My beautiful kind sister has been diagnosed with Thyroid cancer

I’m trying to post a message about my sister. I’m not sure where I am going wrong. I have written what I wanted to say and tried to post if but it keeps coming up “write message”.

Hugs for you both, my best advice at this stage is MacMillan cancer support online. If you can negotiate the website it offers plenty. Hopefully someone else will be along with more 💐

I have read your message, but am unable to help you with your specific request. But I am sending my heartfelt best wishes to you and your family. I’m sure other GNetters will have some advice.

www.butterfly.org.uk/

try these, they are a support group for thyroid cancer.
you could also try your local Age UK, also Carers' Centre, sometimes called Princess Royal Centres.
they offer support to people who are helping friends/family with health needs or disabilities.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/thyroid-cancer/help-and-support/

This is from the NHS site, I hope it can be of some help to you and your sister 💐

I’m so sorry you are having such an awful time and that your poor sister is suffering. It doesn’t seem right that she hasn’t been given any medication to ease her symptoms.

I don’t have any experience of thyroid cancer but I cared for two close family members after they were both given cancer diagnoses. Was your sister given a direct contact number for a specialist nurse?

As your sister is staying with you I would phone the MacMillan nurses assigned to the department dealing with her case. Is it head and neck cancer? It’s their job to liaise with patient/carers and professionals so should be able to advise you where your sister’s anxiety is concerned. She’s in shock and so are you.

You could also keep badgering her Gp for support. I was very lucky with our district nursing team but things may have changed since Covid.

Sending you my best wishes. It’s a very tough time so try and get all the help you can.

I had thyroid cancer when I was 36, I am now a healthy 61.

The tumour was removed along with about a third of my thyroid.
I had radio therapy and am supposed to have 6 monthly blood tests although this almost never happens.

Surgery was not too bad, I had a few problems afterwards as my vocal cords went into spasm and I used to choke a lot.

Within 6 months of surgery I was fine.

I have a very fine scar but it’s barely noticeable.

I hope your sister has surgery as soon as possible.

I didn't have thyroid cancer but did have a very enlarged thyroid which needed to be removed and might have been cancerous. I'd had an overactive thyroid for years but it was gradually getting bigger and I started having difficulty swallowing and a choking/strangling sensation which was quite scary - probably what your sister is experiencing. I was finally referred for surgery which was much easier than I expected. The thought of getting my throat cut open was not very pleasant but when I woke up after the surgery, I felt immediate relief from the choking/strangling. It turned out that my thyroid had grown around my trachea and oesophagus!

Recovery was fast, but my thyroid wasn't cancerous. However, I used to be in a thyroid support forum and my understanding was that standard chemotherapy after surgery was with radioactive iodine. The advantage of this over standard chemo is that it can target the cancer cells wherever they are.

Sorry it took so long for your sister to be diagnosed and hope her treatment starts soon.

So sorry to hear this. My daughter had a growth on her thyroid , which fortunately was benign. It was removed and thank heaven she has had no problems since. I hope your sister’s cancer can be treated successfully . These days, treatments have improved so much, that cancer isn’t as scary as it used to be . Good luck to your sister ….. she is lucky to have you.

My son in law had this in his early 40 s he didn’t survive I m not going to say any more Everyone’s different and I truly hope for a better outcome for your sister

Please please contact MacMillan they will help you with everything you need and give excellent advice at every stage, they can help with items you might need and give comfort encouragement and kindness along with practicalities
I hope for a good outcome for you both ❤️

💕thinking of you and your dear sister

I cant offer advice and do understand the sheer panic your sister and all of you must be experiencing. At the meeting this week her treatment plan will be thoroughly discussed and the most appropriate treatment for her decided, then you should get answers, its what I found difficult when my husband was ill, so many questions but no answers. Now there are more organisations that can help. You can see from responses from those that have successfully been treated and living a good life.

The Macmillon nurses will help. My husband is going through skin cancer and they actually contacted him to ask if he wanted to talk about anything. They’ve been fab. She needs to get in touch with them. Sending hugs and positive vibes.

Harris they help carers and relatives too they were fantastic when my Dad was dying

Luckynan I am so sorry to hear about your sister I feel for her and you too. Why don’t you phone you’re nearest Maggies centre, they are so so helpful and if there’s one close by go visit you’ll get great advice from the staff there they have trained nurses who can give you and your sister lots of support. The McMillan nurses are also a great source of support but I found my GP had to make a referral first for them to visit, although you can talk to them on the phone, home support may be just what your dear sister needs. - I wish you all love and kindness. 💕💕💐💐

There is what seems to be a lot of good advice here, Luckynan. I can’t offer anything new but am sending you and your sister very best wishes. 💐

If your sister starts having difficulty breathing, you should take her to A+E as the thyroid can compress the trachea. I don't want to alarm you, but sometimes emergency treatment is needed.

Thank you all for your kind helpful advice. She is still in bed this morning but appears quite calm. I have shown her the Butterfly website and we are going to have a read of it today. She actually said to me last night that she is not afraid of dying she is more afraid of having to live with the symptoms of choking etc. I’m doing my best to reassure her . I’m going to persuade her to stay here until she hears from the hospital. Both her daughters are lovely caring girls but they are understandably very emotional at the moment which in turn is upsetting her. Thanks again.

My heart goes out to you , your sister and her daughters. I am not in a position to offer advice, but I wish you all the strength you need. Your sister is lucky to have you. Take as much help from others as you can - thinking of you. 💐💐