Hello all. So It’s been a while since I put up an update about my progress. Life without a thyroid is definitely not a walk in the park but I am making the best of it. I spent half the year paying close attention to my limitations. I would notice when I felt weak and tired but failed to pay attention to those moments where I felt strong and empowered. A few months ago I was feeling extremely manic at all times. I was barely sleeping at night and was overall just a nervous wreck. Turns out my meds were too high and were making me feel hyperthyroid. I got my meds changed and I am feeling pretty good on this new dose. I am due for a recheck next week so we shall see if my meds stay the same or not.
Since I have been feeling pretty good I decided it was time to reclaim my body from cancer and start working out. Started off pretty simple. I was going on long walks, doing yoga, riding bike, swimming, short runs, and using the elliptical. I started noticing how much more energized I felt after I worked out and I started getting addicted to working out. One of my best friends recently started racing and another one of my good friends is a runner and they both kept talking to me about racing and sending me training plans. I felt pretty open to trying anything at this point so I said that I’d try out running. I started doing the training plan that my friend sent me and I really started to notice a change in my mood and energy level. I also starting noticing that each time I went out to run it felt easier and easier. I started feeling like the old me that LOVED working out and pushing through discomfort. I missed that person. I also loveeeee stretching. I missed stretching so much. I used to be so flexible back in my colorguard days. I miss how active I used to be. I had been coming up with excuses about how I couldn’t be active anymore because of my thyroid problems but they were all just excuses. I may not be as strong as I once was but that is ok. The important thing is that I am getting out there and doing my best. I know that my body is going through a lot and still recovering from the madness that was this year and this is my gift to it. I am letting it know that it is still strong and it can still work hard and push through barriers. I am taking a stand against cancer and not letting it take anything away from me (well other than my thyroid). I am not a victim to anything. I am grateful for the lessons cancer has taught me. I am much stronger than I ever thought I could be.
I started noticing that I was really looking forward to running on my running days. I guess you could say I was falling in love with being active again. My body feels great. I am making better decisions for myself and I am giving cancer the middle finger :). My friend is stoked that I am loving my runs and decided to bring up the idea of doing a race with her. I of course was hesitant in saying yes at first. I thought about it for a few days and then told her that I would do it. Why not, right? I have plenty of time to train and work my way up to 13.1 miles (I will do shorter races first of course)! I want to do it because a few months ago I was in bed feeling sorry for myself thinking that I was never going to have energy again. I am done with that. Even when I am having a “bad no thyroid day” I still want to push as much as I can and do my best. There is no reason to feel sorry for myself.
They say people come into your life for a reason and lately that has been 100% true! I couldn’t have planned any of this. All I know is that 5-6 months ago I was feeling lost. I was so stressed out with school and trying to figure out how to cope with all the changes my body was going through and then out of no where people came back into my life and with that brought me a whole new perspective and happiness. I am grateful for that because I really needed it. I was feeling so lost and now I feel like a new person. A mix of the old me and new me put together and feeling pretty damn good about it :)
My doctor is still keeping an eye on my thyroglobulin antibodies. If they continue to rise he wants me to have the radioactive iodine treatment (internal radiation for thyroid cancer) but both him and I have been avoiding RAI at all costs. We both really want to put it off for as long as possible (if not forever!). There is a chance I won’t need it (a pretty good one at that) but you never know SOoooo please keep your fingers crossed/say a prayer that my labs show up clean :) Thanks guys! :)
<3
