Please pray for my Mom.

Everyone,

I would like to ask for your thoughts and prayers. My mom was diagnosed last Friday with thyroid cancer. At this stage, we do not know what type of thyroid cancer it is and to what extent it has invaded the thyroid, the surrounding lymph nodes, and if any metastasis has occurred.

She had been complaining of constrictions in her neck, swelling, and fatigue, and decided to have a check-up. Biopsies of her thyroid revealed malignant cells.

She will be undergoing total thyroidectomy on Aug. 26, 2008, and radioactive iodine may need to be administered as adjuvant therapy.

There are two categories of thyroid cancer according to clinical magnitude. The first set are the differentiated thyroid carcinomas, which consist of papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma. Papillary is the most common, followed by follicular, and the two are highly curable, with a 20-yr disease-free survival rate of 97%. The second set are the undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas, consisting of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma which may consist of giant cell or small cell cancer. These are rare but present a very aggressive form of disease. It has high recurrence rates and high incidence of metastasis to the brain and lungs. Classification is based on the histopathology of the tumor. Risk factors for thyroid cancer include history of goiter (which my Mom had), family history of goiter and/or thyroid cancer, female sex, and Asian race.

Histopathological examination of the biopsy samples from my Mom were ambiguous (the pathologist said it might be papillary or anaplastic), but we are praying that it's papillary, which is more curable.

I am awaiting the path reports that my Dad has promised to send me so I could find out more about the diagnosis.

Thank you so much.

Remembering DLSU

What section were you?
Focus 2004 NO8 lol

Who were your seatmates?
First year? Most often Zhang Qi, Toni, Dex, and then later on, Kat, Yani, Arcie, Rizza, Jane, Gobbi...lol

Still remember your english teacher?
We had 3. The first one was Michelle Raquel. She was a young teacher and I got a 4.0! Second and third ones, I don't remember their names. the second one I just remember having Kris Laura as my partner and then the third one, I remember losing a debate, and when I asked the teacher why, she said it's because of God.

What was your first class?
Math111. lol.

Who were your bestfriends?

In the block? Dexter, Kat, Jane, Gobbie, Rizza, Arcie, Toni... hehehe

Who was your crush back then?

(Let me reiterate the "BACK THEN") Kris Laura

Made friends to the higher years?

Sure! Dandi, Topher, Ice, Elleesse...

Had a boyfriend/girlfriend?

not at all

How was your class schedule?
Crazy.

Who was/were your favorite teacher?
Dr. Moreno, Dr. Enriquez, Ms. Manzano, Sir Voc, Ms. Eve, Sir Dennis Erasga, Dr. Vallar, Dr. Cuansing, Dr. Santiago...

What sport did you play?
I used to swim with Jomar and Law... but that lasted for a few weeks only. I also hit the gym a couple of times...

Did you always buy your lunch?
Yup, until I moved to a condo.

Were you a party animal?
nope

Were you well known in your school?
Infamously so.

Skip classes?
of course, with or without reason. hehehehehe

Did you get suspended/expelled?
nahh

Can you sing the alma mater?
sure. I've been singing it since I was in Prep

What was your favorite subject?
All Medical Physics subjects lol... Introso, COMPLAB...

What was your school's full name?
De La Salle University-Manila

Where did you go often during breaks?
back to the dorm or condo, if not, COMELEC office, Agno, Z2

If you could go back in time and do it all over, would you?
sure

What do you remember most about 1st yr?
boring RELSONE, CWTS (uggghhhh), complete pa yung block... Proactive-ness (too many orgs), Math114... lolz...