“Ok. Remember to take your Synthroid (Levothyroxine) by the time you brush your teeth. Oh and remember you can’t eat breakfast until you get to work,” I tell myself every morning. “Bring your calcium tablets to work. Remember you have to take 2 tablets 3 times a day for a month,” I remind myself before … More Pills, Pills, Pills – Endocrine’s Child
I wake up and its 7:30 pm. I do a double take. SEVEN-THIRTY AT NIGHT?! What happened?! I arrived at 11:00 am this morning for a 1.5 to 2 hour surgery. Things must not have gone well with pathology. It must have been … cancer. Last thing I remember before waking up was feeling really … More Post-Op: Pain, Fever, & Cough! Oh My!
THE VERDICT IS IN. “Suspicious for papillary carcinoma” is now a confirmed diagnosis of papillary carcinoma – a type of thyroid CANCER. The BIG C word – I know right? It’s scary! So how did I even know to get checked out?! Honestly, this was an incidental finding, but I will share how I was feeling up … More Signs, Symptoms, Something Sinister
Even though the pathology report was only “suspicious” for papillary carcinoma, my endocrinologist recommended that I get surgery. I freaked out and was like…DOES THIS MEAN ITS CANCER?! The answer – we are not sure. REALLY?! I had a biopsy done – how come you can’t tell for sure?! I was secretly yelling in my head. … More To Cut or Not to Cut
First Pathology Report: “SUSPICIOUS FOR PAPILLARY CARCINOMA” As soon as I read those words, I was thinking a million things a minute. Even though it was not confirmed and was only “suspicious” – my mind was going crazy. First things running through my mind was: 1. ISN’T CANCER FOR OLD PEOPLE? I had this running theory … More Why Me???
趙蕙燕 or “Bright Orchid Swallow” is the Chinese name my grandfather gave me before I started Chinese school, but everyone knows me as Raechel Zhao. My grandfather and his family were rescued by the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War in 1979. By the grace of a generous family from San Antonio, they were sponsored to come … More My Life Story
Raechel Zhao: The Bright Orchid Swallow (趙蕙燕) 