Hi fellow nice person.
Dropped Simon off at school this morning and stopped by the credit union to deposit a check. At the teller's counter was a framed sign that said,
hi fellow nice person
I love that. Seriously. How can you read that and not smile just a bit? I think it is a brilliant form of putting out there what you want to see in the world. I wonder if it has made an impact on how people treat the tellers? Or if a grouchy person has gone in and come out just a tad less grouchy?
A week ago Chris and I had an interaction with a very nice woman who made a pretty big impact on me. She is definitely on my nice person list.
We were at a local place that sells rocks and mulch and such (we are having our backyard landscaped). After looking around at all the different sorts of pavers we went into the office to talk about price and ask a couple of other questions. At the end of our conversation with the woman at the counter she asked me my name and said the following, "May I say something personal to you?"
Um, ok, thinking maybe she reads the magazine or has a child or relative with autism or wants to know what it is like being married to a politician.
"Sure." I said with a sideways glance over to Chris.
"It looks like your thyroid is enlarged."
First thought: um, what is my thyroid? And where do you see this? She touched her neck to show where it is and I touched mine (thinking I have always just had a big neck which Chris confirmed later on that was what he was thinking at that moment too). My response, "Oh, really?"
She went on to tell us about her mother and her daughter who have both had issues related to their thyroids. She talked about some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and other related issues such as Graves Disease and thyroid cancer. She mentioned words like depression, weight gain, and fatigue and I found myself listening a bit closer.
I could tell that she was somewhat uncomfortable bringing this all up but that she felt she needed to. She was kind and genuine and even though it was strange, it did not feel intrusive.
"You should call your doctor and get it checked out." She said.
I told her that I really appreciated her bringing it up (even though I still really didn't know what she was talking about) and that I would get it checked out. I think I said something cliche along the lines, "better safe than sorry."
Chris and I said goodbye and walked out to the car. Of course I am totally touching my neck the whole time.
We get home and the first thing I do is jump on the computer and google information on enlarged thyroid.
I start reading about goiters and then go into the bathroom and look at my neck in the mirror. My thyroid is totally enlarged. Not noticeable enough to me as I looked at myself every morning and evening while brushing my teeth, but now that I was aware it was definitely there.
So I call my doctor. Get an appointment for that afternoon. And yep, she tells me, I definitely have an enlarged thyroid. I tell her the story of what brought me to this point. We laugh. She schedules an ultrasound to see what's happening with the enlargement and I go have my blood taken to check for hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
I call my mama. Of course I do. She tells me that my Grandmother has hypothyroidism and that she has taken medication for years and years. I call the doctor back and have that information added to the file.
The doctor called two nights ago to let me know that the blood test did show that I do have hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid) and that I will need to take medication (and probably will for the duration of my life). Based on what she saw on the ultrasound results she is also sending me in for a couple more tests (iodine uptake scan) related to the growth issue and to figure out the underlying problem more clearly.
How long have I had this? Who knows? When I look at the classic symptoms of hypothyroidism, depression has been an issue for me for quite a few years now and I take medication to regulate that part of myself. Fatigue? Sure thing, who isn't tired these days? I am busy with a crazy schedule. Weight gain? Check. Irritability? I definitely have my moments...sometimes worse than others. In learning more about hypothyroidism it sounds like people can have any number or combination of symptoms ranging from barely noticeable to severe.
So why in the world am I sharing all this? Come to find out, hypothyroidism (not necessarily the actual enlargement of the thyroid - there are potentially two things going on here with me) is fairly common and often goes undiagnosed. It occurs more often in women than men. Maybe one of you out there will be helped by the information. I guess you could say I am paying it forward.
All of this because a nice woman at the rock yard decided to say something.
Yep, I got it too!!! I have been on the meds now for probably 10 years with no weird side effects or anything -- just part of the daily morning routine. They do bloodwork at first to regulate the dosage and that's kind of a pain because at first the dosage might change a bunch of times. It was nice of her to tell you -- even if kind of weird.
