Some of you have noticed that I have been more than my usual "confused" lately. My thyroid finally went haywire and a biopsy shows a cancerous growth in the left lobe. On Friday Jacqui and I will see an oncologist at Mass. General (My company will pay 100% of all medical, transportaion, room and board expenses). Hopefully the surgery will happen soon. Either they will remove the nodule or the entire thyroid (my preference). It can be done on an outpatient basis but because of my age (?????when did become old?) they recommend an overnight. Recovery should be two days rest and then back to work.

This has been monitored carefully for years - Hashimoto's disease, an auto-immune hereditary problem that attacks the thyroid and causes hormone levels to go up and down unpredictably. I don't expect any unpleasant surprises but even if it has gone into the lymph nodes or bone it is considered the more treatable of cancers. The one danger is to the nerves of the larynx causing a loss of speech.

Keep me in your thoughts. Direct any positive thoughts you may have to my neck and the surgeon's hands. On Friday, we will know more.

Mary