30 March 2009

"Benign" Is A Beautiful Word

The beginning of last week was a little fraught with stress, what with my biopsy and all. I tried to push the lurking anxiety out of my brain by keeping the kids busy (playing at the indoor playground, a trip to Bloomington on Friday to the Children's Museum). The end of the week brought me good news: a) the blood work I had done the previous week showed that my thyroid is functioning normally (with the help of my daily dose of thyroid hormone) and b) the biopsy results tell that the nodule is benign and consistent with my current diagnosis of Hashimoto'sThyroiditis.

Whew.

How do I know these things when I'm not even scheduled to see my doctor until tomorrow morning?

The U.S. Postal Service.

Yep, the hospital mailed my test results to me.

When I mentioned this to some friends on Facebook a couple of them took umbrage with the impersonal-ness of the mail. Why couldn't the hospital call me with the results, my friends asked? I'm sure there are people out there who need their doctor to call them and hold their hand. I am not one of those people. And my doctor knows that. He's been my doctor since I was 12 (my pediatrician retired and Dr. D was just starting his practice). Tsk-tsking the medical community is not something I normally do. Doctors and nurses have enough to do, have tons of patients to squeeze into appointment-filled days, that I'd rather they spend the time with their patients that need them than ring me up to tell me everything's OK. Frankly, I'm just happy I got the notice in the mail. I don't care if they call me or not. Actually, I think I'd be more concerned if they did call.

And it unsettled me a little when the day after my biopsy, some very nice lady from the radiology department called me to see if I'd had any side-effects (bleeding, bruising, etc.). I told her that I was fine aside from a little tenderness at the injection site, I was strangely bruise-free (I bruise quite easily so I'm surprised I wasn't sporting a purple contusion the size of a nickle. That tells you how good the doctor was.). After I hung up, I thought, "That was nice that they called. And a little weird." What that says about me, I don't know.

So I'm A-OK.

Happy dance time (a little Fred & Ginger's in order):

10 comments:

sarah said...

congrats!! I hate awaiting test results -- I'm with you, mail would be fine (although the phone is faster!) My former PCP made me come in for all test results -- which is why I left them.

Now I think you deserve some marshmallows!!

SunnyD said...

I am clapping with fury down here in Savoy. I've been thinking about you like mad!

Amy said...

I'm so glad to hear all is well.

I prefer mail too. My last doctor was the type that is everything was fine then she didn't call or mail or anything. I need some reassurance that I wasn't overlooked so my current doc. does the mail thing and it works perfectly for the both of us.

the sandwich life said...

when you get a phone call....THAT'S when you have to worry....you know when they say 'the doctor wants to speak to you'....it's never good....

I'm so relieved to hear this---I"ve been thinking of you....

Anna said...

Wonderful news!

Sugarmag said...

I'm glad you're ok, Missy.

Quigs78 said...

Woohoo!

I'm with HQ...I'd much rather get a piece of mail than the "No news is good news" approach that a former doctor used to take.

Either way, I'm glad it was good!

Anonymous said...

woohoo! That's fantastic!

Jenna said...

So glad for you.

I agree that I worry when I get the phone call. My hubby's dr called him once and I freaked out. I'd rather wait for normal results in the mail.

Bellenoelle said...

Sorry I'm late, just read this. Yay!!! I'm so glad. Hope all is well