I had a total thyroidectomy on Nov. 27, 2012 after dealing with a nodule that had doubled in size in two years. After several fine needle biopsies, it was determined that the nodule could be cancerous. In addition, other nodules, although benign, were found on the other side. Both my endocrinologist and Dr. Avital Harari, a confident, friendly, angel, left it up to me to decide whether I wanted a partial or total thyroidectomy. Since we would have needed to watch the remaining nodules carefully, and since I might have had to have those taken out at a later date, I opted to do the total at this time. Suffice it to say, my experience with Dr. Harari and the staff at Santa Monica-UCLA was exemplary. I did not have to stay over night and was, therefore, in the “short-stay” part of the hospital. Everyone could not have been more caring, from the parking attendant at 5:00 a.m. to the admissions staff to the pre-op nurse, the anesthesiology team, the OR nurse, the recovery nurses and everyone else. Post surgery, I did not have a sore throat, my voice was back to normal immediately, my scar is barely noticeable (Dr. Harari had stated that she was “anal” about trying not to leave a visible scar, and, believe me, partly, I suppose, because I had lines in my neck already there is virtually no scar) After a few days at home, I was ready to go shopping for holiday presents….got a bit tired…but was not debilitated. I took Vicodin for two days, Tylenol for two days, and nothing after that. If surgery can be a good experience, this was it!!! I thank the entire Endocrine Surgery department for making my whole experience the very best it could be.