Pam Brooks: ‘I’m Having Surgery And I’m Nervous’

I've only been under the knife once before in my life, so I'm not going to lie, I'm freaking out a bit about my up coming surgery.

I slipped on ice many years ago and broke my arm. That lead to emergency surgery, and while the actual surgery went fine, the experience was pretty bad, and I wound up having to spend the night at the hospital. I sure know I'm not alone in saying no one hopes for that!

So now I find myself with the need to actually have scheduled surgery. I have a lump on my thyroid and I'm on the borderline for Hashimoto's disease, which is a thyroid disorder that can cause thyroid inflammation. That can cause nodules to grow and be annoying.

I have had the lump for quite a few years now. I get checked regularly and it's been screened twice for cancer — thankfully, it isn't. However it has grown over time. Most thyroid nodules don't cause signs or symptoms. Occasionally, though, some nodules become large enough that you can feel them, some grow large enough that they can be seen. Vain me would be in a tizzy if a big old lump was sticking out of my neck for sure.

Mine mostly isn't visible, but it's become large enough to be seen a bit, and more disconcertingly, it's causing me some problems. So, out it comes, tomorrow, April 18th to be exact.

I have total confidence in my surgeon, she comes highly recommended, and numerous people have reassured me that she is the one to go to for a surgery like this. That said, my vocal chords are close by, and they are pretty important to me, hence the nervousness. So I'll take all the prayers and good vibes you all can send my way.