Hi all my name is Pam and im from Auckland New Zealand. I have been searching high and low 4 a support group or even people who are going through the same as myself. I am very proud to say i have 3 beautiful daughters who i adore My eldest Paris Rose who is 9, Calais Mikayla who is 7 and Charde' Rangimarie who is 8months old. I also have a wonderful husband who i love more than words can say who has stuck by myside through alot and i am so very thankful 4 him.. Basically i would love to hear from anybody who konws about the whole procedure of thyroid cancer treatment, who has had the operations and has or is undergoing radiation therapy as i will be having radiation therapy as of next week but am unsure about alot of things. Id really love to hear from mothers in the same situation as me as i am having difficulty accepting that i may have to be away from my children. I have alot of questions but feel that only people that have been through this and are going through this will be able to answer so if any1 can help me out on this can u please make contact back.. Thank you all very much for taking the time to read this and take special care.
Pam

Hi Pam,

I'm a single Dad looking after two, Gianluca (Lukey) and Isabella (Izzy) aged 11 and 9, and I go for Induction Chemo tomorrow morning. My ex Wife is taking them for the weekend, and my folks will be here from Monday but somehow I can't quite reconcile myself to the fact that I won't be here yelling at them to get out of bed, doing their packed lunches, making their dinners, and putting them to bed, and picking up their clothes that they've dumped three feet from the laundry basket. It's my job and I hate everyone else for doing it for me. I'm struggling to type this through misty specs - must be the weather - so forgive any typo's.

Irrational isn't it? We're all dealing with things as best we can, some of us worse than others, but we do get through somehow. I'm a SCC base of tongue (I think a T1N2cM0) so can't help with your specific case, but others will chip in here I'm sure.

I have had a neck dissection along with a lumpectomy and a couple of H&N biopsy's but as yet no other treatment. I start the RT after my chemo in about 6 weeks time so have that to look forward to!

I wish you the best and will pick up this thread again after I get out - hopefully Tuesday or Wednesday.

All the best



John

Hi Pam,

My husband was diagnosed with SCC base of tongue Sept 06 and a close friend has just recently finished treatment for cancer of the thyroid. She is a single parent with a daughter aged 6, a son aged 3 and baby aged 6 months. Her treatment involved surgical removal of the thyroid and radioactive injections. This resulted in her being kept in isolation in hospital. After treatment she wasn't allowed any contact with her children for I think about a week until tests gave her the all clear. She had to have this treatment on several occasions. If you have any specific questions that you think she might be able to help you with please let me know as I see her every day and I'm sure she would be more than willing to help.

Best wishes

Lorraine

Hi John

Thank you 4 ur support and i wish u all the very best for 2morrow morning and im sure i will hear from u again..
Take care

Pam

Hi Pam,

Just off to bed before tomorrow. This is a new procedure for me and therefore, of course, my anxiety level is a little elevated; but I have to say it is much mitigated by the support I have found here.

There are some truly wonderful folk on this site, and I'm sure they'll be drawn to your posts as they were to mine. Some will chivvy you along (you out there Cookey/Liz?) some will make a joke or two (Deborah 51 amongst others!) and others just seem to radiate warmth; Cathy who's local to me, Shirl and the rest - read my recent posts and you'll find them. I see Lorraine has already found you, although we're not yet acquainted. Anyway good luck again.

I look forward to speaking to you over the coming weeks.


Best


John

Hi Lorraine
Thank you 4 your reply. I will be having my radiation by taking the liquid drink i have been told and will be an outpatient.I will be staying with my mother inlaw away from my children and i am yet to discuss with the doc how long i will be away from them. I guess id just like to know how long she was away from them and how she and her baby handled the seperation. Im very worried about my baby as i have had 2 ween her off breastfeeding due to this so feel like iv taken that from her already and now have to be away from her completely . Id also like to know how she felt during the treatment physically and emotionally and if she had a specific diet before, during and after?? What helped to flush it out?
Any info she can give or any advice from your friend would be great and an advantage to me.
Thank you so very much

Pam

Hello Pam

See: Ruth's Story on 'Surviving Thyroid Cancer.'

You might find the Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust website very helpful. It is the first registered charity in the UK set for the support of patients with Thyroid Cancer.

Some of our MCF members who are thyroid cancer survivors are:
betne
BurgosDMD
flysox
Heather M. Marshall
joel leroy
Lisa Russell
MelissaR
Poetry
Tia Maria

You could look up their posts or contact them.

Best wishes

Vinod

Hello Pam,

Funny there is a few Pam's on here including my self. Well I do not have thyriod cancer but I am a mom obviously by my sign on. I did get to see my kids but didn't have a lot of help with them my oldest is 6 and my baby was 14 months when I started my radiation. It was very hard on us all. But we made it thru. If you need any advise or someone to chat with I am here as a fellow mom.

Hi Pam,

And hi Mom of two boys again. I knew a few people would find you Pam, and they'll be others I'm asure. Through a miracle of technology I'm writing this from the Tiffany ward of the Royal Marsden in Sutton on day 3 of my chemo.

I have to say I feel a complete fraud. No nausea, no hair loss, no taste disturbance. I had mild heart palpitations on the 5FU yesterday, but I think that might have something to do with the fact that I am older and heavier than both of my nurses added together...

As always though the guilt of not being there for my two won't lie down, particularly as I seem to be waited on hand and foot. My ex has stood up to bat looking after them and brought them in yesterday. They seemed a little easier that Daddy was only hooked up to one machine(chemo pump) and was at least no uglier than nature had already made him. They also seem to be eating in spite of the fact my Italian ex couldn't handle the yorkshire puddings recipe I pre mixed for her.

Anyway this is your post Pam, I can only advise you to trust in your family and friends to help. Try to see the kids at least once, and try to live with the guilt and resentment that they'll be OK without you for a while. I save my weepy periods for when I'm alone morning and night and no-one can see me (and when I'm writing about them)

Finally when my wife didn't produce enough milk for ours when they were born it was my 'in' on the game. I'm an early riser and took over the feeding and changing from 03.30 - 04.00. It was good training for when I gave up work and took over with them full time. Your husband sounds like the sort of guy who's also straining at the leash for more involvement.

All the best


John

PS,just edited this so it makes a bit more sense. Thanks Cathy - noone ever accused me of being articulate before!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: John Fernandez,

Hi Pam,

Welcome to the site and sorry that you find youself here. I am sorry that I can't be of any practical use re treatments for your specific disease or the implications for child care.

I am most pleased that you have hooked up with the lovely, emotionally intelligent and honest Mr Fernandez. He seems to be able to articulate so well what its like for a parent going through therapy.

Good luck, I look forward to hearing how you are getting on.

Best wishes,

Cathy

Hi Pam,

I will send you my friend's (Fiona) email address so you can 'chat' however, as it is a bank holiday here at the moment she has gone away with her children.

I don't know how many treatments Fiona had but I do know that on one occasion she had to stay with her Dad afterwards to prevent any contact with her children. She did say that the nurses had commented on how quickly her body had flushed it all out of her system so she might have a few tips on that. After all, the quicker you disperse it the quicker you will be able to get back to your children. It must be difficult to not be able to have any contact with them but needs to be done for their safe being. However on the upside, as it's a different form of radiotherapy than that used for other head and neck cancers Fiona's taste buds and salivary glands haven't been affected.

I'll be in touch Pam. Please let us know how you're getting on.

Lorraine