The Strength of Curiosity The year was 1984, shortly after I had our second child, I noticed a small lump in my neck. At first, I barely thought about it, but my husband grew concerned and asked a friend—who happened to be a doctor—what he thought. After feeling it, he told my husband, “I think you should get this checked out—and the sooner, the better.” We were part of a large HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), so getting an appointment took time. When I finally saw the doctor, I seemed like a healthy, young woman. They ran the usual tests, and over the course of 9 months,  the lump was diagnosed as a simple goiter. But something didn’t sit right. The lump seemed to grow and harden, and I knew my body was sending me signals I couldn’t ignore.