Giving hope to those fighting cancer

I’ll never forget the day I had to face the fact that I had cancer, Thyroid cancer. I was not ill or did not seem to have any signs other than a small knot that I had noticed about two months before. My wife noticed my neck was different. After much persistence I told her about the knot. This was on a Saturday and by Monday morning she had an appointment with a physician for me.
In June 2002, I had surgery to remove my thyroid. Following surgery I was given a dose of radioactive iodine that would attack the cancer cells in my body. After a body scan, it was determined that there were still cancer cells present. My Endocrinologist sent me to a nose and throat surgeon, who recommended the mother of all scans, the PT scan. He discovered that there were a few lymph nodes involved and a calcified tumor that was not discovered during the first surgery in the back of my neck.
In February 2003, I had one more surgery, an incision from one ear to the other, to remove the nodes and the tumor. I then had a much larger dose of the radioactive iodine.
Now in 2009, I seem to have beaten the cancer. I do take a synthetic thyroid medication daily and have check ups every six months. I know my faith, my family, my outlook and my sense of humor got me through this.
For anyone fighting cancer, there is hope. Self examinations are important. Do not hesitate to report anything unusual to your physician. There are cures for cancer.
Footnote: In February 2007, I was burned in a gas pipeline explosion with over 67 percent of my body with third degree burns. After 192 days in Hillcrest Burn Center and after about 18 months of therapy I am alive and well to tell my story.