Quite the Ordeal

It's all over but the recovery...he went IN to surgery at about the time I was hoping he'd come OUT of surgery, but it's over now.  What had originally been stated as a combined 5 hour procedure to remove both glands, actually took 8 hours.  KU Med has a wonderful system in place for surgical nurses to be assigned to waiting areas.  They come out, if not every hour, every other hour to provide updates and information.  It was very comforting to know that even though it was taking longer than expected, we knew what was going on with him.


The oncologist came out around 11:00 last night to fill me in.  He stated the thyroid had more nodules or masses on it than they originally thought.  As a result, it took longer to get it removed than planned.  He didn't give a number of nodes involved, but  did say he had removed lymph tissue.  The complete pathology report will confirm whether it was in the lymph nodes as indicated by the ultrasound by the time of Terry's follow up appointment in a couple of weeks.


For me, the disturbing part of the conversation had to do with the adrenal gland.  Prior to taking him to the operating room, he had a lengthy consultation with the anesthesiologist.  We think he was Russian, as he had a discernible accent, but seemed to be on top of Terry's situation.  We had been told by the oncologist that he would begin with the adrenal gland and then do the thyroid.  The anesthesiologist felt the risk of his blood pressure skyrocketing or bottoming out was very high if they did the adrenal gland first.  He convinced the oncologist to reverse the order of the procedures to provide the least amount of stress to Terry's body.  He did tell us, however, during his discussion that he had done many pheochromocytomas and many thyroid procedures.  He had just never done them at the same time!!  I felt at the time that Terry was in good hands, and now that it's over, I know he was.  Their greatest concern materialized when the adrenal gland was touched, and his blood pressure skyrocketed.  They were prepared, though, so he didn't have any negative ramifications as a result.  Being prepared, and finally acknowledging the pheo made all the difference in his outcome.


The oncologist was very clear in what he told us.  He said the mass in the adrenal gland had been there for years.  YEARS.  He actually went so far as to theorize that Terry might not have needed the pacemaker/defibrillator, and that his irregular beat might have been attributed to the over producing adrenal gland instead.  He wasn't part of the picture when that was going on, so it's understandable that he doesn't fully grasp the magnitude of the damage of his heart attack.  I don't believe the pheochromocytoma caused the need for the implant, but I do find it fascinating to learn all of the "jobs" the different parts of our body have in keeping us healthy and alive.  I had to fight from getting teary when he told us how long the mass had been there.  To know that other doctors had tried to make it Terry's problem when they couldn't diagnose it had angered me at the time, but to fully appreciate all the needless suffering he's been through because the specialists he saw couldn't diagnose it about broke my heart.  We knew it wasn't a mental health issue.  We knew he didn't "want" these vomiting attacks to happen.  


I also talked with the oncologist about how Terry's body finds its way back to normal.  If he's had massive levels of hormones produced and bombarding him every day for years, his system won't know what to do.  I'm hopeful rather than being extremely tired all the time because the thyroid and one adrenal gland are gone that he will actually be able to get beneficial rest, so he won't FEEL tired all the time.  His doctor agreed it may take a while to get him leveled out and working the way he should, but leveling out hormones will be part of the recovery process.


He was only able to say one word to me when I was finally able to see him last night, but he said it twice.  That word was "wow" and it came out deeper and raspier than normal, but I'm sure he felt and meant every inflection of that word.   He had a great little nurse who was working hard to make him as comfortable as possible, which I really appreciated.   You always hope those who care for your loved one when you can't will treat them with the same care and concern that you do.  It was very reassuring to me to hear her say that she knows what she would like done for her in the same situation, so she does what she can to provide comfort.  Brushing his mouth out with oral swabs after his mouth was taped open for the ventilator and dried out was not a major extra effort.  But the comfort it brought to him and his dried mouth was noticeable.  And made me feel very grateful for not being able to do much to help him out at this moment in time.


But today is a better day than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today....I just need to keep reminding myself that even with the disability due to his heart, with these other issues corrected, he may actually be able to go places and do things he's not been able to for a while due to pain and vomiting.  To be able to take a vacation with him again....to sit through movies, and concerts and school productions are simple things most people take for granted.   If we simply have a better quality of life it will all be worth it.  It has to....it's what we have left to achieve.