Read on with a bluegrass twang playing in your head...
Four years ago I felt a bump, Thursday our car went to the dump, Friday lightening struck and made me jump which left our TV in a clump, My mom was feeling ill and went to Urgent Care to make it over the hump, Gavin's arm was in a lump and so many appointments made me a big ol grump...
And that is my pitiful attempt at a country song...Geoff's car did go to the junk yard, the second car to go, so we went from 3 to 2 now 1! Lightening hit our house exploding our modem, computer monitor and 6 month old flat screen TV. Gavin had another appointment for his broken arm and I had multiple pre surgery appointments. My mom came into town not feeling well, plus I was emotional and crampy.
9/19/12. The date of my thyroidectomy surgery.
6:30 am I go into Emory Hospital to have my goiter removed, my entire thyroid had grown from about 1 inch to 3.5 inches. My diagnosis was a toxic multi nodular goiter, lumps had developed all throughout my thyroid. I first noticed a bump December 2008, but all my blood work came back "normal", there was no need for medicine or urgency to remove it. I did have 2 biopsies done with benign results both times, so I waited... until now.
I posted on Facebook that I was at Emory and was contacted by a friend I hadn't heard from since middle school, she was there to take her husband home after a heart transplant. Her husband is doing great and it was so nice to get a hug from her while I was waiting in pre-op. During her visit we talked about bone cutting and what it must be like to have your chest opened up. After some waiting, 3 hours after expected surgery time, the Dr. came out to take me back and told us that the chest surgeon was scrubbed in... WHAT? excuse me, I don't think I heard you correctly! He told me my thyroid had grown in behind my sternum and there was a possibility they would have to cut my sternum to get it out. This bit of news was quite a surprise, and not the good kind!
I had interviewed 4 surgeons before deciding on Dr. Weber and 2 of them were wanting to do this outpatient! Geoff and I looked at each other thinking the same thing, we were sure this was God preparing us for a longer recovery and more intense surgery. It all seemed to coincidental, a friends conversation about chest surgery, interviewing 4 surgeons, the long wait to have it done... Geoff then went out to tell two members of our church that had come to pray and help distract Geoff. While he walked away I laid back closed my eyes and began to pray, boldly begging God for it to not be necessary have to cut my sternum, I knew it was all in Gods hands. He gave me amazing peace and comfort knowing it would all be okay no matter what happened. He also gave me the most wonderful calming visual - I pictured Jesus standing next to me then lying down next to me on the operating table bed and holding my hand, no words were spoken just the loving peace and presence of knowing my Lord and savior was there for me was all I needed!
I didn't shed a single tear the day of surgery or after until I wrote this out. I was moved by God's amazing grace, how very personal he is, that he met me right where I was in the moment of need!
Surgery went great, it lasted about 4 hours and the results were the best news - No bone cutting! and No cancer!! The pain has been very minimal and I'm being taken care of by so many in so many ways. There is so much I'm thankful for: My Savior's comfort, my husband and family, my mom taking care of me, all the MANY that covered me with prayer, all the friends that have taken my children and cared for them, the meals, notes, visits, cards and hugs. This whole process has been very overwhelming in a very positive way!
