For some cancers the survival rate is pretty high. With my Thyroid cancer it is up above 98% if caught soon enough. Or if it is a rare form, like with Roger Ebert, his had spread and affected lymph nodes and his brain. I am really starting to think that Thyroid cancer is the worst one to get, only around 24,000 or so people per year are diagnosed with it.
With other cancers they do not cut out the entire body part. A vital body part. Sure they may remove a mass, or a little bit of something here or there, but with therapy, and good care, there is still functionality left. Once you get through the treatments, your body slowly recovers, using it's own ability and functionality.
The thyroid is a vital part of our body. It and the endocrine system affect everything. Insulin, adrenaline, testosterone, growth hormone, and a variety of other things. With thyroid cancer, they remove the entire thyroid gland, like with me. Sure you can take pills to try to replace what is lost, but its not that easy.
This is what is frustrating. Taking a pill doesnt cover everything. What happens if your stress goes up? What if you exercise? What about during the winter? How do you kick your metabolism up? One little pill doesnt do it. The pill doesnt change sizes like your natural thyroid does to adjust for your life.
You cant drive down the freeway without changing your pressure on the accelerator pedal. If it is at one level and you need to do 10mph more, you push harder. You cant do that with Thyroid cancer. You take one pill. Its stupid, no wonder nobody really recovers properly. Without something better in care, you certainly arent going to regain everything you were at before.
