Saturday, May 19, 2012

My Story

Hello, my name is Rachel

I am 27 years old and a student at UNC Wilmington. I transferred here from getting a late start after working my entire young adult life and found I had a passion for helping people, even if just doing something as simple as just listening. I decided to study Psychology, a field where I felt I could do the most good for others.

In the Fall of 2011 I began getting sick frequently. I had constant fatigue, weakness and physical pain in my muscles and joints. I pushed through, completing the semester, even with my grades dropping from A's to B's as I had difficulty focusing and getting through the textbooks.​​ I went to my doctor and when the test showed nothing more than a vitamin D deficiency, I assumed it was fatigue and I just needed some rest over the break.

By early Spring semester 2012 I had continued to deteriorate. I was barely able to get out of my bed anymore, the exhaustion and pain were so extreme getting up for 2 hours at a time was too much. Within weeks I had to drop the semester because​​ I was too sick to attend classes. No one could figure out why I was getting worse.

I felt it before I saw it. A large mass in the front of my neck, that was pressing down making me feel short of breath. I again went to my doctor, showing her what I had found, and she immediately scheduled me for an ultrasound and referred me to an Endocrinologist. Six weeks later, I was in for surgery to remove my thyroid. The final pathology on it found multiple nodules and Papillary Carcinoma in the left lobe of my thyroid. ​​

The recovery is long, I am now nearly 2 months post surgery and while some symptoms have subsided, I am still exhausted and in pain every day. I have only been able to return to work part time as well as trying to return to school, at least part time. I know it will get better with time, but it feels like forever when you want to do these things, but realize how much you've lost.

3 comments:

  1. I cant begin to tell you how horrible things are when you get that cancer news. I need your help. I have no idea if you will ever even see this. If so could you email me at newlifeinovations2014 @yahoo.com thank you so so much, Kristina

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  2. I cant begin to tell you how horrible things are when you get that cancer news. I need your help. I have no idea if you will ever even see this. If so could you email me at newlifeinovations2014 @yahoo.com thank you so so much, Kristina

    ReplyDelete
  3. I cant begin to tell you how horrible things are when you get that cancer news. I need your help. I have no idea if you will ever even see this. If so could you email me at newlifeinovations2014 @yahoo.com thank you so so much, Kristina

    ReplyDelete