I have joined the big C club. Melanoma in the neck.

[Solly Mack]

27. I didn't ask for a drug by name so much as asked if there were any.

My doctor sort of laughed when I asked about drugs to help protect my thyroid. He saw the look on my face and answered seriously.

He said nothing really protected it. I'd either have problems or I wouldn't. Problems with the thyroid affect roughly a third of people who receive radiation treatment to the neck region. I do remember that number. But truly, other people might have had different results.

My doctor did say he would prescribe them if I really wanted to take them. The decision was mine.

My radiation treatment was some of the best and provided greater control of radiation hitting the areas it needed to hit. They explained the machine and the process to me fully. When treatment changed, to different areas, I got another explanation. When they changed to protons, I got another explanation. My cancer doctors were named in the Top 10 of cancer centers in the country, so I feel good about them.

Still, though, I'm getting my thyroid tested next week. Blood test can show if my thyroid is under-active.