Biopsy Results

Well, here is the latest....We got the pathology report back today. The large tumor was benign. No sign of cancer. But the small one that we didn't know as there was cancer. The little guy was only 5 mm, and we are feeling like it is a blessing in disguise that the needle biopsy came back unknown on the big tumor because otherwise we never would have done the surgery and wouldn't have known the cancerous one was there until it was 2 or 3 times bigger than it is now. Because it is so small, the dr is quite confident that we caught it early. But, we will now have to go in and have the rest of the thyroid removed. Here is something we didn't know about cancer - when you have cancer, no matter what kind it is (breast, thyroid, lymphnode, etc) you can remove the tumors or whatever and then when and if the cancer spreads, it is that original tissue that is growing back somewhere else in your body. So, the way that they test if the thyroid cancer to grew back is they do a thryoglobulin test to see if there are any thyroid cells in your body. Since the thyroid will be gone, if the test is positive, then they will know the cancer is back, even though it may now be growing in your bones or lungs or wherever. So, they will remove the whole thyroid, kill off all the other thyroid cells that they possible didn't get in the surgery with an iodine radiation pill, and then we will do blood tests every year to see if there is any thyroid cells in his body.

The cure rate is 95%. We feel really good about that. But, most of all we feel annoyed about having to go back into surgery. Dave is scheduled for May 8th right now. (But we are thinking about doing it a day before at a different hospital just for different scenery than the last surgery). We feel very confident in our Dr. and are grateful that he caught this for us. Because Dave's thyroid will be gone, he will be on replacement hormone for the rest of his life, and although they say it might be tricky getting the meds regulated at first, once they are regulated he should be great. If nothing else, it will give him a "reason" to be grouchy for a while. (Like he needs a reason, right?)

Thanks again for your prayers and concern. Hopefully after May 8th you can stop praying for us, right? What a wild ride this year has been!

The Aquarium

Colton, Aunt Cami, Aunt Dawn
Cami, Kate, Braden

The whole Gang

Emalee, Uncle Ike, Aunt Mandy

Uncle J holding Madolyn, Colton, Auntie holding Tanner,

and Cami, looking at the Sea Rays

A Name and a Blessing

We blessed Braden Poteet Mills in Pleasant Grove on Saturday April 11th. It was so nice to have a cozy little group of our loved ones. We felt so grateful for the support and love we felt that weekend. After the blessing and a tasty lunch we went to the Living Planet Aquarium in SLC. It wasn't anything fancy, but we all enjoyed just being together.

Easter Fun

We were in Pleasant Grove for Easter, and it was a hoppity good time! The Easter Bunny even showed up to personally give the boys their baskets. Tanner thought it was fun, Colton wasn't so sure.

Surgery

Surgery yesterday went very good. Dave was in surgery for about 2 hours, and the doctor said that it went just as he had planned. He said that there was very minimal bleeding and that he thought that there would be no affects to the nerve, which could cause hoarseness. Dr. Baker said that he had hoped that he would get in there and find that the tumor was contained in the thyroid, comparing it to a golf ball inside a grapefruit. He said that he could feel the large tumor inside the thyroid, and then he also found another one about the size of a pea, which we were all surprised about. He told us that he felt the left side of the thryoid lobe and it felt normal. So, he removed the right lobe and was able to get both tumors in it. They send the thyroid to pathology and we should know results as to what the tumors are by Friday.

Dave is doing great. He has had some pain, but it is well controlled with Lortab. He had been eating great and has been up and doing good. His oxygen was a little low yesterday, so they kept him on the O2, which dries out his nose, but today he is better. The doctor said that he thought it was just low from laying around and being on so much medication, but once he got up and moving it would be better. They discharged him from the hospital around 8, and I got there to take him home shortly after 9.

The incision is about 4 inches long right in the center of his neck. The doctor did disolving stitches on the underneath side of the incision and then put a piece of tape over it. The tape will protect it until we go back in a week when the dr will take it off. He can shower and stuff as normal, but is not to lift more than 15 lbs, which I have to keep reminding him.

All in all, everything went great. We are so grateful for all your prayers and support and concern. You have no idea what a comfort it is knowing we have so many thinking about us. I will let you know when we do about the tumors, but hopefully this is the end of this mess for us.

Thanks again,

Kate

OCD

I am a little concerned about my almost 4 year old, who I am pretty sure needs counselling. Tanner will no longer lift the toilet seat to go potty, has to have someone put licorice in his mouth so he doesn't touch it, eats almost every meal with a wet papertowel sitting next to him so he can wipe his hands, and has changed his favorite food (red jam) because it gets him sticky. It is kind of freaky. We have tried to convince him that he can open the toilet with toilet paper so his hands don't get germy, and I allow the wet papertowel at meals. But, I don't know how much is too much!! I saw adults on Oprah once that had this problem and they couldn't hold jobs and function normally because of their fear. When do I stop this madness?

It rolled up my nose

Well, here is a funny story worth sharing...

A few weeks ago, when Dave was gone to New Mexico, I took the boys to church, came home, and was feeling pretty good about my successful Sunday as a single parent. Just then, Colty looks at me and says, "Today in nursery a ball rolled up my nose." At first I thought nothing of it, and then it dawned on me that it was possible that the "ball" was still there. So I had him come over and let me look up his nose. Sure enough, a little "ball" aka bead had "rolled" up his nose. I called Dave hysterical and told me I wished he were home. His reply: "Why did they have beads in nursery?" Good question. But, better yet, why is my kid the oldest one in nursery and he is the one that has a ball up his nose. After many calls to mom and Dave, and then one to the neighbor who so kindly came over and helped me out, we got the stupid (yes I said stupid even though the word police, Tanner, would tell you we don't say that word at our house) ball out of his nose.