Support Matt's Battle Against Thyroid Cancer

Matt originally went in for a scan of his spleen, which he is being followed for in early spring 2024. They accidentally scanned higher up, and the radiologist noted that he had nodules on the left side of his thyroid that seemed concerning. He never had any signs or symptoms that would lead us to know he had any nodules. Matt had a sono of his thyroid in May, and they found 4 nodules on the left side, one of which was on the large side and needed further investigation. He had a fine needle aspiration in late summer, and in early fall, it came back negative for cancer. More pathology was sent out, and that came back negative also, but a very small chance of it being any type of cancer. He finally had surgery on the left side of his thyroid in December and came back with 3 spots of cancer, 2 different types. The doctor decided the right lobe needed to be removed due to cancer on the left lobe. He had to wait 8 weeks before having the right side removed. The right side never had any mention of nodules and came back with cancer as well.

He goes for more blood work and a sono next week to make sure the cancer did not spread to his lymph nodes. If it did, it's back to the surgeon. If it did not, we start treatment in April. He will have to have 3 days' worth of blood work, injections, and a full-body scan before he will receive a radiation pill. All of this will be in Pittsburgh, which is an hour and a half drive each way each day. He will then have to isolate away from his family for a week before he follows back up with the doctor. He is being followed by his ENT, endocrine, and oncology at this time. He now is on lifelong medication for his thyroid, which is an adjustment as well. This was all an accidental finding, and we never had an inkling that this could have happened to us. Matt is trying to adjust the best he can. He is tired and worn down.

Matt was diagnosed with 2 follicular thyroid carcinomas and 1 papillary thyroid microcarcinoma during his left lobectomy.

And they found another papillary thyroid microcarcinoma when he had the right side removed.

Everything all year said it was always negative for cancer, and now he has 2 different cancer diagnoses, and we have to wait and see if it has spread elsewhere. It has been a very long year of not knowing if he had anything to worry about to find out he had cancer all along, which we never would have known about if they didn't "accidentally" see the nodules.