Let my story be a testament to how dangerous procrastination can be, particularly when it comes to your health. Years ago I’d been told by my GYN that I had nodules lining my neck and was referred to a specialist for further examination.
But nooo, I was young and healthy and vibrant and had recently given birth to happy and healthy baby boy. I had more important things to do like run a household, learn how to be a good mother, and get back in shape before it was time to go back to work.
So I did something stupid which I DO NOT recommend. I ignored the advice of my doctor.
And, I ignored the signals my thyroid was screaming at me!
Fast forward a decade.
I stared into my doctor’s face as she examined my neck. Concern shadowed her eyes. She turned and placed two x-rays on the wall in front of me. With her back to me she pointed to a very large mass that was at the base of what I assumed was my neck.”You have a large tumor on your thyroid Ava and it needs to be removed immediately”.
Uh, what? C’mon no freaking way!
Yes, way.
I had no plans to have major surgery, Lord knows, but when I went to my doctor to have a physical because of persistent, debilitating fatigue and because my brain was in a constant fog, that’s what was discovered, a massive tumor.
Turns out it was also the cause of a slight difficulty in breathing I experienced, particularly at night. The change in breathing was so slight that I actually thought it was my imagination, but the consistency is what let me know there was something much bigger at play.
And so a week later I was laying on an operating table scared and cold and deeply hoping the surgery would provide some relief to my fatigue and brain fog. Oh, and not kill me.
Long story short, the tumor was successfully removed and was benign, and my surgeon was so skilled I don’t even have a scar, at least barely.
The decision to ignore my doctor would come back to haunt me in the form of fatigue, unexplained weight gain, brain fog, mild depression, and mostly, a life threatening tumor.
There is one important thing to note as well and that is, not only did I ignore my doctor but I also ignored the signs my body was offering that told me something was off kilter.
The nodules on my neck were a clear indication that inflammation was present, and as I mentioned in a previous post, science has proven that inflammation is the start of all disease.
To learn more about thyroid nodules take a few minutes to look over this informative article: http://www.medicinenet.com/thyroid_nodules/page2.htm
I look back and realize much of what I experienced I attributed to my pregnancy and to the changes the female body goes through during that time. I needed to pay closer attention to my body and the signals it gave me.
But I didn’t.
That was a valuable lesson and I’m hoping you can learn from my experience and not go through what I did.
Or at the very least, discover how to recapture your health, create more energy, defeat fatigue, clear up brain fog and bring forth your best self.
To learn more about the nuts and bolts of thyroid issues particularly in women, check out this mind-opening article: http://www.webmd.com/women/ss/slideshow-thyroid-symptoms-and-solutions
What was life like after surgery? How did the removal of the tumor help? What cutting-edge tricks and tools have I discovered to help me create more energy and less fatigue, as well as a better functioning brain?
Stay tuned for my top three powerful tips to combat fatigue, increase energy, and decrease brain fog.
