Daily Blessings: Mini Snow Storm, Thyroid Consultation

I believe I'm finally caught up with the blog and can focus on real-time events again. All is quiet here today, well, mostly quiet. Phil came and stayed the night last night. We didn't want him to be alone at home. He went to urgent care last night because he was having trouble breathing. He was diagnosed with influenza A. He's on steroids, antibiotics and an inhaler and is feeling better today, thank goodness!

We are having a mini snowstorm today. "Heavy flurries" would be an accurate (if unofficial) term for it but they are predicting another 3 to 5 inches before it is all done early tomorrow morning. Visibility is bad and the roads are what we call "greasy" with the slick layer of icy snow, but overall it's not too scary if you know how to drive responsibly. The new snow looks really pretty!

This morning I had my consulation with the otolaryngologist ("ear, nose and throat guy" is how I refer to him). By the time I got to the appointment my anxiety was in full swing. I was uptight because I was anticipating I'd have to have the scope again that they used last time. That is a problem for me. I have a thing about anything touching my face. This scope they use goes in through the nose and down the throat so they can get a good look at things. Here is a picture of the hated device...

They numb your nasal canal and throat before they insert it, but last time after the nurse had numbed me the doctor got an emergency call from the hospital and was about a half an hour delayed coming into the exam room. The numbness had started to wear off, especially in my throat, so I could feel what he was doing. Blech! I definitely did NOT want to have to do that again!

But I needn't have feared. God was gracious to me and it it wasn't necessary! The doctor felt the lump (he called it a free mini massage, lol) and we all agreed that the swelling from the biopsy had gone and things were looking much better. Basically we just talked with the doctor about what we wanted to do.

We have decided to go ahead and have the lump/cyst removed. Once we get through the insurance approval and pre-op doctor visits we will be able to schedule the "hemithyroidectomy" for some time in late January. We can anticipate some scarring and possibly some vocal chord damage which may or may not be temporary, but I consider those a small price to pay for the peace of mind of having "my little buddy" removed. And after all, I am neither a professional singer nor a super model so scars and a raspy voice will be of little importance to me. I am thanking God today for medical technology...except for that hateful device pictured above that is! The doctor assured me I would be completely unconscious for the procedure. That is a huge relief! :) Apparently what they are going to do is an out-patient procedure and I can expect to go home the same day. That was also good news!

Our day ended with the arrival of five little critters that we will be pet sitting for a week while their owners travel to Kentucky for a family visit. Our house guests are two guinea pigs, one rabbit, one hamster and one tail-less finch (the hamster was camera shy). It should be a fun and cuddly week!

Photos of the Day: