TT Time

Now that I've been told that I have thyroid cancer, my mind immediately jumps to the idea of having my throat cut open. Oh good God.
I met with the surgeon--highly recommended, but quirky. Doesn't make eye contact when we talk. She also took out my mom's thyroid when they couldn't get hers under control for hyperthyroidism, and everything went really well. Might as well trust her with my neck.
I have to wait three weeks for the surgery, but it's not bad considering the time from suspicion to diagnosis to throat slicing--about two months.
The hardest part is telling people about it. Telling my sister was brutal, and her reaction damn near killed me. This is painful enough without causing more stress and worry for other people! Most people reacted with shock, except for one person who quickly launched into the "I know how you feel since I had a spot of skin cancer removed from my face." I had no words for that one, and still don't. I told my department head at work, and she was the first person I told outside of immediate family and close friends--I burst out crying in her office as I told her. Totally unexpected reaction, but it was like an out of body experience, hearing myself tell someone who didn't know me that well that I had cancer. Later I managed to chase down the headmaster and tell her that I would be out of school for 2 weeks, and her reaction was classic--"WTF?" Made me laugh. Telling my students though was surreal. They all asked questions, and sent me off with cards signed by tons of kids from all my classes. I was floored by some of the things they wrote and really touched.
March 26th was TT Time (Total Thyroidectomy). Sis and Mr. Wonderful accompanied me to the hospital and camped out there all day. What a team! I went into the OR at 10:30 after the surgeon drew on my neck ("Nice crease there, perfect place for a scar.") and the IV nurse butchered the back of my hand. I hate having IVs, but this was the worst experience I've ever had--she had to put the needles in twice. Two weeks later it's still bruised. Mr. Wonderful stayed with me until they put the lovely hairnet on my head and wheeled me to the OR. I remember getting on the table, and then I was gone.
I woke up in recovery without throwing up! Very excited about that--dr. had me put on a patch the night before. Brilliant move, I am eternally grateful that I didn't have my usual post-surgery bout of puking. Can't imagine that with a slash in my throat....I did wake up with my voice though, so no issues with my vocal cords. I was worried about that since I spend most of my day talking.
Surgery was over. I was alive and breathing, and completely thyroidless.