Check up results and the next step!

Hello everyone! So... I know it's been a while since I posted in here and I haven't kept everyone up to date with my checkups, but I wanted to wait to post until I got my results back. Last week my thyroid hormones were completely depleted and I was limited on what I could and could not eat. On Monday and on Tuesday I got my Thyrogen shot, which took away all of the thyroid hormones in my body. As a result, I was extremely tired. My wonderful friends and family helped distract me during the week and helped me keep doing normal things despite my exhaustion. Y'all are the best for not letting me stay in my room all day watching Netflix haha. On Wednesday I had an ultrasound of my neck and lymph nodes. That was really fun because I love the ultra sound doctors! On Thursday I had the day off so I hung out at home and took a lot of naps. I tried to save my energy for Friday, which was my big thyroglobulin test. Since I do not have a thyroid and all of my thyroid hormones were depleted earlier in the week, this test would show unnecessary tissue left in my body. My doctor decided that he did not want to do scans because scans would mean exposing me to two radiation treatments plus the radiation from the scans. He only wanted to do scans if they were completely necessary. So today we got the results back and they were not exactly what we had planned. My thyroglobulin levels have increased instead of decreasing and they are now at a level that my doctor is not comfortable with. Also on the ultrasound there were four lymph nodes that were extremely suspicious. So my doctor has decided to send me to M.D. Anderson in Houston for a biopsy and possible surgery. Thyroid cancer success depends a lot on the surgeon so my doctor wants to send me to a surgeon who deals with thyroid cancer and only thyroid cancer every day. There are plenty of surgeons at St. Jude that are qualified to perform my biopsy and surgery but my doctor feels most comfortable sending me somewhere that specializes in thyroid cancer. These were not the results that we were hoping for but I'm ready to start this new chapter in my cancer journey. I know that this is all for The Lord's glory and I am exactly where I am supposed to be. He is going to use this trial to mold me into the person I am designed to be and I am so excited to see how he is going to do this. Please keep me in your prayers over the ext few weeks and once we find out more I will post in here!

 Sleeping in clinic, which pretty typical considering I have no thyroid hormones

 Sleeping everywhere even at the lunch table

Ultrasound time!

Yayy for eating normal food after being on my no iodine diet for check ups! And hello little friend in the background :)

 My absolute favorite nurse! She has taken care of me since day one and I am so thankful for her! She is the best and she always knows how to make me laugh, especially on the not so good days.

 Luis and Hillary! I am so thankful for my wonderful friends.

 From left to right: one of my social workers, Miguel, Leslie, and me! Miguel and Leslie are both patients. Miguel is in town for checkups and Leslie is still currently in treatment. She is one tough cookie!

 My momma and me in clinic after they spoiled us both with warm blankets! So nice especially after walking in the rain to the endocrine building.

Our buddy Jacob who is the quarterback of the Memphis football team came to visit Luis during his chemo last Friday.