Scholar subject

So...what are we looking at statistically?

And why is it that I got my dream team whilst other patients are too suffering from cancer?

Well I like to think that half of the reason is my personality and my ability to communicate at an academic level. Actually,...that has been confirmed by several specialists. But beside the fact that I am a young mother looking after such a young little girl, the statistics for thyroid cancer have boggled me.

In the US 1 in 13,140 people get thyroid cancers. That means that 0.0000761 % of the population get thyroid cancer in the US.(0.000076% in the Netherlands).

To put this into perspective, 3% of the women in the US get breast cancer.

The effect of this disease is that I have become an interesting showcase. Doctors are competing to make it to my dream team and students are lining up to palpate (feel) the beautiful lump in my throat, which all of them missed in the first instance.

Anyway, I am most greatful for this abundance, and also the speed with which my diagnosis has been made. Within 2 weeks all was clear. I know that some people have to wait over a month to get their results.

The VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam is working on developing a new department to make diagnosis within 48 hours available to anyone. Watch this space as time proceeds about this great initiative.

With Cancer...time is a crucial factor. Each day your body is being eaten up from inside until eventually there is no way out.

Who are the selected doctors on my dream team?

Dr. Luykx from the Tergooi hospital in Hilversum

Dr. Van Keulen from the Tergooi hopital in Hilversum

Dr. Hoebers from the Anthoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital in Amsterdam

Dr. Gerritsen from the VUmc in Amsterdam

Dr. Cooman from the VUmc in Amsterdam

Dr. Oosterhuis from the VUmc in Amsterdam

Dr. Lips from the VUmc in Amsterdam

Quite a league, huh!

Plans for this week are: a meeting with the pain specialists on Tuesday, and an extra session of radiation therapy later on this week. Next week Tuesday my thyroid gland will be removed surgically. I will remain in the hospital for 3 days.

After recovery the iodine treatment will be started. This will probably occur every 6 months or so. Right now I have been told to not go back to work yet, even though I will feel better gradually.