Health scare
Hi everyone. I don't like expressing my feelings. I don't like feeling weak. And I'm an ICU nurse so i really do not like NOT having control over a medical situation. I'm a difficult person if you haven't gathered that. But my husband just had an ultrasound and there is a nodule on his thyroid. He's the best person you can imagine, he is an ally and an amazingly strong person. This is his first health scare and I feel paralyzed. He's my best friend and partner in life. I'm so scared. What can I do?
Comments
These days, things that would be grim back in the day are now treated more efficiently and effectively. Be there for your husband and let him know it’s ok to lean on you. When my wife was going through her health scare I needed to lean on her because I was scared and she said it helped her through the process because she knew I cared so much. So I think it would be ok to lean on him too. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know, but it’s really easy to think the worst when you hear this news initially, but it’s important to take it day by day and staying positive.
Obviously, I'm not a doctor and I don't know anything about your husband's situation. I can share with you what I learned from my experience though. The survival rate for thyroid cancer is extremely high, something like 96% (in Canada, I doubt America is much different). If he has to have 1/2 of his thyroid removed his life will go on as normal, there are no side effects. If he has to have his entire thyroid removed he'll have to take a medication called synthroid that will essentially do for his body what his thyroid is currently doing (I don't know how much this might cost, in Canada it would be free).
I know how scary this is and what you're going through, I went through it myself. I found a lot of peace of mind in the medical literature, reading it helped me a lot.
I know this is easier said than done, but stay strong. If he's like most husbands, he'll worry more about you (and the kids?) than he will about himself. Doing your best to keep yourself calm and supportive will probably help him more than anything else will.
If you want to PM me for a less public conversation, please feel free. If your husband wants someone to talk to I'd be open to that as well.
We got good news! It turns out it is a benign cyst and he just needs to follow up in a year with another ultrasound. It is still large enough for him to feel it when he swallows so we have to monitor that but at least cancer is off the table.
It is so hard not to get caught up in the hectic day to day life, work, bills, kid in virtual school, pandemic, the absolute absurdity and terror of life in America right now etc. Sometimes we get a swift kick in the ass to remind us of how it really comes down to the people you love surrounding you, and silver lining to this experience is that I won't try to take any of it for granted. We're both 36 now and that immortality of youth veil is slowly being lifted so it's more important than ever to re-learn that lesson.
Again, thank you all for sharing a piece of your lives with me. I'm so grateful to be a part of the supportive baldmove community ❤❤❤❤
That's incredibly sweet. I personally like to pronounce it "ben-IG-in" just for funsies.
Sure. For fun. That's why you pronounce it like that.