I have some news today. First, I want to apologize to any of my friends who are seeing this here for the first time. With R.'s recovery and the issues around my aunt's estate, plus this, I simply haven't had a chance to talk to everyone I would have liked to.

I went to see my doctor for my annual checkup just before our trip to Florida in December. I was generally healthy, but he noticed that I had a goitre, or an enlarged thyroid. He wanted me to have an ultrasound to have it checked out.

When I got back from Florida, I scheduled the ultrasound for the end of January. I went in and had the test. The doctor called me a few days later and told me that there were some nodules on my thyroid and that he wanted to send me to a specialist to have them checked out. He told me that they could be nothing to worry about or, in a worst case scenario, I could have thyroid cancer. He told me that if it was cancer, that it was very curable. He actually said that if I was going to get cancer that this was the one to get because thyroid cancer is very "well behaved".

I made an appointment with the specialist (which took another month) and didn't give it too much thought, aside from doing some research on the Web. According to what I had read, only a small percentage of these cases end up being cancer and I hadn't had any symptoms.

The appointment with the specialist finally came and she took a look with the ultrasound machine there, in addition to reviewing the previous exam. She decided to do a biopsy, which entailed sticking needles into my neck (a truly fun experience, I can tell you.) She also wanted to do some thyroid levels, so I left some blood behind and went home.

Another week passed, and I heard back from the specialist. The biopsy came back as a malignant tumor. I would have to have my thyroid removed.

To say I was shocked is an understatement. I'm naturally pretty optimistic, so I hadn't really even entertained the possibility of having a bad result. Even now I find myself distracted and unable to concentrate on what I'm doing.

I had a second opinion done last week, just to make sure that the initial diagnosis was the correct one. The second doctor concurred with the first. So I made an appointment to have the surgery. I'll be going into the hospital on April 26, staying overnight and then taking several days off from work.

The support I've had so far from my family and friends has been great, and has really helped me to get through this so far. Thanks to all of you (and you know who you are).

It's been a hell of a year for us. Starting with A.'s shoulder surgery, then R.'s surgery and now this, I'm hoping this will be it as far as major medical issues are concerned for a while.

I'll keep updating you as I have more information.