Mirranda's Story
Pediatric
Hi, my name is Mirranda McVay and here is my story with hypoPARA.

I was 12 years old in 2006 when my pediatrician found a lump on my neck at a well child appointment. I was immediately sent to a pediatric surgeon who found it suspicious and told my mother it was most likely cancer. No biopsy was done. Less than two weeks later I was having a partial thyroidectomy. My surgeon experience complications and ended up taking my whole thyroid and two parathyroids.
She tried to tuck the other two parathyroids back in but they were damaged as well. My vocal cords were also cut. I spent almost a month in the hospital as doctors scrambled to figure out what was wrong with me, I ended up in the PICU in tetany and critically low calcium levels. A doctor thought to consult a pediatric endocrinologist who diagnosed me with hypoparathyroidism after my PTH level came back undetectable and my calcium levels would not rise. I have spent the last 15 years in and out of the hospital, labs and doctors offices trying to manage my condition.
On a daily basis I struggle. We do not have any way of checking our calcium levels at home so I spend many days guessing how much calcium I need to survive that day. I get labs done at least every 2 weeks and see my endocrinologist monthly. After being on the standard treatment of Calcitrol and Calcium supplementation for 15 years I can tell you that it does not work. I worry about my kidneys and the calcium build up, and I have many side effects from taking Calcitrol.
I have calcium crashes several times a year that land me in the emergency room needing IV calcium. I eagerly hope for and await for new treatments everyday and a better way to manage this condition.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story!