Making a Decision

I make a list to help me decide what to do: 

Reasons to keep my thyroid: 
   1. NO need for replacement medications. - what if I don't respond well with syntroid?

2. No risk of surgical complications
      a)  hypocalcemia - tremors, nausea, later bone loss, etc.
      b) hypoparathyroidism
      c) loss of voice - either temporary or very rarely permanently - I wouldn't be able to work. 
 
   3. Anesthetic complications: 
          a) brain damage
          b) kidney damage
          c) DEATH


Reasons to remove my thyroid:
1. It is large and growing

     2. It is compressing on my trachea and esophagus. - What if the compression turns into an emergency situation? 

3. I have risk factors for cancer -
      a)  one dominant nodule
      b)  growing nodule
      c) compression of trachea and esophagus
      d) radiation exposure
      e) I'm not positive but I think I may have enlarged lymph nodes. 


I know that the biopsy came back benign but what if it was wrong.  I decide that I would rather take out a benign thyroid than miss a cancerous one and so I finally decide to go ahead with the surgery.