Another Detour

Thirteen years ago my thyroid gland was surgically removed because of a malignant tumor in its right lobe. If I knew then what I know now, I would have considered a wider scope of possible treatments/follow-ups, and most likely would have chosen a far different protocol. But that’s water over the dam – or, as the saying goes, there’s no use crying over spilled milk, even when waterfall-torrents of it go sour.

At the time I was a dubbed a square peg (odd case), but still ended up in a round hole (conventional treatment and thyroid replacement) for the first seven years after surgery. The good news is that eventually I switched doctors AND pills to find a replacement plan that worked more effectively. Now, six years after going out on that “alternative” and risky limb (according to mainstream medicine) and taking the path less traveled, one of the two products I’ve been using - which happens to have been the thyroid option of choice before the 1970’s, by the way - is phasing out. A couple of weeks ago I found out from the drug store it may soon no longer be available.

The reasons for this seem dictated, in my (skeptical) opinion, by pharmaceutical-big-business that’s in bed with governmental-regulation - co-suspects motivated by greed rather than the Hippocratic oath. And I’m definitely not alone with this opinion. But that’s another dizzying soapbox lecture topic.

As I head back to the drawing board again to figure out what to do NEXT to replace the function of this missing body part (I have an appointment in 2 weeks to start the ball rolling), several things seem clear.

1. I have strong regrets about the way my case was handled originally and for that first seven years, and yet decisions were based on available information at the time. I’m more personally educated now.

2. Replacement products that yield close to normal thyroid function FOR ME can be moving targets and difficult/expensive to obtain. I’m at the mercy of practitioners and suppliers.

3. Life offers plenty of seeming dead ends, but God is the Master of Detours - the Ultimate Detour Engineer, Builder, and Guide. He knows my future, will provide what I need, and lead me accordingly. My job is to follow. I pray for faithful eyes to see the way.