Thyroidectomy 21st March 2001

i HAD A TOTAL tHYROIDECTOMY ON 29/3/2001late in the day and was home by lunchtime on Saturday31/3/200.   Had an horrendous trip home as the constant bumping with the stop and start traffic.  I felt so ill that my husband considered taking me back to the hospital.  we lived 3 hours away from Sydney.  The initial reason I went to the Specialist was because I had a Goitre in my throat which was growing and I was finding it very hard to breathe laying down.  (I was propped up on 5 pillows all night so as to breathe).  I kept overheating (Iwas not going through menopause) and the persperation used to pour out of my head.  After many months of blood tests etc. and a second opinion from a thyroid surgeon It was decided to do a total Thyroidectomy. 
My op took 4 hours, There was some papillary cancer underneath the thyroid gland and they removed this. When I first woke up from the op the first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes in the ward was that I could breathe!!   a cold rush of air straight into my lungs and it was a wonderful feeling.  the next was that I was shaking and shaky all over.  After some hours I found could only walk to the bathroom doing small lollypop steps (In hindsight I suspect I was frightrened I would fall).  I stayed shaky for about 2 days.   I think it was probably due to the shock or trauma of invasion into my body.
For the first 4 days I had shooting sharp pains in my head but then they went away. 
After 2 weeks I could feel my energy creeping back and it was not so hard to climb the stairs several times a day but I did get tired toward the afternoon and some days I woke up tired. My short term memory was affected for a while post op. My chest still hurt for some weeks and I was still tight in the throat on the right hand side.  My blood pressure was up a bit and I had to take tablets for this.  Also I found I I couldn't look up for very longas it hurt my throat.  I do not overheat anymore and that's nearly as good as being able to breathe properly again.   My singing voice was affected for some time and now instead of a soprano voice it is now an alto.  (I sing in a choir)  It is nine years since my operation and I take 100 mgs of oroxine every day for the rest of my life.
Icompletely recovered and apart from quarterly blood tests and taking oroxine tablets for the rest of my life I feel it was the best bthing I ever dd.  feel healthy and alve.