How i got here...

Yup, you read that title correctly, I have cancer.

January of last year I started having this weird facial pain and swelling on the left side of my face. I went to numerous doctors (Dentists, Ear Nose and Throat specialists, and even my primary care doctor) and no one was able to tell me why my face and neck hurt. By process of elimination we decided that perhaps it was a tooth. I had a root canal in May. The pain never really went away. Defeated, in August I called my ENT once again thinking this HAD to be a sinus infection. I spoke with the receptionist, who told me my doctor was on vacation, would I mind seeing the new doctor at the practice. When Dr. Beningfield came into my room, he looked at my file, which I’m sure is a mile long, and said; “WOW, Miss. Mayfield, where do we begin?” Hah!

I had a "new patient exam" and about half way through he said, "Has anyone told you that you have a nodule on your Thyroid?" Ummm, no? Wait, what the hell is a Thyroid? He went on to explain that Thyroid nodules are very common and usually not a problem, but that it might be a good idea to have an ultrasound to have a closer look. On my follow up appointment after the ultrasound, Dr. Beningfield told me that my nodule was pretty large and he thinks that we should do a fine needle biopsy. I had my biopsy and was told that as they suspected, I did not have cancer. Whew! What now?  I have something growing in my neck that is the size of a golf ball... do i want to have surgery to remove it? Um, yeah. Ha. Can we do it today? I had surgery November 11th at Howard County General to remove the left half of my thyroid. The surgery went well, and my recovery was easier than I imagined it would be. A week later, during my follow up visit, my surgeon warned me that my" tumors" looked funny and that a pathologist was looking them over. We'll know more when my pathology report comes back. Three days later I got the call. “I’m sorry, Miss Mayfield, you have CANCER!”

I’ve come to learn that if you're going to get cancer, thyroid cancer is the kind you want! The 20 year survival rate for thyroid cancer is 98%. Awesome! Now what? Now, i have to have yet another surgery. After my second surgery, I’ll have a treatment called radioactive iodine.

I’ve tried to call most of my friends and family, but there are so many of you.  I wanted to start a blog because i think it will help keep everyone informed, and to be honest.. I kind of feel bad for Tom. All we talk about anymore is my thyroid and cancer. Poor guy.  Tom says that if anyone asks, he likes Qdoba. I've told him that it's okay for him to play the cancer card, too!

In closing, I wanted to say that while I’m scared and a little angry, I’m very hopeful. I will win this fight. I want us to laugh our way through this together. We're in this together after all, aren't we?

The happiest of Thanksgiving to all of you. This year, I’m thankful for Thyroid cancer, thankful that I didn’t get some kind of other, less manageable cancer.