Day 60 Post-Op

31 May 2021

        It seemed like quite a while since I was at the mercy of the surgical team, but in truth, it has only been 2 months. Praise God that at the time of my total thyroidectomy, the Covid-19 situation was comparatively under control, with less than 1000 cases each day! At present, with the situation spiralling out of control, many elective surgeries have been postponed.

Bracelet, anyone?

        I can't stop being thankful for having had such a brilliant surgeon who did such a wonderful job. I was wheeled into the operating theatre at 8 a.m. and by the time I regained consciousness in the recovery room, it was around 11.40 a.m. By early evening, I was allowed to sit up and start drinking water. My drainage tube was removed the following day and I was permitted to go home.

Drained out from my surgery

Sipping water...first baby step to recovery

        Apart from being woozy the first few days and easily tired the first two weeks, my journey to recovery has been swift. My wound has healed beautifully and after constant application of Dermatix, it's considerably lighter and flatter now. I've resumed all my previous activities, including hiking, sitting on the massage chair, lifting weights and doing backbends. Making Levothyroxine my main focus as soon as I wake up has not been much of a hassle, and I have grown accustomed to it.

To prove to my mum that I was doing well (so that she wouldn't visit me in the hospital), I smiled for the camera. "She's so strong," my husband told my mum.

        To anyone looking at me now, he may never guess that I had undergone this major surgery. For this, I have so many people to be thankful to, especially my mother and my husband. I have lost my butterfly, but I've regained my life. I'm truly blessed.

Sitting up...another baby step to recovery

         

Liberating Myself

 28 May 2021

        Although I'd resumed doing yoga quite some time ago, I'd be mindful of my healing wound. Thus, I'd been limiting myself to light asanas (poses). This morning, I decided to let myself go free with a backbend or wheel pose. I'd always enjoyed doing this pose as I find it liberating.

        Liberating...that's apt. Today's the last day of the first school term and we have a two-week break. I did not have the opportunity to enjoy my last break in March as I was preparing for my surgery. Hence, I'm determined to savour every single day of this holiday.

         I plan to try my hand at making roast pork and probably do a bit of baking. I need to indulge in some of the books that I got from the Big Bad Wolf sale. I should kondo (declutter using Marie Kondo's tips) my kitchen and make it more appealing. I ought to declutter other sections in the house in addition to giving it a spring-cleaning. Oh, heck...I will throw this to-do list out, just enjoy my holiday and do whatever catches my fancy when I wake up each day! 

        That's what liberating means.

Day 52 Post-Op

 23 May 2021

        The homily shared by Father Mark Payne in today's Pentecost Sunday mass resonated with me. Like the disciples in the upper room, the discovery of my thyroid cysts and impending surgery kept me locked in fear. But the Holy Spirit came to strengthen and embolden me. I praise God that I could unlock my heart to receive the Holy Spirit, which freed me from distress, enabled me to trust Him completely, leave my locked upper room and surrender myself to His will. 

        God Almighty protected me throughout the journey and through His will, my cysts were all benign. With my entire thyroid gland removed, I have many changes to adopt. It's different, but with the Holy Spirit, I have the courage to face it all. Alleluia!

        The past week was a hectic one as the virtual classes, the preparation for them and the online grading of students' work really took up most of my time. I had to work till about 11 p.m. every single night. It was tiring but I didn't feel overwhelmed by it. So I believe the Levothyroxine is working well.

        The highlight of the past week was definitely receiving my very first Le Creuset cast iron pot. It's a 20cm Round French Oven in a sweet chiffon pink. I've used it twice to cook rice on my portable induction cooker, and true enough, the cooking time was minimal and the rice turned out really fluffy. Last night, I used my new sweetheart on the stovetop to braise chicken. I'm not exaggerating when I claim that even the breast meat parts were tender and juicy! And the real test came when I had to wash the pot. The fear that it would be difficult to remove the cooking stains had always held me back from buying a Le Creuset. That fear is truly unfounded! After soaking the pot for a short while in warm water, washing was not arduous at all. Kisses to my new sweetheart!

This lil sweetheart of mine put a dent of RM999 in my pocket, but is so worth it!

