Graves Eye Disease and Hyperthyroid

A life lesson learned--it's not something to hide from. You just might be helping someone who needs it too.

Through course of the first 18 months or so after my doctor said those words over the phone to me, "you have Graves Disease," I didn't tell too many people about it.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it's because I'm a private person, maybe it's because I was afraid no one would understand (I barely did at first), maybe I even thought no one would care.  I really don't know.  I do know for sure I want to help others.  That's why I'm here. 

But something happened this past weekend as my family celebrated Father's Day.  We all gathered at my cousins house up the road from me.  My mom and dad, me, mom's sister and her kids, their kids, and a few other family members.  We had a great time.  Eight of us were sitting around the dining room table when my one cousin asked me, "so how've you been feeling, your eyes really look like they've improved a lot."

Silence.  Mind you, she was the only one, except my mom and her sister I'd said anything to.  Then out it came.  Everything.  For whatever reason I no longer cared.  Then everyone started asking questions.  And more questions.  One after another.  One other cousin said "how come I didn't know!!?"  She's the sister of the one who asked the question in the first place. 

Not only did I find them to be genuinely interested, but I felt a certain sense of relief as if a great big burden had been lifted from my shoulders.  Frankly, I thought everyone noticed my protruding eyes but were afraid to ask.  Apparently not!

Then something even more important happened the very next day.  My cousin (the one who asked why she didn't know) sent me an e mail I will never forget--she too was dealing with symptoms but in her case from hypothyroid.  She went into some detail about them which sound as bad as hyperthyroid. 

Here we were, two cousins, 18 months apart, living two miles from one another, going through a very difficult experience and neither one of us knowing.  Now realizing how much we could have helped each other, been there for each other if even just to talk.  Talk to someone who had some idea of what the other was going through.

I'm sorry now I didn't speak up way back when, and if I had it to do over I would.  There is nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide.  It's ok to need and ask for support.  It's taken me a long while to realize this, a lesson I won't ever forget.

A little stresser in the last 24 hours (I didn't make this up either!)

OK--I just posted about how stress can be a major trigger for Graves Disease.  This is a real story of what the past 24 hours has been like for me.   

Several colleagues and I fly to Atlanta Monday night for a business meeting Tuesday.  Flight goes well, meeting all day Tuesday goes very well.

We head to the airport in Atlanta from Alpharetta.  Major traffic.  Enroute we learn our flight is cancelled.  Northwest e mail confirms we are booked on Delta flight Wednesday morning. We will be spending the night in Atlanta.

Northwest attempts to get us a hotel.  Takes forever.  We walk all the way to the hotel shuttle busses only to have the driver tell us the hotel is not called by the Clarion name anymore.  The new name hotel (whatever it was) is full.  We are turned away.  We are not allowed on the shuttle bus.  It's hot, humid, and sticky.

All the way back to the terminal.  It's late.  We'd stopped earlier to use our dinner vochers for a snack.  We were hungry after all.  Not one ticket agent available.  Sent to lost luggage.  No help there.

Meanwhile, we phone our corporate travel company for help.  We don't get through for about 45 minutes.  Finally, we get booked at the Days Inn.

Head all the way back to the shuttle busses.  It's still hot, humid, and sticky.  We shuttle to the Days Inn.  It took about 25 mins to check 6 of us in.  My room is at the top of the stairs by the lobby.  I can hear the TV in the lobby.  It's now midnight.  I have to get up at 4:30.

Up at 4:30.  I reach for the wall mounted blow dryer--the entire attachment pulls out of the wall. 

We shuttle to the terminal at 5:15.  A colleague and I are sent through the "special screening" lane.  We make it to our gate.  The Delta flight is delayed.  Then delayed again--replacing the pilot's seat.  Then delayed again. 

We ask to be unchecked from this flight and they put us on a Northwest flight leaving in 30 minutes.  We take the tram to terminal T, just a couple down from where we are.  We get to the gate.  The airplane is there, but no flight attendants are available.  Then magically we board and get off the ground. 

Instead of getting home at 8:30 or so Tuesday, I get home at noon Wednesday, tired and not feeling well.

So what's the point of this story?  I watched each colleague closely to see how they all handled the stress.  Some remained very calm, while others didn't.  One in particular was very upset. 

Me?  There wasn't much I could do about it--it was what it was.  I can't control the poor service we received, or the fact that someone made a mistake with our hotel, or the fact it was hot, humid, and sticky, or any of it.  I didn't get stressed about it.  I know better now.  I wish my colleagues knew better.

Worry about what you can control and deal with it as productively as you can.  Try not to worry about what you have no control over.  We've all heard that before, but it's so true.

It's been a long day, I'm glad to be home.  I will certainly sleep well tonight.