Our doodles need us to be healthy, too!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Next month I’ll be turning 59 – my that sounds OLD!  More importantly, my 59^th birthday will mark the 20^th anniversary of my thyroid surgery.  The week before my birthday, AT MY ROUTINE OB / GYN VISIT, my doctor found a thyroid lump.  Even though he assured me that most thyroid lumps are benign, he sent me to a surgeon for a biopsy.  The results came back “inconclusive”, so we decided to do the prudent thing and remove it.  Thank God we did as the post-operative pathology report confirmed that the lump was, indeed, malignant and just ready to “break out of its confines”.  Why am I telling you this?  I want to remind you all – my doodle friends – of the importance of regular checkups!  I was 39, healthy, and very busy.  It was very tempting to cancel that routine exam, but I’m here today because I kept that appointment!

 

Fast forward twenty years to this week.  My belief in the importance of regular checkups has just doubled.  For years, my dermatologist has been watching a spot (a lentigo or “age spot”) on my cheek.  We’ve tried a number of treatments to get rid of it, but each time it would come back.  A few years ago, she recommended that we biopsy it – the results showed it to be benign.  Well, last week, she recommended a repeat of the biopsy – AGAIN AT A ROUTINE CHECKUP.  This time, the pathology report showed that it is now a melanoma.  Fortunately, it is “Stage 0” at this point.  Next Monday, I will have it removed (along with a fairly large chunk of my cheek), but because we caught it early, my prognosis is great!

 

As doodle lovers, we make sure that our pups are appropriately vaccinated and are seen by their vets on a regular basis.  And that’s important.  But our doodles need us to be healthy too.  We’re all busy and with healthcare costs skyrocketing, it’s tempting to ignore our own routine checkups.  Don’t do it!!  That routine visit may prove to be anything but routine.

Here's to good health and happiness...  

[Christine & Shelby]

Such a good reminder for us all.   Wishing you a speedy recovery after your surgery!

[Susan and Sasha]

Thank you for this reminder Deanna...and I couldn't agree with you more!

My thoughts and prayers are with you for your surgery and a quick recovery.

Hugs...

 

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

First - Thank you ALL for your wonderful words of support.  It takes a little of the "scary" out to know that I'm being buoyed up by lots of positive thoughts and prayers.

@ Kaitlyn, Nancy, and Christine - overdue? past due?  Please call TODAY and schedule your appointments!

@ Phoebe's Mom - I know the anxiety of waiting for those medical results!  I hope your blood work comes back fine and that your thyroid is just fine.  I'll be thinking about you!

@Barbara B. - Ah yes, the routine blood draws.  My surgeon left about 1/3 of my thyroid, but my doctor wanted to keep it "suppressed" in case there were any "renegade" cancer cells hanging out there.  To do this, he's needed to closely control my TSH levels.  I've gone for blood work ever 4 months!

@ F Parker and Karen - you're right!  Age is just a number - I have to keep remembering that!  :)  And a belated Happy Birthday, Karen.

@ Allyson - in the world of major surgeries, a thyroidectomy is a relatively "minor" procedure and with thyroid supplements, it's easy to live a full and healthy life without a thyroid.  I would strongly encourage your husband to move forward with surgery.  As my surgeon said, in the case of an inconclusive biopsy, it's "the prudent" course of action.  Good luck to your husband as he meets with his surgeon and plans their approach!   

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I don't think you understand the timliness of this post.  My husband has had TWO inconclusive biopsies on a lump on his thyroid.  He sees a surgeon next week to discuss plans.  I am going to forward this to him.

THANK YOU! (And certainly glad all turned out ok!)

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Deanna,  I agree with you 1000%  I regularly go to the doctor as well and was just at they doctors yesterday :)  I have lost people in my life that if they did not put off going to the doctor they would be here today!!!    I had my thyroid removed 21 years ago and I go every 6 months for blood work, I don't like to but you better believe I am there.  My thryoid malfunctioned and had nothing to do with cancer but it is so very important to see a doctor at least 2 times a year !!!    Good luck with your procedure !!!

[Christine & Camus]

Thanks for the reminder.  Thyroid cancer runs in my family, but so far I only have the autoimmune version of thyroid disease - Hashimoto's, which is very common and I tend to get rather complacent about it.  I am past due for a checkup.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Wow, thanks for the reminder. I'm glad they found all this stuff on you and you acted quickly.  When we get up in the years we can't take anything for granted or postpone treatment...that's for sure.  Good luck with the surgery and hugs to you and Sedona!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

First of all Happy almost birthday.  Thank you for the push to get check ups.  I am extremely bad about this - I see that everyone else goes to the doctor or vet, but I don't go.  Maybe I will schedule that appointment.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Deanna thanks for the reminder! It's so important that we are all in charge of our own health and be persistent when necessary. I am glad the docs caught yours early and hope all goes well on Monday!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks for the reminder, Deanna. I hope things go well Monmday and I'm very glad they caught it so early!

And listen, kid, 59 does not sound old!!!! I turned 60 a couple of weeks ago. :)