Take Care =)
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It always amazes me how God works in our lives! Take care. Sue
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I wanted to comment on the thyroid issue along with the 152 other people before me. I along with many other take a pill each morning for my thyroid. This bothered me to have to take a pill for the rest of my life and at one point played doctor and stopped. Now, I do not recommend this because I became tired and useless. I realized I have to be a grown up and take my med like a good girl. I took it as a sign of growing old. In the last few years, ( putting on my reading glasses ) I realize growing old is part of the cycle. Look at the Dove ads, with the beautiful older women. Oh, I love these pictures and to look in their eyes you dream of all they have endured in their live. As I reach up to take my morning pill.
Growing older gracefully,
Jerri
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Whoa, I just got goosebumps reading Tara's post. I SO wanted to say something to her ages ago, but felt like it would be rude, so I did'nt. I SURE hope she calls her doc now :)
Yup, Graves Disease here and it's been a nightmare, so I'm hyper-alert for the signs in other people. When I see them I mention every other symptom in the world but not the neck, because I *really* don't want to be rude. Evidently that's the part that will scare people enough to act and maybe I should go ahead and say it...
I find myself (post-RAI hypo these days) instructing people how to get the most benefit from their thyroid meds. So very many people have no idea that they are inhibiting the effectiveness of their meds through ignorance of the tiny details that make a world of difference.
Anyway, I'm glad that woman spoke up AND that you followed through with checking it out. You are going to feel SO MUCH BETTER! :)
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Ali--love you--you are so eloquent, generous, thoughtful, etc. I read your blog daily and find that your soulfulness just resonates with me totally. Your humanity inspires me and I thank you for blessing my life. I too have have hypothyroidism and am on synthroid. (I hear that you have to be careful not to take a generic brand of the thyroid meds because of the drug's stability and it will loose efficacy quickly. At least it's something to ask about.) I believe we cross paths with people for a reason and this woman definitely had a message for you. In fact, you are acting as my wake up call--for several weeks now I've been noticing that I am more sluggish than usual and feeling that it is taking too much effort to lift my legs and muscles. This is how I was first diagnosed--even walking became difficult and I was told I could have gone into a coma. So, thank you for sharing your story. I'm going to check it out. Your sharing is such a blessing. I'm praying that the test results are in your favor. Warm regards, Jillian
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Ms. Edwards,
This is my first visit to your blog - glad I found it. Your work has always interested me, but I have never had the time to look at your works online. Interesting to read about your thyroid as I have the very same issue. My maternal grandma had it. It's scary at first, but the thyroid can be controlled.
I must say, you are lucky to have had someone mention your thyroid to you so that you can get to the issue quickly. Sometimes life is simply amazing in that respect.
Stay beautiful,
M...
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Welcome to a large group of us! I have hypo and so do three of my closest friends. It's fairly manageable-just don't forget to take it everyday or you'll have some side effects (my hair falls out--lovely). Anyway, I was in your CKU album class in Atlanta and so enjoyed it. Hope this diagnosis helps you as it did me--nice to have an explanation.
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Wow! What a way to find out! I am glad that she said something thought! I seem to have all of those symptoms as well....perhaps I need to be checked as well. Keep us informed honey.
Heather
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I just want to say that I hope you call that lady and the rock place and tell her "thanks" and let her know that she was right! I'm in awe that she told you that and she was in deed RIGHT! It must have been very hard for her to do that to a total stranger. In many ways, I would say #1, she is an ANGEL sent on earth to do this mission, and #2, there is a reason her family had to suffer from this so she too could "pay it forward." :o)
All my best in gettting this regulated - and hopefully, it will bring a new world to you and your family!
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So much for grammer checking the above entry - It's suppose to say, "...call that lady AT the rock place." Ooops!
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WOW! Anywas I was feeling very sick about 2 years ago. Come to find out I had hypothyroid due to a multinodule. I had the same iodine tests, biopsies etc. COme to find out I had my thyroid removed due to the biopsy results. It is more common than we think. Any questions please let me know and I can let you know more of the experience.
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Ali what an amazing story. I too have thyroid issues and have been on medication for awhile now. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to find the right dosage. Just keep in mind that even if you get your numbers to "normal" levels this may still not make you feel "normal" Don't be afraid to challenge your doctor :)
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Good on you Ali for getting your thyroid checked immediately. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your life stories with all of us. You are wonderful at raising our awareness about so many things. Take good care of yourself.
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There are reasons why people cross our paths everyday. We just have to open enough to see that! So glad you were.
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Holy Posts! Amazing how many people have this!
