My Journey with THYROID CANCER AND ENDOMETRIUM HYPERPLASIA

THYROID CANCER AND ENDOMETRIUM HYPERPLASIA - My Journey 2024

Since I recently went through this, I want to spread as much awareness as possible. It may take a few minutes to read, but it's worth it. PLEASE SHARE THIS for maximum awareness.

Before you continue reading, know this about me I do not smoke, or drink alcohol, and I have been vegetarian since birth. I am/was well within my weight range.

If you are a health practitioner/doctor PLEASE FEEL FREE to add more to this, I may be wrong with technical terminologies as I am just sharing my experience.

IF YOU ARE A WOMAN, you must read this. You are 3x more prone to this type of cancer than men.

IF YOU ARE A MAN, kindly read it for the sake of women in your life.

Primary Lesson Learnt: EARLY DETECTION CAN SAVE LIFE.

It all began in July.

1st Week of July: While I was expecting my regular menses, I observed some spotting. I thought I might get a full flow soon, but the spotting continued for 7+ days. Of course, I knew something was wrong.

I went to the doctor, she did an ultrasound, she discovered I have a thick endometrium layer. For those who do not know - The endometrium layer is the one that sheds off every month as what you call 'periods'

A regular woman is supposed to have it up to 15mm, mine was 27mm (almost 2x). I took some 'period regulation' medications.

3rd Week of July: While I was 'spotting' in 1st week, I started bleeding PROFUSELY by 3rd week, It was so much, and so bad that I was finishing packs and packs in one day. Again something abnormal. My limbs were shaking, and of course, my iron levels dropped. I thought since my layer was 'thick' it would take its time and stop, but it did not. ASSUMING THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE. Please note by now I have been bleeding for a MONTH.

1st Week Of August: I was taken to AIIMS New Delhi for urgent admission, where I was given IMMEDIATE BLOOD TRANSFUSION and some drips that would stop the bleeding. My Hb dropped to 5, the doctor said I was just a few days away from Anemic hypoxia. It scared me. And why shouldn't this?

While I was being treated, I always experienced a 'mild' fever. Very low grade (99.5-99.8), low grade enough for doctors to dismiss.

My gynaecologist was absolutely CLEAR that this is NOT because of her endometrium condition. She then referred us to the medicine department.

3rd Week of August: They did countless blood tests, by countless I MEAN countless, of every damn trending disease, of vitals, hormones, whatever possible. The reports were not just clean, they were too idealistic, All my parameters were well within range. While I was happy about this, doctors were even more scared.

4th Week of August: I had a Chest X-ray and an Ultrasound. Again all clean. And just like the last week, I was happy, but the doctors were really confused.

5th Week Of August and the FINAL Week of Diagnosis: They Finally recommended I undergo a PET-CT SCAN, and that's where they found 'something in the throat'

I then underwent a throat CT SCAN, where they detected 'active nodes' in my thyroid.

On the same day, they did my biopsy, and they confirmed Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

It shook me, but I believe I took it with full strength.

The first question that came to me was 'yaar maine to kabhi sutta bhi nahi maara' , sounds funny though.

There is only one treatment line for this type of cancer - To surgically remove the thyroid.

They operated on me within a week, and I was discharged in 2 days.??

Depending upon the reports, you may be given Radio Active Iodine (RAI) if you 'still' have anything left inside.

I did not have anything as per the post-operative reports, and I wasn't given.

How both problems are related? Your thyroid ALSO manages your menses, while everyone was busy searching for something in my uterus, this ring leader was actually sitting in my throat. All this while ALL MY THYROID PARAMETERS WERE within normal range. Scary, no? Maybe by then, it was such an early detection that the cancer did not get the time to affect the role of the gland and metabolism. Like again it's just my speculation. But it DID give me a fever because it started giving me an infection there. A fever so so mild that most of the times I did not even feel it. So sooner or later, it would have shown changes in thyroid levels, and I would have learned about this yearssss later. That too only if the doctor would have encouraged me to take a PET CT SCAN or ultrasound, or whatever relevant test, and not put on thyroid medications (which most of them do)

LESSONS I LEARNT:

Your body WILL thank you and help you in a crisis if you have had healthy habits in the past. My only question was 'why' as I have been that person who rarely even pops in Crocin, but 2 back to back autoimmune diseases took a toll on me. But yes, 'maine kabhi sutta nahi maara' is also the reason why my other organs and glands are cooperating with this situation. If you have any 'unresolved' situation in your body, it will turn up like DEMON in the recovery phases. I had blood pressure issues, that too very less, but I WAS hypertensive. But post-surgery my blood pressure was constantly high, which was against the doctor's expectations. Of course, I was given medication, but only If I resolved it earlier, It would not have come out as much worse in that situation, Yes that includes mental health too.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT, like really. The entire time on the hospital bed I was just speculating about those moments and people I spent hours and hours crying, but I could have enjoyed those moments. 8 of us were supposed to be operated on that day, and 5 of us woke up in the post-operative room. That was too harsh of a reality to digest.

My dear women, never ignore a 'bad period' please, please. As women, we are conditioned to believe oh it's nothing, but please get it checked BEFORE it becomes something. There's a very thin line between when things turn 'abnormal' in periods, it's hard to recognize patterns, but if it is too consistent, seek medical help immediately. Take care of your body.

THINGS THAT HAPPENED OUTSIDE THAT ADDED TO THIS:

RG KAR CASE: Very distasteful, very traumatising, It was in the first week of August, when I got admitted in an emergency. The hospital was empty AF, and there were some delays in the treatment, but I knew why. What shook me was, that while there was an entire crowd fighting for crime against women, there were still a few ... ( I don't know how to describe them) who were making memes about the late doctor, some were blaming her, and so on. Why did it affect me? There have been times in past when I judged myself very harshly for getting into some 'situations' thinking it was my mistake and how I should be blamed etc etc, there were people who mocked me and said distasteful things to me too. But when they won't leave a rape victim, how am I any different? I legit wept.

EY's Anna's Case: The work 'families' that actually 'claim' to be your family are the first to kick you out when you look even mildly unproductive. A couple of years ago I joined a job that I almost considered a 'dream come true', but that was nothing short of a nightmare, note that I have performed the same role in another company earlier too, so I was well versed, or at least, I was well aware what my role should be. But the expectations were completely different, I tried to 'push' myself and collapsed on the floor, and the next thing I knew I was fired. So yes, even If I would have died that day, no one would have attended my funeral too. If your job is hampering your mental or physical health, LEAVE. It will show up in ways you won't even know. My mental health was severely hampered, and I got SERIOUS blood pressure issues post that. I cried for months. It affected my self-confidence and vision towards life.

RATAN TATA's DEATH: I admired him so much, I looked up to him, he was such a visionary. There were so many posts about him that day and NONE talked about his wealth, ALL talked about his kindness, vision, how good of a person he was, how he revolutionized the 'organization' structure in India etc.. BUT THEN... Of course... some people were nasty things about him too. I realized NO MATTER how good of a person you are, there are ALWAYS those who will puke shit about you. Like this moment you are wiping their tears and the next thing they do is bite you on the back. It's ok, forgive them. People can only see through you as much as they can see through themselves.

Everything aside, I am at peace with myself, told myself that I don't owe anyone any explanations. There's a huge scar on my neck. I never imagined myself popping in so many medicines. But .. ya.. Health-wise, I am trying to do well, I am recovering, and my body is still trying to adjust to the thyroid medication I am taking. I am thanking my mind and body for cooperating in these tough times. If you read this till the end, I hope it helped you. I will keep posting more about this if I have any more insights.