TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!

I just turned thirty a couple years ago and remember thinking it was one of the worst days of my life!! LOL!! I think I cried and cried that day, I truly hated it! Turning thirty to me meant no longer being young, that I was officially looked at as an out of shape, boring, mid-life menopaused woman. Still to this day I do not like turning another year older, but know it's part of life and there's no avoiding this un-welcomed obstacle of life.

I was not brought up with a Mother who taught me how to take care of your self, about make-up, boys, and what it meant to be a woman. Once I hit thirty it was a huge wake up call for me. I decided, that was it, from that day on I was going to learn and do what I needed to do to live a long healthy life. First thing first was going to the Doctor for a physical that was years past due. Nothing really serious ran in the family, so I expected everything to be fine. It ended up with my thyroid levels being extremely high. So I was put on med's and get to go give blood work every six weeks to check the levels and adjust the medication as needed. The numbers came down quick, my Uncle was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer and mine just seemed to grow and grow. My Doctors had always said the numbers looked fine and it was just "swollen". For months I accepted this, but in the back of my head I just knew there was more. I pushed and pushed for a referral to see a specialist and none of them thought it was necessary so would not refer me and just send me on my way. Until one day a new Doctor did not even check the thyroid and just sent me to a specialist as I requested. I went to see the specialist for the first time last week. My thyroid is so enlarged that soon it will interfere with breathing and swallowing, so might have to be removed. He also felt a possible nodule, which could be the cancer which was the way my Uncle started. The Doctor said that it was good I pushed and that they had been doing all the wrong blood tests. So now my next steps are ASAP blood work and ultrasounds, hoping there is no nodule, no cancer and nothing to worry about. But......the next two weeks of not knowing will be the hardest.

I encourage everyone to take charge of your health, if you suspect something is wrong, see a Doctor and do not waste time! Even if you see a Doctor but still have a feeling that something else is going on - you have the right to a second opinion! I continued to go back over and over, pushing for a specialist, knowing something more was going on. At the end, I was right and if I would have let the Doctors brush it off, I would have been the one to pay the price. I look at my children everyday and they are the motivation for me to continue, to take charge and live. My challenge to you is to make that first appointment, don't cancel it and go - Take Charge of Your Life!

American Thyroid Association - www.thyroid.org

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and is only opinions and life experiences of my own.