Thyroid Cancer - Clearwater,FL

I am so thankful your husband is doing so well and that yall are looking forward to a bright future.

I have not dealt with this but I wanted to share that I have 5-1/2 years between child #4 and #5. Our 5th child was a complete surprise! It may be because he was #5 that I didn't feel the anxiousness of having them so far apart, but I enjoyed the space in age. His big sister was SUCH a wonderful help and understood so much more than her older siblings that were barely 2 years apart.

I believe that God gives us the children He wants us to have when He wants us to have them. Joshua, our 12 year old, is so much different than his older siblings, in fact he has Asperger Syndrome. I am so thankful he came to us later in my life (I was 39 when he was born) as I felt I was calmer and ready to deal with a child with special needs. His siblings were older & were able to understand his quirkiness and needs better than if they'd been younger. I'm getting off track here but just wanted to say, be anxious for nothing but in all things give thanks and this too will come to be.

Best of luck to you all.

Hi Sarah,
First I want to tell you that my mom was diagnosed with terminal secondary liver cancer in october 2009. I have done alot of research into cancer and chemotherapy. If I was in your shoes (which I somewhat have been with my mother) I would not subject your husband to more chemo unless there was evidence the cancer had come back. If your husband gets on an alcaline diet and incorporates aloe daily- I am confident his cancer will not return. My mother was given 1 year to live, the chemo did not work. (she is supose to die next month) and she has fought this through diet and prayer. Her tumors (over 12 more than 5 mm big) are shriking without chemo! She is now a candidiate for surgery and will be cancer free on September 21st!

Second, I want to share with you that even though I do not endorse taking such risks- one of my best friends and her sister (11 months apart) were conceived while their mother was going through chemo- both are beautiful and healthy.

Consider your options and do not always rely on what the Dr's say is necessary. Pray for guidance and wisdom and healing.

Is it possible to try for another baby before he gets the treatment?

Do your research-does he have to have this- I know they said it- but if he doesn't have cancer then why in heavens name would it be necessary to have the thyroidDEAD. Something here makes no sense. A safety measure?????? To make sure thyroid is dead? Please get a second opinion on this.
If it is necessary if you do a 2nd and 3rd opinion, then see if you can get pregnant in Feb, and then they do this after you are already pregnant.
Also I assume they put your husband on a replacement since they have killed his thyroid, and thyroid function is necessary for life- please make sure it is Armour, and not Synthyriod.
A safety measure to make sure they killed off the thyroid makes no sense- it is the cancer that was the problem, not the thyroid. It would be like saying , if you had cancer in your arm, and then the cancer was handled, then we are going to make sure your arm is dead. See? No sense.
Research, and second, and third opinions.
best, K

It must be hard thinking that your wait was close to being over and then BAM another wait. But I agree with the other mom. Speak with a professional doctor that would know all about this kinda of stuff first. It would be horrible and long pregnancy (and maybe beyond pregnancy) of worry if you baby is healthy or not.
C.

I don't know how to see others responses so...if you got this same answer already I apologize!

First, I am happy you already have your first baby. I have friends that say 2 yrs apart is ideal, 3 is , and 5 is! So unless you are particularly older and waiting isn't an option, I wouldnt be too concerned about more than 3 yrs apart between your chidlren. There are pros and cons to having kids closer in age and farther apart in age. If the doc says no meds while trying to get pregnant than you need to wait, I dont know what the side affects could be, but if it could lead to birth defects and those are not worth risking.

MY other concern for you is that you should consider if potentially your husbands health were to worsen, could YOU financially, physically AND mentally handle raising two children without his aid while helping him too? If the answer if no, it could be wise to wait anyway so as to not cause too much stress in your household.

I understand wanting another baby, we are working on our 2nd too.
Best of luck to you and yours
-L.

I just wanted to mention that although I nor my husband have the health issues you are talking about, I did want to talk about the age diff. in the children.

My husband and I tried for children and finally after 9 years, we got our Baby #1. When he turned 2, we began trying again.... including infertility meds that we had used with #1 but with no success. After YEARS of heartbreak and trying different things, we finally got pregnant again (thanks to GOD and then to acupuncture). Baby Boy #2 was born just last December. My older son was so excited. He had prayed that our family would get a baby brother and he had even done coins in the fountain with prayer (too cute). I had always wanted my children to be a few years apart, however that was not to be. There are 8 1/2 years between the two and they absolutely ADORE each other. My 1st will climb in the baby's crib to snuggle or play with the 9 month old. The 9 month old will try to climb up the 9 yr old when he is watching TV or eating in the living room. We shall see how the 9 yr old is the first time the baby breaks one of his toys esp. breaks one of his lego creations. We again hope to have one more baby in the next couple years... I just turned 40 so we shall see.

My sister and I were exactly 3 yrs, 2 months and 1 day apart and we were not really close AT ALL until the last decade... I hope this helps you with the pressure to keep the kids close in age.

Denise

I started my last round of chemo on March 29 and was pregnant by Nov 8. My doctor said he wished I had told him that I wanted to get pregnant because he would have asked me to wait at least a year, too. My son is now 13 months old, very healthy. I was considered a high risk pregnancy, but everthing went just fine.

If God is ready to put another child in your life, it will happen no matter what your doctor suggests.

WAIT! You do not want to take ONE chance that your baby will be toxic! That road is a horrible one to go down. I would also go to emotional counseling beofre even considering conceiving. Unresolved issues always show in the child as an auto immune illness such as autism, SPD, cancer, diabetes, lupus, etc. There are many feelings to deal with before trying again. I work with these families and I'm here to tell you to wait! Drs. will tell you we have not had one problem but they are talking about things like a missing limb, cleft palate or something that you can actually see. My 2 cents is wait. Your older one has been through enough trauma for now let alone the adjustment of a sibling. And by the way, my girls are over 5 years apart and they couldn't be closer!

Have you talked to a maternal fetal medicine doctor? The reason I ask is that my oncologist referred me because I accidentally got pregnant after my cancer treatment. Obviously my situation is different, I only received chemotherapy, no radiation, but my doctor wasn't concerned that I got pregnant so quickly, he said all the chemotherapy should have already left my body (it had been 5 months) This may be different in your case, but I definately recommend talking to a MFM.

my dad had throat cancer twice. the first time he survived for 40 yrs before round 2 which took him cause he didnt go to the doctor fast enough. he knew he had it and refused to go to the doc so he did it to himself. he was just stubborn and it got him. if he had not been stubborn and went to the doc earlier he would probably still be here. but he chose his fate. if he hasnt got it back now he probably wont. at least for a long time