...losing her voice, strangling in her sleep, difficulty swallowing...those kinds of things. Well today confirmed that her goiter was in fact growing and compromising her airway and that her antithyroglobulin antibody is even higher.
We were given three choices;
1) start her on suppressants which only have a 40% success rate with a small goiter...her's is large. The doctor did not feel that this would be a successful treatment for Mallorye
2) try radioactive iodine therapy...there is a high risk of several different types of cancers with this treatment and is not recommended for young adults
3) have a total thyroidectomy in which she'll be placed on meds for the rest of her life
Not much of an option if you ask me, but we went with door #3. I'm very nervous. I don't like the idea of my child being put to sleep and a knife being put to her throat for such a life altering surgery, but it really is the only choice. Her surgery is scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving (so she won't miss much school). Please be in prayer for us!
On a lighter note...a good friend of mine sent me the following picture of my youngest to cheer me up. This was taken at a swim party this past week.
Jenni, Blake, & Adrienne...hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil!
2 comments:
Oh my goodness! Your daughter and I were meant to be lifelong goitered friends!! I have one too! Suffered from alot of the same symptoms she is having. However, I am on Synthroid and the goiter shrunk enough that it doesn't interfere with my swallowing anymore...which was my biggest concern.
I hope her surgery goes smoothly and that you feel less stressed too!
Tell your daughter I said hi....we goitered girls have to stick together! :)
I know this is very scary for all of you. My dd was Rx'd at 10 with hypothyrodism and been on the meds since. (((hugs)))
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