Cooking with my lil sweetheart and my sexy red Tefal wokpan

Red-letter Day

10 May 2021

        It was a red-letter day for me. In the morning, hubby drove me to the Stadium to receive my 2nd dose of the Covid-19 vaccination. The crowd awaiting vaccination today was much larger as the senior citizens were also there for their 1st dose. But today's wait was not a chore; in fact, it was enjoyable. This is because I did not have to worry about returning to school late and more so, I had my dear friend's company. Suet Fun and I had hatched plans to arrive there at around the same time, so we had fun catching up whilst waiting for our turn. 

With Suet Fun, a dear friend who has also been my pillar of strength throughout this trying period

"I have been fully vaccinated!"

Occasion made even more memorable, with Suet Fun by my side

      Then in the afternoon, hubby dropped me off at the hospital as I had my surgical follow-up. My surgeon congratulated me with the good news that my cysts are benign. Apart from continuing my hormone replacement medicine, there's no further treatment so she discharged me from the Surgical OutPatient Department and referred me to the visiting surgeon at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta for subsequent care. Therefore, my period of trepidation (from the incidental discovery of the swelling on the right side of my neck on 17 January 2021, first consultation at the SOPD on 20 January, a 2-week wait for my thyroid ultrasound to be done on 4 February, the radiologist's discovery of a suspicious nodule on the left thyroid, undergoing the uncomfortable procedure of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology to remove a small sample of tissue for further assessment, another agonizing 2-week wait to return to the SOPD on 17 February for the results, feeling my world come crashing down when told point-blank by a junior doctor that "it's cancer", being advised to have the entire thyroid gland removed, going through all the pre-op assessments like ECG, x-ray, blood tests, voice box assessment using laryngoscopy and assessment by the anaesthetist, a 6-week roller coaster ride of emotions as I awaited my total thyroidectomy, a pre-op surgical consultation with Ms Chan Ai Chen on 22 March, enduring the stinging Covid-19 swab test on 28 March in preparation for the surgery, being wheeled into the cold sterile operating theatre on 1 April for my total thyroidectomy, and finally to the further test of patience to know the results of the histopathological examination) has finally ended today.

        Praise God for his power, mercy and grace! 

Adapting to the New Norm of Hypothyroidism

8 May 2021

        It has been 37 days since my total thyroidectomy. Apart from bouts of fatigue and sleepiness, usually in the afternoons and late evenings, I've been good. There have been no other side effects of hypothyroidism. However, I have had to adopt some changes to my lifestyle.

      One of the changes that I have made is to stay away from soy, walnuts and cruciferous vegetables, where possible. Concern surrounding the impact of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kailan, siew pak choy, watercress and even radish, on thyroid health is due to the effect that they can have on the thyroid's ability to absorb iodine. However, if one is on hormone replacement medication, the impact is very minimal, especially if the vegetable has been cooked.

       Nevertheless, I have never been partial to broccoli and siew pak choy, so I don't mind giving them a miss. After all, I can always indulge in my favourite gourds.

Stir-fried angled luffa with prawns, bittergourd omelette

      Soy and walnuts are a different story. These interfere with the absorption of the hormone replacement medication. So they should be kept at arm's length, as much as possible. I still use soya sauce and taucu (fermented soybean paste) in my cooking, but in much smaller quantities. Tofu is now my #1 enemy, and that includes my favourite tau fu fah. 😢

Day 30 Post-Op

 1 May 2021

        Exactly one month ago, I went under the knife. As it was my first experience of surgery, I was rather apprehensive. Now reflecting on the entire experience, from pre-op assessments to the day of operation itself, I can only sing high praises of all involved. The long wait one has to endure at the public hospital is a valid reason why many choose to turn to private hospitals. But if the reason given for going to private hospitals is because the doctors and nurses are better, then that person is sorely mistaken. I can attest to the fact that the medical team at the public hospital is excellent! 

Bye bye, butterfly!

        I praise God that my recovery has been really excellent too. There's no denying that there are some darker days but I've been so blessed with loving and supportive people around me. And one of them is hubby dearest. 💖

        Ever since my diagnosis, throughout the days leading up to my surgery and this past month after my total thyroidectomy, Derrick has been a real gem. He lavishes gentle care and treats me like a Princess. Whenever he sees me tired, he would suggest eating out or he would take over the cooking. Sometimes, like today, we cook in tandem.

Baked Balinese Coconut Turmeric Lemongrass Chicken Chop with Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Soup

Chef Derrick's Special Appetiser (which looks more like the Main Course...hahahah)

Prawn Cocktail with Coconut Sriracha, Thousand Island and Desiccated Coconut Dressing