A single word can drastically change a sentence, a chapter, a character’s motivations, the plot, even cause the writer to re-write most if not all of the book. Writers spend many hours searching for that one word which perfectly describes what they are intending to say, and then that brilliant moment happens where someone else reads it and guess what? They take away something different because of what emotions the words have instilled in them. As Edmund Wilson said, “No two people read the same book.” But words don’t just change stories, they change life. Phrases like: Will you go out with me? Will you marry me? I’m pregnant. can alter so many people’s destinies. Any one of those phrases can hold a full range of emotions from joy to fear. But there is one word that brings fear no matter where you are in your life. Cancer.
That horribly terrifying word was uttered at my doctor’s appointment last week. For the past two years I have been monitoring two cysts/nodules on my thyroid and this time the biopsies did not come out good. I have Thyroid Cancer. I will have surgery on June 5th during which they will remove my thyroid and send a portion of it to pathology to determine whether it is Stage I or Stage II Papillary Cancer. Thankfully for my age, no matter what stage it is, it is 100% cured by surgery.
After surgery I will need medications to take over all the many things the thyroid regulates in my body. It may take some trial and error to get everything back to as close to normal as possible, but soon I will be back to the Laurie you all know and love. I have a fabulous medical team taking care of me. Come the day of surgery, I might freak out a little, but my wonderful surgery coworkers will help me with that too. I’ve also made them agree to record anything I say under anesthesia that might make a good story. J
Right now, I’m okay. I’m sore and tired, but I know there are so many people who hear that terrible, evil, awful word and do not have the expected results that I have. I hope one day that changes.
I will do whatever I can to keep the interruptions to my life, my work, and my career at a minimum. I’m fortunate that both my family and husband’s family are so close so I will have extra help with the boys. The amazing people at Wise Ink Publishing have offered to help with whatever I need to ensure Unclaimed will still be published 8/11/14. So many wonderful people have banded together to help reduce the power that word has over me. Everything is going to be fine and all things considering, that’s pretty remarkable.
I love you all, Laurie.
Laurie Wetzel 