A toast to health

Cheers!
Sláinte!
Salud!
Prosit!
We offer a toast for many reasons, we toast to newly married couples, to the birth of a child, to the memory of those who passed, to celebration, to holidays, we toast to prosperity, to life and to health.

The four toast’s above all have a commonality that they are all toasts to health in their respective languages. I always try to end my blog posts with a toast and this one will be no different but possibly the most personal toast of all.

Roughly two years ago I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, it’s unclear whether my thyroid has ever functioned properly, just that two years ago it got worse and my symptoms became overwhelmingly apparent to the point that I was shutting down physically. Since then I’ve worked to regulate the problem with medication which I’ll have to do for the rest of my life.

Six weeks ago I visited a specialist, part of the visit included an ultra sound which found some “suspicious areas” on my thyroid, a more exploratory ultra sound was ordered. Six weeks ordinarily doesn’t seem that long to me, but the past six weeks have felt like an eternity, quietly agonizing over the possibility that I might have thyroid cancer. Today was the ultra sound, it confirmed that I do have thyroid disease; it didn’t however show any signs of cancer, no red flags.

A weight has been lifted, and I feel extremely lucky, it could have just as easily confirmed the worst. I now understand the dark place my mind can go when faced with that “what if” and the strength it takes to continue smiling and hope for the best.

So tonight I raise my glass to celebrate, I toast to what health I have and to the health of all of you,

Salud!

Chaddah

Chad Lothian

About Chad Lothian

Chad Lothian lives in Old Town, Maine. He is a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer. Chad has travelled to brewpubs, breweries and brewfests all over New England.