It's Friday and I am a short weekend away from my surgery to have my thyroid completely removed.... and feelings and emotions are stirring but I do feel calmer than I expected. I just wanted to share with everyone who has assisted me, advised me, hugged me (thru cyberspace:)), and held my hand as I entered my journey with Graves a little over a year ago on August 23 with my Thyroid storm. I started out not knowing what Graves was... I didn't even know what a thyroid was... and thru curiosity and needing to know what was going on with my health, I learned so much thru this support forum alone. I have been able to help others that have crossed my path, teach them about Free T4's and Free T3's and proper labbing, etc.... things I had no clue about in the past. If I made one difference in someone's life this past year and possibly put them on a better path with their health, then I am satisfied and I have learned something :) and I have this group to give thanks to. I knew the morning I woke up in the hospital after my storm that I wanted surgery (without even knowing what was going on). But I was told I had to wait.... wait three months and I could have RAI, not surgery... at the time, I was clueless so my answer was "okay" with tears. Those three months were my blessing or what you may call a "god wink" and I learned enough to know that RAI wasn't the route I wanted to go and decided I was going to achieve remission thru my ATD which was PTU. As the year went by, I had ups and downs, frustration after frustration, fear, anxiety, and depression come and go but I never once lost sight that I would achieve remission by my one year mark and I did it! Only to decide two weeks before my one year mark that I am going to have surgery. Go figure. Life is full of paths and choices... do we always choose right? Probably not. But we always choose what we see as right for us. I have prepared myself for this surgery by adding vitamins, increasing my physical activity, reading books, relaxation techniques, and a week of pampering... I couldn't be more prepared- maybe. I will be posting pictures of before, after, and during my recovery in my journal for anyone who wants to follow along... I will also post my journey thru the next year as I start my new journey in life without my thyroid. From the bottom of my heart and with my soul and spirit... I thank each and every one of you who reached out to me... whether one brief comment or a bucketful of advice. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I go into my surgery (as well as Melanie who will have hers about a week later). Thyroidectomy isn't for everyone but it's the choice I am making.

(I will also post this in my journal as well).

With love in my heart... thank you and big, big, group hug :)