Surprise Fine During 3D Heart Scan

On 02/05/2024 I had my annual pacer exam.  The tech made a mistake as I am 100% pace and turned me off.  I went into cardiac arrest and it took the ER department to revive and restart my pacer after a reset.

 Because of the CPR, and cracked ribs, my doctor ordered a 3D scan of my heart.  The heart turned out fine and my leads are still intact.  However, they scanned my thyroid gland and found a 4.5 cm nodule.  The doctor ordered blood tests, an ultrasound, a speech therapist, and a biopsy with the endocrinology department.  Waiting on the biopsy results in about 10 days to know what type of cancer or if it is benign.  Either way it has to come out due to the size of 4.5 cm.

 I have been examined many times by my doctors and no one noticed the lump on my thyroid.  Now that I know it is there I can feel it by self-exam.  Now the waiting starts for a surgery date to remove my thyroid gland.

5 Comments

Wow

by Tracey_E - 2024-04-25 13:26:26

Talk about silver linings but what a rough way to find the tumor. Prayers for a smooth surgery and benign results. 

Hi

by Lavender - 2024-04-25 21:03:02

I recall you telling us before: " There is a 2.4 cm nodule in the right lobe of the thyroid. A dedicated thyroid ultrasound is recommended for further evaluation.  I have been having trouble swallowing and choking, breathing, sleeping, changing my voice, etc. the past several months"

Sounds like it's bigger than they thought. Glad they followed up with biopsy. My little sister had a thyroid nodule removed last year. All went well. Hoping same for you!

Good luck

by Gemita - 2024-04-26 02:46:29

Stache, my husband has a sizeable thyroid nodule and it has been closely watched for years.  He was initially told the majority of nodules are benign, irrespective of size and this proved to be the case, so I really hope it will be the same for you too, although clearly your nodule is causing symptoms and needs to be removed. 

As always, I wish you well.  Please let us know how things go and try to stay calm and optimistic for the best possible results

Not good

by piglet22 - 2024-04-26 07:28:57

So, you are fully paced and go for a checkup.

The good bit is finding the growth or confirming it's there. Good luck with that.

"turning you off" is unforgivable and is pure negligence.

Something badly wrong with training, not reading notes or incompetence.

I hope at the very least you said you don't want to see them again. As they like to say, you are under the care of....

You were very lucky, but luck shouldn't come into it.

Surprise find

by skigrl3 - 2024-05-06 22:48:02

Stache -

Sorry to hear about your encounter during a device check. Scary. Agree with piglet22, ensure that you don't have to deal with that cardiac tech again.

 I am glad they were able to restart things and also had an incidental finding of thyroid nodule, that may not have been discovered so timely. 

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and some good news on the nodule.

 

You know you're wired when...

You participate in the Pacer Olympics.

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