Hurrah

Although it is difficult to get to sleep at night, the painful sudden leg and foot cramps in the middle of the night are gone! Now that my thyroid level is good, no more insane cramping. Also, for eleven months after surgery I needed a nap every afternoon because of the fatigue, even if it was ten minutes I needed it. Even the smallest nap would take the edge of the tiredness. I know I definitely needed, not just wanted, an actual nap because before surgery I would lay down once in a while in the afternoon but never really sleep, even though I tried.

After surgery, I could fall asleep with my head in my hands at the kitchen table I was so fatigued. I would sleep with the kids PBS channel on and my kid actually talking to me. Thank goodness she understood that mommy was tired because of her surgery and would let me sleep. Not only would she let me sleep, she would bring me a bottle of water. When I walked in from work, I’d drop everything and lay on the couch, she’d bring me cold water and come snuggle up. It was a difficult time, made easier because my child had compassion, but hurrah those days are over. Sure I get a bit fatigued but not like I was, if I do too much I get the normal amount of tired an overworked single mom gets, not the so tired I’m going to cry tired.

So no fatigue and absolutely no leg and foot cramps anymore. I also noticed that my muscle aches are gone. After you have our thyroid removed, you will experience muscle pain, I think it feels like your muscles are getting ready to atrophy. I have actually kept on running every night; I think it’s been 12 or 13 nights in a row now. I have little shin splints and running wears we out, I stop and walk when I need to and then start running again, but I feel as though my muscles are coming back. What is so great about being human is no matter what our bodies go through, we can almost always get better or make positive changes for our own well being. Okay, to sum up one year after total thyroid removal, total thyroidectomy, the fatigue is gone, the feet and leg cramps are gone, and the general muscle malaise is over! There is hope, and if you are going through this please know it gets better!