a year after my THYROIDECTOMY

I had my THYROIDECTOMY (i’m not sure if i spelled it correctly ) done last August 16, 2007.   

I went on a month-long leave from work and luckily, my TL and OM granted the request.  I had the procedure done at Makati Medical Center.  

I took a jeepney ride from Runway, Taguig to Pasay Rotonda amidst the rain and upon arriving at the MRT station, bought a one-way ticket to Ayala.  From there, I flagged a cab and admitted myself to the Center.

The guards and admitting officer were amazed everytime I replied that I had nobody with me- that the person who would attend to my personal needs (Cristina) was still  stranded in Cavite and was soon to arrive later that evening.

Per my surgeon’s (Dr G. Caedo) instructions, I choose the Female Ward accomodation over the Private Room so that I can maximize my health care package (Intellicare  100thou/illness/year), not to mention the discount that would be taken off my medical bills because of my Philhealth membership.

I had second thoughts about the surgery because Dr. Caedo and my lady  endocrinologist, Dr. Crisostomo, warned that there may be ill-effects of the procedure- bleeding and loss of voice.  The latter I could not risk taking because I work in the Call Center industry.  Blessing in disguise, I was transferred to AT&T Chat Tehnical Support right after my regularization.  I could find no more reasons to delay my surgery thus, the admittance to MMC.

Later that evening, a seminarian brother visited and talked with me, adding conviction to my belief that I went to Manila for a reason- for my medical predicament.  If I wasn’t employed by Teletech, I wouldn’t have the resources to pay for my hospital expenses.  If I hadn’t left Madrid, I wouldn’t have found out that I was afflicted with Non-toxic Goiter.

The next day, I was taken to the Operating Room and undertook Major Surgery (which up to this day, I account for my sudden surges of Memory Loss, notwithstanding the age- 29y.o. to date ).  I was brought in at about 5:30am and taken back to my bed at noon. 

I made myself believe that I was super-human, that I could withstand the medical battery (pardon the lingo) that I suffered that whole morning and forced myself to eat so that I could recover faster.  Luckily, I was discharged on the third day of my confinement.

But my journey did not stop there…

I had to take numerous trips to and fro my rented place and the hospital for check-ups and prescriptions.  I had to deny myself the pleasure of eating seafoods so that my hormones would remain normal.  No salt and more vitamin intake were a practice induced vigorously. 

I have gained more weight than ever but, this had not made me feel less happier than I am now because I had already surpassed a year after that major surgery and I have yet to look forward to more years to spend with family and friends, more blessings and pay raise. 

To all the people who had seen me in my bitter and sweet moments before and after my THYROIDECTOMY, it was a pleasure to have been with you.  It is a blessing to be with you throughout the years…