In 2009, I was a newlywed, happily feathering my nest and planning dinners and other cutesy couple-y things with my hubby. After getting married and buying a home together, it felt like we finally had a chance to breathe. We were excited to kickstart our life.

After only seven months of marriage, while about to board a flight from Chicago to New York, I got a call from my doctor for results for what I thought was a routine sonogram of my thyroid. I was told I should see an oncologist.  It literally was the phone call that changed my life. I don’t remember much from that flight. I recall that I bawled uncontrollably. I think the woman next to me thought I was nuts, but at that moment, I was nuts! I had thoughts about the worst-case scenario. I didn’t know anything about thyroid cancer. The first thought that popped into my head was I can’t die yet, I haven’t even had a chance to be a mother.

I never felt a pang like that before in my life. It just hit me. Like big flashbulbs in my mind, my thoughts fluctuated from I am going to die to I want a child. But before I could even think about any of that, I had to figure out what was going on with my thyroid.

After visiting several specialists and getting a few opinions, it was confirmed that I did have thyroid cancer and the best course of action was to remove my thyroid in its entirety. I learned a lot about thyroid cancer and namely that it was a highly curable cancer. I had a small tumor and once I had my thyroid removed, it would be a slim chance that the cancer would spread. With the right dosage of thyroxine (thyroid hormone) replacement, I would not diminish my chances of getting pregnant, but this didn’t stop the paranoia from setting in.

I had the surgery and came out of it with a very positive prognosis that the cancer was so miniscule, it wasn’t even worth sending to the lab for scientific research. All I had was a very visible scar on my neck that acts as a constant reminder of how quickly life can change on you. I started on a daily dose of thyroid hormone replacement and was told that if I were to get pregnant, to let my endocrinologist know right away so that the medication could be adjusted to support the pregnancy.

My doctors and family encouraged me to continue with my life. I was reassured and was told many times that at 26, thyroid cancer would just be a minor speed bump, a blip. I continued with my day-to-day routine. Mr. Marbles and I agreed that we would start trying to conceive the following year so I could give my body time to adjust the new medication.

to be continued...

Hellobee Series: Mrs. Marbles part 1 of 11

1. The Road to Pregnancy - Part 1 by Mrs. Marbles
2. The Road to Pregnancy - Part II by Mrs. Marbles
3. The Road to Pregnancy - Part 3 by Mrs. Marbles
4. Emma's Birth Story Part 1 by Mrs. Marbles
5. Emma's Birth Story Part 2 by Mrs. Marbles
6. The Struggle by Mrs. Marbles
7. Re-learning How to Cook by Mrs. Marbles
8. Sitting the Month by Mrs. Marbles
9. Selfish or Self-Care? by Mrs. Marbles
10. A Portrait for The Marbles by Mrs. Marbles
11. Little Marbles' First Birthday by Mrs. Marbles