Capillary Thyroid Carcinoma – Part 3 of 4 - Post Surgery

I’m still a bit out of it, when they wheel me in to my room. Once I’m settled, most of my family comes in. My doctor left instructions that I could be medicated (as in morphine) every two hours. Even if I didn’t need it, I asked for it every time it was available. I admit it wasn’t because I needed it that bad, but it just felt so good to be that “fuzzy.”  Like that great feeling when you can't stay awake while watching TV late at night.

A little later in the day my surgeon came by and told me that the biopsy revealed that my thyroid was in fact malignant. The cancer was called “Capillary Thyroid Carcinoma.” He also added that he was trying to schedule the surgery to take the other half out. As bad luck would have it, there were no operating rooms available that day, or the next. He said I would remain in the hospital that night, as well as the next (Tuesday). My insurance wouldn’t pay for Wednesday night, so I had to check out Wednesday morning and check back in on Thursday. I would have liked to spend Wednesday night there as well, but I didn’t want to pay for it out of m own pocket.

One of the semi-fuzzy memories I had the day of the first surgery, was sending my family home, because I didn’t want to watch “dancing with the stars” on the TV in my room. I don’t know exactly why I did it. Maybe I thought it was going to step on my "buzz."

I learned at thing or two during my first stay and used it this time. Before my second surgery, the surgeon asked me if the morphine allotted to me during my first stay was sufficient. I told him that I could have used more. Much to my surprise he decreased the amount of time between doses. Who am I to question the wisdom of modern medicine?

The increased medication had an impact on me. During my first stay, if I had to go to the bathroom, I just rolled my IV apparatus into the room with me and did my business. During my second stay, I was so lazy (by lazy, I mean fuzzy) that I used the urinal at my bedside most of the time. Now don’t get yourself in an uproar. I haven’t “used” any pain killers since I was discharged (even though they were given to me). You think I’m an addict or something? I’m not! Besides, I’m saving them for later…

Part 4 tomorrow