Thyroid Ultrasound Update

On Thursday I went to the endocrinologist and they went over my history, symptoms, took my blood pressure (which was much lower at 140/90!), did an ultrasound of my thyroid and pulled lots of blood.

All of my thyroid blood panels had already come back at normal levels.

On the ultrasound they confirmed two nodules that were side by side on my thyroid about 1.5cm each.  Normally they would do a fine needle aspiration biopsy right then to check them out as they were not just fluid filled, but had solid parts.  However, this doctor suspects that it might be possible that I have a rare adrenal tumor called a paraganglioma on my thyroid.  Basically a paraganglioma is an adrenaline producing tumor.  If they were to biopsy this, it could send out too much adrenaline and have....well, unfortunate results for me!  So, he wanted to be extra cautious and do some more bloodwork that would help determine if that is what this is. 

I really saw God's hand in this, because the doctor relayed to me that they had had a case like this last month and he had really been reading up on this condition and discussing with other doctors about the best course of action should they come across this diagnosis again. 

They put me in a dark room in a supine position for what was supposed to be 15 minutes.  However, they must have forgotten about me, because about 40 minutes later (although I really had no idea how long it had been and didn't want to get up to go check because that would ruin the whole lie-still-so-we-can-take-your-blood-and-get-an-accurate-reading thing)....I finally prayed, "God, please let me know you are with me in all this and send a nurse in within the next 60 seconds so I know you haven't forgotten about me!"

And I started counting down with confidence....Sixty.

Fifty-nine.

Fifty-eight.

Fifty-se........*knock knock knock*

A nurse walked in the door to take my blood!  Yep, even though I was confident God was listening, I was somehow still surprised he answered that prayer so quickly!

So she took my blood while I was so calm and that should give a good idea as to whether adrenaline is pumping through my body when it's not  supposed to be; thus suggestive of the paraganglioma.

Here is some more information on these tumors, in case you are interested.  I was so glad this doctor took the time to write down all this information because my brain could barely keep up with all the information he covered in a short amount of time, much less was it able to spell or even remember the word "paraganglioma"!

http://adrenalcenter.org/paraganglioma.html

Of course this would be something that is rare....because all of my issues turn out to be "really rare" and "this will never happen twice" and "surely it couldn't be this because you've already had x, y and z".

I should get the results back Monday or Tuesday and then they will let me know how we should proceed.

My symptoms are:  lightheadedness, high blood pressure, very strong pulse, pulse skips a beat, nausea, eating less, constant dull headache, irritability, times when I just have no more energy.. and I could go on! 

I did ask again about what I should or should not be doing in the meantime, and the doctor just said, "Don't run a marathon!"

Ha.  Don't worry about that.

My mom sent me a really encouraging psalm and I just loved reading it yesterday.  I am not too worried about this....God has it all in His hands. 

Psalm 16

¹ Keep me safe, my God,
    for in you I take refuge.

² I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    apart from you I have no good thing.”
³ I say of the holy people who are in the land,
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
⁴ Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names on my lips.

⁵ Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
    you make my lot secure.
⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.
⁷ I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful^[b] one see decay.
¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.