I admit that I was thinking that this blog had run it’s course and would fade off. Or if I were energetic it would reconfigure as a blog about my move to India, which is of interest or potentially entertaining to some of you. It will eventually fade away or transform into a blog about my move to India, but not yet.
I have been feeling better and better, so much so that I get the idea that I must have been feeling worse than I thought during chemotherapy. I guess “feeling ok” is subjective. It is certainly context dependent. Anyway my energy level is normal now I think, and my hair is growing back (see photo).
Friday afternoon while Andy and I were driving to Baltimore to visit family and say goodbye before leaving for India on October 10th, I got a phone call from Avery, my oncology PA, giving me the news that I have thyroid cancer. The news wasn’t out of nowhere this time. My last PET scan showed no lymphoma left in my lymph nodes, but there was a glow in my thyroid. So I had a thyroid ultrasound that showed suspicious nodules, and then last Thursday I had a biopsy of the most suspicious one, which showed that it is papillary thyroid cancer. Nobody so far thinks the lymphoma and the thyroid cancer are related. Maybe the thyroid cancer showed in my first PET scan too but was overshadowed by the nearby cancerous lymph nodes.
Papillary is the most common kind of thyroid cancer and it grows relatively slowly and is routinely and safely treatable. So I am not thinking deeply about my mortality, and then everyone else’s mortality and the fragility of all life, like I did when I was first diagnosed with lymphoma. I am thinking, what the fuck, why so much cancer? As soon as the new cancer diagnosis started to sink in I took off the headscarf I have been wearing since March so I can spend a few days pretending to be simply very stylish, and not a cancer patient.
I guess that I will end up having surgery to remove all or part of my thyroid which will, among other things, again delay moving to India. I’ll know more after the consult appointment I have tomorrow with an endocrine surgeon (for locals: Dr. Lee), and then Monday with an endocrinologist (for locals: Dr. Law).
I think thyroid cancer is, as a general rule, quite easily treatable, certainly compared with what you’ve recently gone through, Saskya.
Love, Diana
I’m sorry to hear the news that you will need to have additional treatments, but I’m glad to hear how treatable and slow-growing this thyroid cancer is. The short hair looks great. Thank you for letting us know your news.
Thanks Betta. The encouraging notes about my hair make definitely make it easier to go out in the world with this post-chemo hairstyle
I think as a general rule thyroid cancer is easily treatable, Saskya. A lot easier than what you’ve recently gone through.
Love, Diana
So sorry you have to go through this. I’m sending loving, healing wishes.
Thanks Yvonne. I missed writing with you all yesterday!
Well, for what it’s worth, you DO look stylish!
Thanks Rachel. These encouraging notes about the post-chemo hairstyle definitely help make it easier to go out in the world with it.
Unfair! I’m so sorry to hear this! Darn! Sending love! Joyce
Thanks Joyce. I guess we need reminders that nobody is keeping tack of what is fair.
Saskya,
this is entirely crappy news when you’re about to embark on your adventure in India. But your attitude is great and I’m sure you’ll move through it all with your classic grace and verve. xo meg
Thanks Meg.
Your hair looks great, your attitude is remarkable, and FUCK !
Thanks ma!
Are you going to India for a visit or for work? Did your other longtime job in Aaland end after so many years? Yes, be stylish rather than a cancer patient. Wear big earrings! Paint the town red!
I am going to India for work! My long time job in Finland fizzled, though I am still doing research there.
Thanks for the hair encouragement! It it a great chance to wear big earrings.
Dear Saskya, Very sad to hear about this new development. Wishing you all the best to fight it out and to win! Take good care of yourself.
Thank you for the good wishes Pranav
Oh Saskya no. So sorry to hear this news.
Thank you for the Great heavy bread and the pesto Carole!
Oh my God. So unfair. NOT FAIR!!!!!!
So sorry, Saskya. Holding you in the Light!!!!
I guess things just aren’t fair. But I do have a lot of great things happen too.
I’m with Whitney. Your hair does look great and the thyroid cancer really sucks. I’m so sorry.
It does suck! All the good comments about the post chemo hairstyle make it a bit easier to go out in the world with it.
Saskya,
Keep strong and positive! You are in my thoughts.
Gracias Delia
Dear Saskya and family,
Ride out this new wave, too, there is little else one can do. Dobido…
I am trying to do that. I do wonder what is coming next though.
Hey Saskya, so sorry to hear this and sure the treatment is quick and easy. Also hope to see you soon.
Peace and love, Peter
Thanks Peter.
Oops, I meant “sure hope”…
Peter
Your hair looks great and you get to keep it for this round! Cancer is too big and vague a word for the broad spectrum of ailments it covers. Yes, Cancer, sounds bad no matter what. But everyone I’ve met who had thyroid cancer is doing just fine. So I think this is a bump in the road and the C-word, well, be damned.
Thanks Ellen. All fo the notes about my hair looking good have made it easier to go out in the world with this post-chemo hairstyle.
Love the hair! “Cancer” is always a scary word, but far too vague for all the ailments it covers. Everyone I’ve know who’s had thyroid cancer is doing just fine. So this is a bump in the road, C-word be damned.
So sorry to hear this news. It really sucks. On a brighter note you look super cute with your hair growing back. You are in my heart honey. Thank you for keeping us posted. ❤️ Marcia
It does suck! it was such a surprise, but I am glad to know about it now, when it is small, rather than learn about it in a couple of years when it would have been big.
It is nice to see your smile, which affirms that you are ready to kick this second cancer. I send you healing thoughts and hope I get a chance to see you soon.
Thanks Esther. So far I think it is going ok.
Damn it! It was really lovely seeing you at the store and I have always thought you were a beautiful woman but saying it the other day might have seemed like something you say to someone with a scarf on so I didn’t. But really and truly you are beautiful. And I’m sorry for this news but I’m glad it is treatable and hope it won’t interfere with your new job / move. ❤️❤️❤️
I enjoyed running in to you at the store Laura! Talking with you always reminds me of the continuity of life, when Prachi and Ari were little and played on the Belle Sherman basketball team. When I ran in to you was just when the notion of this new cancer was starting to show it self. I was still living in the previous cancer, with the head scarf. In spite of this I am feeling pretty well.
Saskya dearest,
Really?…really? wow…. I am also so stunned!… and I also ask the same as you, why so much cancer in one and only sweet, amazing, fantastic person?… It makes me think of diving into wholistic options as well, to change the PH of the body, taking mushrooms which go systemic in the body erradicating cancer, and also looking into the new therapeutics with RNA which go back into the body’s immune system to combat the cancer from within your own body… anyhow, I share with you and Andy this moment, embracing you with all my potent love and the enthusiasm to find a good and permanent solution to these impertinent cancer adventures. Enough already!, right?
Yes, it does seem really strange, and I do wonder what I can do or could have done, or what led to having both of these surprising cancers. I will keep trying to take good care of myself, and learn more about these cancers!
Hi Saskya,
Nice hairstyle ?
I recall praying intensely for you a while back — sometimes, that’s all we can do at the moment — and I felt confident that you would beat lymphoma. I’m sorry to hear of this latest news, and I’m wishing you the best and hope that you can soon make that trip to India.
Good luck with your upcoming appointments.
Thanks for the good wishes Timmy.