6 Months- The Story

November 13th, 2009 I sent Evan to the doctor. Not because he wanted to go, but because I threatened to sleep on the couch if he didn't. Because of the cough.
The cough that keep us up at night. The one that was loud and deep and shook the whole bed.
And being selfish, I was done with hearing the cough all night. I wanted to sleep.
So he went to the doctor.
As a walk-in appointment.
And he found out our doctor was out of the country doing mission work.
And the 2nd doctor in our practice was in a different country doing missions work.
And because of poor planning on the office's part- there was only one doctor to see every patient that came in that week.
And he was the "Rock Star" doctor. The one that opened the practice. The one that doesn't take new patients. But he didn't really have a choice at this point, he had a new patient- Evan.
And they talked about the cough.
But the doctor knew better. He had taken one look at Evan and seen the lump.
The cough didn't seem important now. the focus changed to the lump protruding from Evan's neck.
The one that everyone should have seen. But no one did. Except this doctor.
Because he had made a mistake once and missed a diagnosis on someone with a neck goiter during his residency. And his attending made him feel so badly about it, that now he looks at every patients neck for lumps.
And he had found one. Because God put him in the right place at the right time.
Because Evan needed that doctor. And God provided.

So the tests began. Blood work was fine so off to an ultrasound.
I knew something was wrong the moment the ultrasound tech put her wand on Evan's neck.
I could look at the screen and look at her face and know that things were off.
But she couldn't speak- she wasn't allowed to.
And we left.
And the doctor called on the night before Thanksgiving, late after office hours. And the mass was the size of a baseball.
It didn't matter what it was, it had to come out. Because that was what was causing the cough.
Evan had a large mass sitting on his windpipe.
And so there were more tests, a CT Scan, and surgery was scheduled for January 19th.
The surgery went well. Although painful for Evan, he could not have done better with dealing with the situation.
He was a great patient. A trooper.
And the pathology was inconclusive and was sent away. For 2 and a half weeks.
We waited knowing that the surgeon said it did not appear to be cancer.
And he called at 8:30 one night.
A night I don't even remember.
Because that is when cancer decided to give us it's name.
Hurthle cell Carcinoma.
Thyroid Cancer with a twist.
A twist that would involve 7 doctors total.
Endless appointments.
Countless tears and pain.
Anger and frustration.
And now, hopefully an end.
We think it is the end.
That this cancer is really gone.
It has died a horrible death at the hands of Iodine 131.
But more importantly, every pray said for Evan was heard. And it is gone.

So at the 6 month mark of this journey, I rejoice.
Because through this all, Evan has remained healthy.
There are moments when I know that the effects of not having a thyroid bring him down.
But I can't help but be thankful for his overall health. His good health.
His spirit. His love.