I was diagnosed a year and a half ago, routine bloodwork! I had all the symptoms, weight gain, depression, low libido, fatigue, muscle aches, dry skin...but my husband was deployed for 15 months and I thought it was normal to feel those things bc of our situation.
I am pregnant now and I get my blood work done every 2-3 months, they also doubled my dose.
I have read that (one of the many theories)
having thyroid issues in pregnancy can contribute to Autism . Since I have a daughter with PDD-NOS, I wonder?
Hope you are feeling better soon! Drink lots of water before the blood work, so it is easier to get done!
and than you for sharing!
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I am 65 and felt a bump at the base of my neck over 20 years ago and have been on meds ever since. I feel great, but am so very glad I had it checked out! Ali, you'll be so glad that you did!
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I love it when people feel comfortable enough, and care enough, to get personally involved like that. So many people are afraid to speak up. My Mom has had hypothyroidism for years. It can wreck havoc on your life if it's not treated. I'm sure I'll have to keep an eye out for it (automatically, my hands go to my neck for a quick search). Thanks for sharing.
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What a courageous woman she was!!! I, too, had an assortment of random symptoms and found that my thyroid was not working properly. Since going on meds, I'm a different person. It does take some trial and error to get the dosage right, but when you do....it's great.
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I ususally just lurk here but after the whole thyroid post I just wanted to let you & all the others know that as someone who has dealt with sub-clinical hypothyroidism for a long time now, THE BEST resource on the internet for thyroid issues is a site run by Mary Shomon at about.thyroid.com. It literally saved my life. Anything you ever need to know about thyroid disease, traditional/alternative treatments, etc. can be found there.
For many people treating thyroid disease is as simple as taking a little pill everyday. For the rest of us, it is a maze of different tests & therapies trying to find that "magic combo". But there is help out there and lots of fellow patients who can help you brainstorm, find a good doc., get healthy again.
I'm so happy that the doctor followed up because more than 1/2 of the battle is getting the doctors to diagnose thyroid disease. You're well on your way to feeling better!!
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What a blessing to have met that woman at the right time! I'm so glad that you took her advice to heart and got things checked out. Best of luck with everything...although I'm sure you're more than taken care of!
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wow - first I am so impressed by the nice woman who thought enough to say something to you, how wonderful
hypothyroidism runs in my family, and as you now know, its genetic, so I have myself tested every year during my routing physical - so far, so good
and good for you for listening, for getting to your doctor, and for getting the meds you need - good luck
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Good call on the landscape lady's part. When I started the thyroid meds, it changed my life. It is most often diagnosed in women with small children because pregnancy can bring out the tendency if it is alredy lurking within you, so it is easy to ignore the weight and lack of sleep. Once those meds get going, you are going to see such a change in your life.
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Hi Allie. Read your blog every day. I just wanted to say Welcome to the club. I have been taking medication for my "slow" thyroid for the past 9 goint on 10 years. When my symptoms first started I chalked the fatigue, depression, losing hair, dizziness, irritability, chills, etc. to stress. At that time I was under a great deal of it. I had just lost my father very unexpectedly and then almost lost my husband. After seeing 2 physicians and a visit to the emergency room, I finally found a very good gp who told me I had the classic symptons for Hypothyroid and the blood test confirmed his suspicions. Thank goodness; I was beginning to think no one was taking me seriously. But like you said, the symptons are so general, it could be anything. All I knew was that feeling that tired, not able to concentrate, dizzy, that's not me and I'm glad that I finally found someone that recognized what it could be. Now, I take my little pill every morning and I have not had a problem since. Good luck with yours.
Alisa
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i'm sure it took a lot for her to say something so personal to you, but i'm glad she did. had she not, would you have ever found out? now i'm sitting here touching my neck trying to figure out where my thyroid is *lol* good luck with the rest of your testing and treatments
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Hi Alie - I too have hypothyroidism! And went thru the series of tests to find out what was going on. Don't stress about them if you can! It can be scary but everything will be just fine. It's waiting for test results that is the hard part. I had them all including two biopsies (they biopsied the WRONG nodule the first time!) but all is well now and I feel good.
You'll feel so much better when the meds kick in. And, if you feel sluggish in the future - go back to your doc, I have had to have my dosage increased about every 18 mos or so.
Thank you so much for your professional AND personal work that you do!
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