Rolling Up the Hill Instead of Down
Ok, guys, we are on a roll—rolling up the hill instead of down, YES! I finally found a doctor who listened. Dr. Madu was, and still is, a Godsend from the heavens. After years of feeling dismissed, this doctor took the time to sit with me, truly hear my story, and consider the research I had done.
I walked into his office with my schematic—the mind map I created to connect all my symptoms—and handed it to him. I’ll never forget the moment he looked at it, smiled, and said, "Wow, you really have something here." He read it carefully and took me seriously.
Dr. Madu didn’t stop at listening. He ordered a full thyroid panel and referred me to a heart specialist for my shortness of breath and palpitations. He also sent me to get tested for vertigo to address the blackouts and dizziness. Then came the game changer: a referral to an endocrinologist.
Discovering the Truth
The endocrinologist performed an ultrasound of my thyroid, and there it was—nodules. I was diagnosed with nodule thyroid disease, which explained my hypothyroid symptoms. I finally had an answer!
While I didn’t want a “disease,” I was relieved to know what was wrong. But the journey didn’t stop there. One specialist explained that the nodules were swelling and pressing on my throat, causing shortness of breath and palpitations. Every six months, I would have to go back to monitor the nodules for growth.
Then came the biopsy. I remember the day the nurse called with the results, saying the words no one ever wants to hear: “You have thyroid cancer.”
A World Turned Upside Down
My world melted. Thoughts of leaving my family, of everything I hadn’t done yet, flooded my mind. “I knew it,” I thought. “I’m going to die.”
When I told my sister and brother, I was searching for support. But their response felt dismissive, like it was no big deal. They thought something was wrong with my son. When they found out it was me, there seemed to be no compassion. That hurt. Later, I shared how their reaction made me feel, and we smoothed things over. But at that moment, I felt so alone.
Then, I went to see the specialist to discuss the next steps. The results showed that I was only 30-40% cancerous—meaning I didn’t have cancer after all. Thank you, Allah!
However, the doctor recommended removing my thyroid entirely due to the risk. Surgery was scheduled, and I met with the surgeon, Dr. Merry Sebelik. Another Godsend.
A New Direction
Dr. Sebelik listened to my concerns. I told her I didn’t want to rely on medication for the rest of my life. I wanted to pursue a holistic approach. She supported me, saying we could monitor the nodules and only operate if they grew or caused more severe issues.
But when I returned to the endocrinologist, he was livid to learn I hadn’t gone through with the surgery. He tried to convince me, saying he wasn’t a holistic doctor, just a man of medicine.
It was clear he wasn’t aligned with my beliefs or my health goals, so I made the decision to “fire” him. From then on, I worked solely with my family practitioner and Dr. Sebelik, who fully supported my journey.
The Butterfly’s Next Chapter
While I finally had answers, the symptoms didn’t magically disappear. I knew I wanted to keep my thyroid and improve my health naturally. But how?
In my next blog, I’ll share what that journey looked like—how I discovered that my “healthy” food choices were actually harming me, keeping me swollen, and breaking that butterfly’s wing.
Stay tuned
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