These last few months I've had health issues to deal with, which is something I'm really not used to. I've always considered myself a fairly healthy person. I was a vegetarian for 10 years and mostly veggie for 5 years after that (I began eating fish during my two years in Japan).
Long story short--I had the left nodule of my thyroid removed due to a follicular lesion that was growing there. Or you could call it a mass, a tumor (I hear Arnold Schwarzenegger: "It's not a TU-mor!"), a growth. After much researching, trying to listen to the messages of my body, consulting with doctors and even intuitive healers (hey, I am in Santa Fe after all) I finally decided they could take it out.
It was benign, which all of the intuitive types told me it would be. And the surgery was actually not that bad. The scary part of recovery has been my voice.
It has been exactly two weeks now and my voice has not fully recovered. I'm told that can be normal, that it can take a while for my vocal chords to heal. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm still unable to talk above much of a high pitched whisper (remember Minnie Mouse's voice?). When I can manage an almost regular voice, it doesn't last long as my voice quickly tires. Yesterday I was able to call up the stairs to Alec and he came running down excited, "you can yell! you can yell!" ...well, sort of.
My sister, Ann asked me (by email) if I was keeping a journal, but alas I have not been. Perhaps this Blog can serve some purpose while I heal during those times that I think I have a lot to say, but can't get it out.
The positive side of this is that I get to wear my collection of scarves for a while to help conceal my still-healing scar. I have always been attracted to scarves (the Taurus in me) and through the years have found them hard to resist. So today, I am sporting my lovely purple scarf which I almost never wear. It's as if I've been preparing for surgery for years!!!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Finding my voice
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4 comments:
Hi Justina! Just found your blog through a little internet magic. Whoa, married, surgery, Master's... so much news. Congratulations on all the exciting life changes and finding your metaphorical voice.
So much to catch up on.
It's good to see you've posted (I check every day!), but now I wish I would have emailed you to say "Hey! When do we get to hear about being mistaken for a Jehovah's witness??" then I would have at least known what was going on. See, I need to try a little harder to keep in touch.
That's really scary and stressful, I can only imagine how relieved you must have been when you got the biopsy results. Take care, **hugs**
Christine
Thanks! It was a little scary because I've never had surgery before, but it was a lot easier than I thought it'd be. I was off the pain meds by the next day. Watch for more to come!
Okay, okay, I'll publish the Jehovah's witness story...it'll be a let down now that you've had to wait so long and build it up in your mind! : )
first, i cant imagine my sister not being able to talk......bizarro world!!
if justina is in the woods and there is no one to hear her does she make a noise?
anyway i wish you a speedy recovery, and hope to talk with you soon..
i was going to call, but i was in hawaii, and then realized you couldnt talk....
oh well,
your brother, vincent
much love
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