And how did they explain, you know, what was, be involved and that to you at the time? Did they give you information and that?
We were given a little pack of little information and stuff. And they, I had a quick read through it. I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t read it fully. But it’s, I don’t, like I understand bits of it, but you do get a bit side-tracked as the days go on. You think, “Oh, I’ll read that later” and you forget all about it.
So they explained the purpose of the trial to you and what was involved? Did they talk about what potential side effects at all?
Oh, yes, oh, yes. They, they really, they went through everything with me. Some of it registered at the time, some of it didn’t. But as the weeks have gone by I’ve picked up odd, like little bits and bobs. Because when you, when you find out that your child’s ill, nothing sinks in first. It just goes in one ear and out the other. Because you’re thinking, “Oh, my God. What’s happened? What’s go-, what’s going through?” “What, what’s going to happen next?” is, you know, the scariest. We didn’t know about the heart. We didn’t think that she’d be rushed in to hospital with, with heart problems. And it was just, “Oh, my God.” It just . . .
Was that before the trial or after?
It was just after.
Just after?
But we didn’t realise. Even now you forget the severity of it.
Is that common to have a heart complaint as well with the thyroid.
With the thyroid, yes. Everything, she’s got, I don’t think she’s skipped, a symptom. She’s got the eyes, she’s got the palpitations, she’s got the mood swings, hyperactivity, a heart problem, the tremors, everything. And it’s frightening. And it, it’s, it’s hard to watch, really hard to watch your child go from an active 11-year-old in to a child that you’re watching 24/7. It’s just…
So how old was she when she was diagnosed?
She was 11.
And how old is she now?
She’s just turned 12.
Did you have any questions at the time? You know, when they were going through the information and the trial to you was there anything you wanted to ask or is there anything you wished you’d asked?
No, not really. At the time my head was just so chocker with it all, it just didn’t, nothing registered.
And did you mind being asked at that time?
No, I didn’t. Because, as I said, if I can help somebody else go through what I had to go through that day, and then these past few months, it might help somebody, it’s a bonus, it’s a bonus.
